[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 124 (Monday, June 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35245-35250]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17266]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of Refugee Resettlement


Refugee Resettlement Program: Final Notice of Allocations to 
States of FY 1998 Funds for Refugee Social Services

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, HHS.

ACTION: Final notice of allocations to States of FY 1998 funds for 
refugee \1\ social services.
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    \1\ In addition to persons who meet all requirements of 45 CFR 
400.43, ``Requirements for documentation of refugee status,'' 
eligibility for refugee social services also includes: (1) Cuban and 
Haitian entrants, under section 501 of the Refugee Education 
Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422); (2) certain Amerasians from 
Vietnam who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants under section 584 
of the Foreign Operations Export Financing, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Act, 1988, as included in the FY 1988 Continuing 
Resolution (Pub. L. 100-202); and (3) certain Amerasians from 
Vietnam, including U.S. citizens, under title II of the Foreign 
Operations, Expoert Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations 
Acts, 1989 (Pub. L. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. 101-167), and 1991 (Pub. 
L. 101-513). For convenience, the term ``refugee'' is used in this 
notice to encompass all such eligible persons unless the specific 
context indicates otherwise.
    Refugees admitted to the U.S. under admissions numbers set aside 
for private-sector-initiative admissions are not eligible to be 
served under the social service program (or under other programs 
supported by Federal refugee funds) during their period of coverage 
under their sponsoring agency's agreement with the Department of 
State--usually two years from their date of arrival or until they 
obtain permanent resident alien status, whichever comes first.
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SUMMARY: This notice establishes the allocations to States of FY 1998 
funds for social services under the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP). 
We have added approximately $22.1 million in unexpended FY 19965 CMA 
funds to the social services formula program bringing the total to 
$90.9 million in funds available for formula social services in FY 
1998.
    This notice reflects the decision by Congress to provide 
$14,000,000 under social services to address the needs of refugees and 
communities impacted by recent changes in Federal assistance programs 
relating to welfare reform. This notice also announces ORR's intention 
to postpone a final decision on the elimination of the floor formula 
for States with small refugee populations until a later date. A notice 
of proposed social service allocations to States was published in the 
Federal Register on February 13, 1998, (63 FR 7422) for public comment. 
The population estimates that were used in the proposed notice have 
been adjusted in the final notice as a result of additional arrival 
information.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 29, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Toyo Biddle, Director, Division of Refugee Self-sufficiency, (202) 401-
9250.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

 I. Amounts for Allocation

    The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has available $129,990,000 
in FY 1998 refugee social service funds as part of the FY 1998 
appropriation for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 
(Pub. L. 105-78).
    The FY 1998 House Appropriations Committee Report (H.R. Rept. No. 
105-205) reads as follows with respect to social services funds:

    The bill provides $129,990,000 for social services, an increase 
of $19,108,000 over the comparable fiscal year 1997 appropriation 
and the budget request. Funds are distributed by formula as well as 
through the discretionary grant making process for special projects. 
The Committee agrees that $19,000,000 is available for assistance to 
serve communities affected by the Cuban and Haitian entrants and 
refugees whose arrivals in recent years have increased. The 
Committee has set-aside $16,000,000 for

[[Page 35246]]

increased support to communities with large concentrations of 
refugees whose cultural differences make assimilation especially 
difficult justifying a more intense level and longer duration of 
Federal assistance. Finally, the Committee has set aside $14,000,000 
to address the needs of refugees and communities impacted by recent 
changes in Federal assistance programs relating to welfare reform. 
The Committee urges ORR to assist refugees at risk of losing, or who 
have lost, benefits including SSI, TANF and Medicaid, in obtaining 
citizenship. In addition, ORR may initiate planning grants to create 
alternative cash and medical assistance programs for refugees.
    The Committee recommends that ORR give special consideration in 
allocating grant funding to applicants providing rehabilitation 
services for victims of physical and mental torture. The Committee 
requests that ORR be prepared to testify regarding its activities in 
support of victims of torture during the fiscal year 1999 budget 
hearings.

    The FY 1998 Senate Appropriations Committee Report (S. Rept. No. 
105-58) adds the following:

    The Committee is concerned that the current policy of the Office 
of Refugee Resettlement prohibiting the use of a portion of refugee 
social services and targeted assistance formula grant funds for 
refugees who have been in the United States for more than 5 years 
deprives some counties and States of the ability to give employment-
related assistance to may of their refugee welfare recipients. The 
Committee urges the ORR to be flexible in considering waiver 
requests of the 5-year policy.

