Office of ReFugee Resettlement Case Coordination Program

This is the solicitation to pre-solicitation notice ACF04434518PS. Furthermore referenced as 10-233-SOL-00460. Project Title: Office of REfugee Resettlement Case Coordination Program On March 1, 2002, the Homeland Security Act of 2002, - 462, transferred the functions under U.S. immigration laws regarding the care and placement of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) from the former Immigration and Naturalization Service to the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). ORR is charged with the care and custody of approximately 7000 - 8000 UAC per year who are in Federal custody by reason of their immigration status. The Division of Unaccompanied Children's Services was created within ORR in March 2003 to serve this purpose. The UAC population includes those who: (1) have no lawful immigration status in the United States; (2) have not attained 18 years of age; and (3) with respect to whom - (i) there is no parent or legal guardian in the United States; or (ii) no parent or legal guardian in the United States is available to provide care and physical custody. One of ORR's main functions is to provide temporary shelter care, in the least restrictive setting possible, and other related services to UAC in ORR custody. Under the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, - UAC shall be promptly placed in the least restrictive setting that is in the best interest of the child. ORR is also responsible for the safe and timely reunification of UAC with appropriate family sponsors. Under the Homeland Security Act, ORR shall ensure that UAC released from custody - are likely to appear for all hearings or proceedings in which they are involved; are protected from smugglers, traffickers, or others who might seek to victimize or otherwise engage them in criminal, harmful, or exploitative activity; and are placed in a setting in which they are not likely to pose a danger to themselves or others. Under the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, - An UAC may not be placed with a person or entity unless the Secretary of Health and Human Services makes a determination that the proposed custodian is capable of providing for the child's physical and mental well-being. In addition, ORR is responsible for identifying, funding, overseeing, and monitoring state-licensed facilities that serve UAC; maintaining statistical information and data on each child; and compiling and updating an annual list of professionals or entities qualified to provide legal services. ORR oversees a national network of approximately 45 licensed care providers, including shelters, group homes, staff-secure/secure facilities, foster care programs and residential treatment centers through contracts and cooperative, blanket purchase and inter-agency agreements. ORR care providers are required to be licensed by their state and are encouraged to pursue additional accreditation through the Council on Accreditation. They must also comply with ORR policies, protocols and procedures, as detailed in their individual Cooperative Agreement/Statement of Work and ORR policies and procedures. The majority of care providers are located in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The majority of ORR shelter care providers serve UAC exclusively. However, some programs also serve children from the domestic child welfare or juvenile justice systems. ORR identifies placement options for UAC according to their individual needs through this national network of care providers. ORR ensures that the interests of the child are considered in all decisions related to the care and custody of UAC. ORR is guided by the principles that all UAC should be treated with dignity, respect, and special concern for their particular vulnerability; all UAC must be placed in the least restrictive setting appropriate to their age and special needs; and each UAC shall be provided care and services free from discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or political belief. Many UAC have faced traumatic situations in their home countries, such as dire poverty, war, persecution, forced military recruitment, domestic violence, sexual and physical abuse, gang violence, and government neglect. Some are also very young, most have little or no formal education, and most are primarily non-English speaking. Many also fall victim to violent crimes (rape, assault, robbery, human trafficking) during their dangerous journey to the United States. A number of UAC may owe large debts to smugglers who facilitated their travel to the United States. While the majority of UAC are adolescent males from Central America, ORR serves a significant number of females, younger children, and youth from other countries, such as China, India, Haiti, and Somalia. Other special sub-populations include pregnant and parenting teens, children who require intensive mental health or medical services, children with criminal histories, and victims of human trafficking or other crimes. UAC come to the United States in pursuit of a better life with hopes of fleeing poor socioeconomic conditions, escaping violence, reunifying with family and seeking educational and employment opportunities. After apprehension by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and placement in ORR custody with a ORR funded care provider, these children face a complicated legal system, which offers limited relief options