To
provide individuals determined to be victims of a severe form of
trafficking access to benefits and services to the same extent as
Refugees. Provide targeted case management, referrals and funded
cash, medical assistance, special mental health or other services,
and community/local outreach.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
The
Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) discretionary grant program
includes funding for specialized services and assistance to certified/eligible
adult victims of a severe form of trafficking assisting criminal
justice system efforts to prosecute traffickers (victims under the
age of eighteen, not required to assist prosecution efforts in order
to access benefits). Funds may be used only for the purposes set
forth in the grant award.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: State and local governments and
private nonprofit organizations. Under the "Victims of Trafficking
and Violence Protection Act of 2000," trafficking victims are eligible
for benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. The law,
enacted in October 2000, specifically requires HHS, in consultation
with the Attorney General, to "certify" adult trafficking victims
as a precondition for their eligibility. Children under eighteen
must be determined to be victims of a severe form of trafficking
but do not require such certification in order to be eligible for
benefits.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Beneficiaries are adult victims
of a severe form of trafficking who have been certified by HHS
and children under 18 years of age subjected to a severe form
of trafficking.
Credentials/Documentation:
Cost principals for nonprofit organizations will be determined
by OMB Circular No. A-122. Cost principals for State and local
governments are found under OMB Circular No. A-87. Persons need
not attain refugee, entrant, or asylee status to be eligible for
services under this program.
Pre-application
Coordination: This program is eligible for coverage
under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs."
An applicant should consult the office or official designated as
the single point of contact in his or her State for more information
on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for
assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Also,
45 CFR 100, "Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and
Human Services Program and Activities."
Application
Procedure: Each application submitted under
this program announcement will undergo a pre-review to determine
if (1) The application was received by the closing date and submitted
in accordance with the instructions in this announcement, and
(2) applicant is eligible for funding.
Award
Procedure: Applications that pass the initial
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) screening will
be evaluated and rated by an independent review panel on the basis
of specific evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria were
designed to assess the quality of a proposed project and to determine
the likelihood of its success.
Deadlines:
The first closing date was June 30, 2001. A new standing announcement
specifically for trafficking will be forthcoming sometime in the
future.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: It is anticipated
that the approval/disapproval time will not exceed 90 days.
Appeals:
Not applicable.
Renewals:
These are one time only 17-month grants.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: This program has
no statutory formula for distribution of funds.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Currently,
funds made available for this program are available for fiscal
years 2001 and 2002 budget periods.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Progress reports and financial reports are required, usually on
a quarterly or semi-annual basis. Final program and financial reports
summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the project in
relation to the approved goals and objectives are also required.
Audits:
Periodic audits are made as part of the system of financial management
and internal control to meet terms and conditions of grants and
other agreements. "In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular
No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), Audits of States, Local Governments,
and Non-Profit Organizations, nonfederal entities that expend
financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will
have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year.
Nonfederal entities that expend less that $300,000 a year in Federal
awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year,
except as noted in Circular No. A-133." Nonprofit organization
receiving less than $25,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from federal audit requirements, but records must be available
for review by appropriate officials of the Federal grantor agency
or subgranting entity.
Records:
Grant recipients are required to keep all financial, business,
and program reports necessary for program review and audit to
insure that funds have been expended in accordance with the regulations,
grant terms, and conditions of this program.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 75-1503-0-1-609.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $5,000,000; FY 02 est $10,000,000; and FY 03 est
$10,000,000.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
From $100,000 to $200,000; Average: $159,000.
In fiscal year 2001 198 persons received certification/eligibility
letters declaring them victims of a severe form of trafficking in
persons. It is estimated that 200 persons will receive certification/eligibility
letters in fiscal years 2002 and 2003.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Program announcements are published in the Federal Register. All
inquiries should be directed to the Information Contact listed below.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Not Applicable.
Headquarters
Office: For program information, contact Neil
Kromash, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children
and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, 6th Floor,
370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. Telephone:
(202) 401-5702 or Jay Womack on (20)401-5525.
Web
Site Address: http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/orr
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
In fiscal years 2001 and 2002, ORR will fund projects that provide
a temporary solution to trafficking victims' needed for: 1) Case
management providing assessment information and referral to needed
services, 2) temporary housing, 3) special mental health services
such as trauma counseling and, 4) other gap-filling services.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Notice of criteria for awarding funds is published in the Federal
Register or other program announcement for each type of demonstration.
See the Information Contact section for more information.