    The Conference Report on Appropriations (H. Rept. No. 105-390) 
agrees with the House and Senate Reports regarding the allocation of 
social services.
    The Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) will use 
the $129,990,000 appropriated for FY 1998 social services as follows:
    <bullet> $68,841,500 will be allocated under the 3-year population 
formula, as set forth in this notice for the purpose of providing 
employment services and other needed services to refugees.
    <bullet> $12,148,500 will be awarded as social service 
discretionary grants through competitive grant announcements that will 
be issued separately from this notice.
    <bullet> $19,000,00 will be awarded to serve communities most 
heavily affected by recent Cuban and Haitian entrant and refugee 
arrivals. These funds would be awarded through a discretionary grant 
announcement that will be issued separately from this notice.
    <bullet> $16,000,000 will be awarded through discretionary grants 
for communities with large concentrations of refugees whose cultural 
differences make assimilation especially difficult justifying a more 
intense level and longer duration of Federal assistance. A grant 
announcement will be issued separately from this notice.
    <bullet> $14,000,000 will be awarded to address the needs of 
refugees and communities impacted by recent changes in Federal 
assistance programs relating to welfare reform. Awards will be made 
through announcements issued separately from this notice.
    In addition, we are adding $22,066,190 in unexpended CMA funds that 
were obligated to States in FY 1996 to FY 1998 formula social service 
allocations to States, increasing the total amount available for the 
formula social services program in FY 1998 to $90,907,690. Congress 
provided ORR with broad carry-over authority in the FY 1998 HHS 
appropriations law to use FY 1996 CMA carry-over funds for assistance 
and other activities in the refugee program in fiscal years 1997 and 
1998. The appropriations law state: ``* * * That funds appropriated 
pursuant to section 414(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act under 
Pub.L. 104-134 for fiscal year 1996 shall be available for the costs of 
assistance provided and other activities conducted in such year and in 
fiscal years 1997 and 1998.'' We have decided that the best use of FY 
1996 unexpended CMA funds would be to increase State allocations in the 
social services formula program to enable States to more fully serve 
both RCA refugees and refugee recipients of Temporary Assistance for 
Needy Families (TANF) within the refugee social services system. Fourth 
quarter formula social service grant awards to States will reflect the 
increased funding.

Refugee Social Service Funds

    The population figures for the social services allocation include 
refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, Amerasians from Vietnam, and Kurdish 
asylees since these populations may be served through funds addressed 
in this notice. (A State must, however, have an approved State plan for 
the Cuban/Haitian Entrant Program or indicate in its refugee program 
State plan that Cuban/Haitian entrants will be served in order to use 
funds on behalf of entrants as well as refugees.)
    The Director is allocating $90,907,690 to States on the basis of 
each State's proportion of the national population of refugees who has 
been in the U.S. 3 years or less as of October 1, 1997 (including a 
floor amount for States which have small refugee populations).
    The use of the 3-year population base in the allocation formula is 
required by section 412(c)(1)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(INA) which states that the ``funds available for a fiscal year for 
grants and contracts [for social services] * * * shall be allocated 
among the States based on the total number of refugees (including 
children and adults) who arrived in the United States not more than 36 
months before the beginning of such fiscal year and who are actually 
residing in each State (taking into account secondary migration) as of 
the beginning of the fiscal year.''
    As established in the FR 1991 social services notice published in 
the Federal Register of August 29, 1991, section I, ``Allocation 
Amounts'' (56 FR 42745), a viable floor amount for States which have 
small refugee populations is calculated as follows: If the application 
of the regular allocation formula yields less than $100,000, then--
    (1) A base amount of $75,000 is provided for a State with a 
population of 50 or fewer refugees who have been in the U.S. 3 years or 
less; and
    (2) For a State with more than 50 refugees who have been in the 
U.S. 3 years or less: (a) A floor has been calculated consisting of 
$50,000 plus the regular per capita allocation for refugees above 50 up 
to a total of $100,000 (in other words, the maximum under the floor 
formula is $100,000); (b) if this calculation has yielded less than 
$75,000, a base amount of $75,000 is provided for the State.
    We indicated in the proposed notice that ORR intends to eliminate 
the floor formula beginning in FY 1999 and to use the 3-year refugee 
population allocations formula for all participating States. The 
Director has decided to postpone a final decision on this issue at this 
time to allow consideration of this issue within the context of other 
program changes that may result through ORR regulations changes. See 
the ``Discussion of Comments Received'' section of this notice for 
further discussion of this issue.