to remain in the United States permanently and legally. Professional legal counsel assists UAC in determining if they qualify for any immigration relief from deportation or removal to country of origin. In addition, children in ORR custody who are not ordered deported or voluntarily elect removal may have relatives in the United States to whom they can be released while their immigration cases are pending. While the average length of stay for UAC is approximately 65 days, a small number of children who pursue potential immigration relief and have no viable family sponsors remain in ORR custody for extended periods of time, while legal immigration status is pending. While in ORR custody, UAC receive an array of services, including residential care and supervision, clothing, food, individual and group counseling, medical/mental health care, case management, education/English as a Second Language (ESL), recreation, vocational education, acculturation, and access to religious services. UAC also have access to legal services. While the majority of services are available on site, referrals to community-based providers are made as needed. Services are provided by multilingual staff in a manner that is sensitive to the language and culture of the populations served. Service provision is tailored to each UAC in order to maximize the UAC's opportunities for success both while in care, and upon discharge from the program. Under the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, ORR shall collaborate with the Secretary of State in efforts to develop and implement best practices to ensure the safe and sustainable repatriation and reintegration of unaccompanied alien children into their country of nationality or of last habitual residence, including placement with their families, legal guardians, or other sponsoring agencies. In addition to the ORR funded care provider staff, ORR employs Central office and Federal Field Specialist staff who develop and implement policies and procedures; provide technical assistance, monitoring and oversight to grantees; identify and develop specialized capacity; and coordinate and oversee the family reunification of UAC. Central office staff is located in Washington, D.C. Federal Field Specialists (FFS) are located nationally in areas of high apprehension and placement activity, including Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Chicago, IL; El Paso, TX; Harlingen, TX; San Antonio, TX; Seattle, WA; and Washington, DC.. ORR intends to acquire the services of bilingual Case Coordinators to child welfare based recommendations on individual UAC cases, particularly in the areas of family reunification, identification of children with special needs and development of corresponding recommendations, and placement recommendations. Case Coordinators will make family reunification and release and placement recommendations for individual UAC to support ORR in making safe release and placement determinations in accordance with child welfare principles. In order to maintain the integrity of the recommendations, organizations may not have a conflict of interest (i.e., organizations involved in the care and maintenance of children in federal custody, organizations that would receive financial benefit as a result of their recommendations, etc.). Case Coordinators will be assigned to locations near ORR-funded care providers. In most cases, Case Coordinators will be deployed in or around areas where a Federal Field Specialist is designated. The primary regions are Western (California, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona); S. Central (Texas); Midwest (Chicago, Illinois); and Eastern (Florida, Virginia, New Jersey and New York). Case Coordinators will work closely with Federal Field Specialists, who serve as the Federal field representative of the ORR program and are responsible for implementing central office policies and procedures; liaising with local immigration officials, non-profit agencies and legal service providers; providing guidance and direction to local care providers; and making transfer and release decisions for UAC in their designated regions. The main responsibilities of Case Coordinators will include, but are not limited to: ? Providing timely review, assessment, and recommendation of family reunification requests to ORR; ? Assisting ORR in ensuring that children are placed in the least restrictive setting while receiving appropriate services; ? Meeting with individual UAC and care provider staff at designated ORR-funded care provider sites; ? Providing targeted child welfare based assistance to care provider staff, as directed by ORR staff; ? Making recommendations for home study and post - release services for at-risk children, in collaboration with care provider and ORR; ? Making placement recommendations for children who require more specialized levels of care, such as long-term foster care and residential treatment centers, in collaboration with care provider and ORR; ? Collaborating and working on any other tasks specific to the case coordinator as per ORR/DUCS policy and procedures; ? Participating in collaborative meetings with local stakeholders; and ? Participating in case staffings with care providers and designated ORR staff. It is imperative that Contractor staff work as a cohesive team, in a collaborative and effective manner with care provider staff and ORR staff for the safe and timely care and placement, transfer, and release of UAC.