Population To Be Served

    Although the allocation formula is based on the 3-year refugee 
population, in accordance with the current requirements of 45 CFR part 
400 subpart I--Refugee Social Services, States are not required to 
limit social service programs to refugees who have been in the U.S. 
only 3 years. However, under 45 CFR 400.152, States may not provide 
services funded by this notice, except for referral and interpreter 
services, to refugees who have been in the United States for more than 
60 months (5 years).
    In accordance with 45 CFR 400.147, States are required to provide 
services to refugees in the following order of

[[Page 35247]]

priority, except in certain individual extreme circumstances: (a) All 
newly arriving refugees during their first year in the U.S., who apply 
for services; (b) refugees who are receiving cash assistance; (c) 
unemployed refugees who are not receiving cash assistance; and (d) 
employed refugees in need of services to retain employment or to attain 
economic independence.
    ORR funds may not be used to provide services to United States 
citizens, since they are not covered under the authorizing legislation, 
with the following exceptions: (1) Under current regulations at 45 CFR 
400.208, services may be provided to a U.S.-born minor child in a 
family in which both parents are refugees or, if only one parent is 
present, in which that parent is a refugee; and (2) under the FY 1989 
Foreign Operations Export Financing, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 100-461), services may be provided to an 
Amerasian from Vietnam who is a U.S. citizen and who enters the U.S. 
after October 1, 1988.

Service Priorities

    In the past, a number of States have focused primarily on servicing 
refugee cash assistance (RCA) recipients because of the need to help 
these refugees become employed and self-sufficient within the 8-month 
RCA eligibility period. Now, with the passage of welfare reform, 
refugee recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 
also face a time limit for cash assistance and need appropriate 
services as quickly as possible to become employed and self-sufficient. 
In order for refugees to move quickly off TANF, we believe it is 
crucial for these refugees to receive refugee-specific services that 
are designed to address the employment barriers that refugees typically 
face. We, therefore, strongly encourage State Refugee Coordinators to 
make every effort to develop agreements with their State TANF program 
to utilize, to the maximum extent possible, the existing refugee 
service system in a State for refugee TANF participants.
    Refugee social service funding should be used to assist refugee 
families to achieve economic independence. To this end, States are 
required to ensure that a coherent family self-sufficiency plan is 
developed for each eligible family that addresses the family's needs 
from time of arrival until attainment of economic independence. (See 45 
CFR 400.79 and 400.156(g).) Each family self-sufficiency plan should 
address a Family's needs for both employment related services and other 
needed social services. The family self-sufficiency plan must include: 
(1) A determination of the income level a family would have to earn to 
exceed its cash grant and move into self-support without suffering a 
monetary penalty; (2) a strategy and timetable for obtaining that level 
of family income through the placement in employment of sufficient 
numbers of employable family members at sufficient wage levels; and (3) 
employability plans for every employable member of the family.
    Reflecting section 412(a)(1)(A)(iv) of the INA, and in keeping with 
45 CFR 400.145(c), States must ensure that women have the same 
opportunities as men to participate in all services funded under this 
notice, including job placement services. In addition, services must be 
provided to the maximum extent feasible in a manner that includes the 
use of bilingual/bicultural women on service agency staffs to ensure 
adequate service access by refugee women. The Director also strongly 
encourages the inclusion of refugee women in management and board 
positions in agencies that serve refugees. In order to facilitate 
refugee self-support, the Director also expects States to implement 
strategies which address simultaneously the employment potential of 
both male and female wage earners in a family unit, particularly in the 
case of large families. States are expected to make very effort to 
assure the availability of day care services for children in order to 
allow women with children the opportunity to participate in employment 
services or to accept or retain employment. To accomplish this, day 
care may be treated as a priority employment-related service under the 
refugee social services program. Refugees who are participating in 
employment services or have accepted employment are eligible for day 
care services for children. For an employed refugee, day care funded by 
refugee social service dollars should be limited to one year after the 
refugee becomes employed. States are expected to use day care funding 
from other publicly funded mainstream programs as a prior resource and 
are expected to work with service providers to assure maximum access to 
other publicly funded resources for day care.
    In accordance with 45 CFR 400.146, social service funds must be 
used primarily for employability services designed to enable refugees 
to obtain jobs within one year of becoming enrolled in services in 
order to achieve economic self-sufficiency as soon as possible. Social 
services may continue to be provided after a refugee has entered a job 
to help the refugee retain employment or move to a better job. Social 
service funds may not be used for long-term training programs such as 
vocational training that last for more than a year or educational 
programs that are not intended to lead to employment within a year.
    In accordance with 45 CFR 400.156(e), refugee social services must 
be provided, to the maximum extent feasible, in a manner that is 
culturally and linguistically compatible with refugee's language and 
cultural background. In light of the increasingly diverse population of 
refugees who are resettling in this country, refugee service agencies 
will need to develop practical ways of providing culturally and 
linguistically appropriate services to a changing ethnic population.
    Services funded under this notice must be refugee-specific services 
which are designed specifically to meet refugee needs and are in 
keeping with the rules and objectives of the refugee program. 
Vocational or job skills training, on-the-job training, or English 
language training, however, need not be refugee-specific (45 CFR 
400.156(d)).
    English language training must be provided in a concurrent, rather 
than sequential, time period with employment or with other employment-
related activities (45 CFR 400.156(c)).
    When planning State refugee services, States must take into account 
the reception and placement (R & P) services provided by local 
resettlement agencies in order to utilize these resources in the 
overall program design and to ensure the provision of seamless, 
coordinated services to refugees that are not duplicative (45 CFR 
400.156(b)).
    In order to provide culturally and linguistically compatible 
services in as cost-efficient a manner as possible in a time of limited 
resources, ORR encourages States and counties to promote and give 
special consideration to the provision of refugee social services 
through coalitions of refugee service organizations, such as coalitions 
of mutual assistance associations (MAAs) voluntary resettlement 
agencies, or a variety of service providers. ORR believes it is 
essential for refugee-serving organizations to form close partnerships 
in the provision of services to refugees in order to be able to respond 
adequately to a changing refugee picture. Coalition-building and 
consolidation of providers is particularly important in communities 
with multiple service providers in order to ensure better coordination 
of services and maximum use of funding for services by minimizing the 
funds used for multiple administrative overhead costs.
    States should also expect to use funds available under this notice 
to pay for

[[Page 35248]]

social services which are provided to refugees who participate in 
alternative projects. Section 412(e)(7)(A) of the INA provides that:

    The Secretary [of HHS] shall develop and implement alternative 
projects for refugees who have been in the United States less than 
thirty-six months, under which refugees are provided interim 
support, medical services, support (social) services, and case 
management, as needed, in a manner that encourages self-sufficiency, 
reduces welfare dependency, and fosters greater coordination among 
the resettlement agencies and service providers.

    This provision is generally known as the Wilson/Fish Amendment. The 
Department has already issued a separate notice in the Federal Register 
with respect to applications for such projects (60 FR 15766, March 27, 
1995). The notice on alternative projects does not contain provisions 
for the allocation of additional social service funds beyond the 
amounts established in this notice. Therefore a State which may wish to 
consider carrying out such a project should take note of this in 
planning its use of social service funds being allocated under the 
present notice.

The Use of MAAs

    ORR believes that the use of qualified refugee mutual assistance 
associations in the delivery of social services helps to ensure the 
provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services as well 
as increasing the effectiveness of the overall service system. 
Therefore, we expect States to use MAAs as service providers to the 
maximum extent possible. We strongly encourage States when contracting 
for services, including employment services, to give consideration to 
the special strengths of MAAs, whenever contract bidders are otherwise 
equally qualified, provided that the MAA has the capability to deliver 
services in a manner that is culturally and linguistically compatible 
with the background of the target population to be served. ORR also 
strongly encourages MAAs to ensure that their management and board 
composition reflect the major target populations to be served. ORR 
expects States to continue to assist MAAs in seeking other public and/
or private funds for the provision of services to refugee clients.
    States may use a portion of their social service grant, either 
through contracts or through the use of State/county staff, to provide 
technical assistance and organizational training to strengthen the 
capability of MAAs to provide employment services, particularly in 
States where MAA capability is weak or undeveloped.
    ORR defines MAAs as organizations with the following 
qualifications:
    a. The organization is legally incorporated as a nonprofit 
organization; and
    b. Not less than 51% of the composition of the Board of Directors 
or governing board of the mutual assistance association is comprised of 
refugees or former refugees, including both refugee men and women.

II. Discussion of Comments Received

    We received 16 letters of comment in response to the notice of 
proposed FY 1998 allocations to States for refugee social services. The 
comments are summarized below and are followed in each case by the 
Department's response.
    Comment: Thirteen commenters expressed concern over the proposed 
elimination of a floor amount for States with small refugee 
populations. Four States that receive a floor amount indicated that 
they would be forced to withdraw from the refugee program if the floor 
allocation is eliminated because the social services grant level would 
be insufficient to enable the program to continue to operate. Several 
comments indicated that refugees would go unserved in small States 
without a floor allocation. Other commenters made the point that once a 
State program is eliminated, it would be very difficult, and perhaps 
impossible, to reinstate the program in order to meet refugee 
emergencies that may arise in the future. Two commenters felt that the 
basis for elimination of the floor was unclear and needed to be 
clarified.
    Representing an alternate view, two commenters expressed support 
for elimination of the floor for small States. One of the commenters, 
however, recommended reserving a small portion of discretionary funds 
to assist small States to continue in the refugee program.
    Response: We recognize the expressed concerns of the States and 
refugee service providers that would be affected by the elimination of 
the small State floor and wish to be careful in considering all factors 
in making a final decision on this issue. We are also mindful of the 
fact that significant changes in refugee policy may result from the 
regulations process we are currently engaged in, and that it would make 
sense to consider other policy changes, such as elimination of the 
floor, within that context. We have decided, therefore, to postpone a 
final decision on elimination of the floor for small States to allow 
consideration of the floor issue within the context of other program 
changes that may result through ORR regulations changes. This means 
that we do not plan to eliminate floor allocations to small States in 
FY 1999. We also want to assure the floor States that the Director will 
not make a final decision on this issue without first meeting with each 
of the affected States to discuss implications and alternatives.
    Comment: Three commenters objected to the fact that each year an 
ever increasing portion of refugee social services funding is awarded 
through discretionary programs instead of through the social service 
formula program. While recognizing that Congress increased the social 
services appropriation to serve specific types of needs, the commenters 
recommended that a responsible approach to the allocation of these 
funds would be to allocate these funds through the social services 
formula program, thereby allowing States to determine how best to 
address these special needs at the local level. The commenters felt 
that the quality of services would improve by allowing States and local 
areas greater discretion in determining how needs should be met. One 
commenter indicated that the different funding sources for self-
sufficiency services within the refugee program make it difficult and 
unnecessarily complicated for States. Another commenter recommended 
that ORR consider an allotment of 75% of the total social services 
appropriation to States and 25% to discretionary programs.
    Response: The use of discretionary programs allows ORR to better 
ensure that the service funds that Congress intends for certain 
populations or certain needs are targeted to the communities where 
these special populations reside or where special needs are the 
greatest. Allocation of these funds through the social services formula 
program would distribute funds to all States, regardless of whether the 
target populations reside or the target needs exist to any significant 
degree in each State. We believe the former method is the better method 
to ensure that Congressional intent is met.
    Comment: One commenter stated that the 3-year population formula 
for social services is inequitable to States with high concentrations 
of refugees who have been in the U.S. more than 3 years. The commenter 
recommended that ORR work to have the Refugee Act amended to allow 
social services funds to be allocated on the basis of a State's total 
refugee population needing employment services.
    Response: States with large concentrations of refugees also receive 
targeted assistance funding which is

[[Page 35249]]

expressly intended for services to long-term refugee welfare 
recipients, such as the post-36-month population, who are still in need 
of employment services. Therefore, we do not see a particular need to 
amend the statutory formula for social services.
    Comment: One commenter recommended that ORR should be responsive to 
the Senate Appropriations Committee's request that ORR be flexible in 
considering waiver requests regarding the limitation of eligibility for 
services to refugees who have been in the U.S. less than 5 years. The 
commenter recommended that ORR grant States maximum flexibility to use 
service funds for refugees who have been in the U.S. more than 5 years.
    Response: We are very willing to consider any requests for a waiver 
of the 5-year service limitation that are submitted to ORR, as long as 
documentation is provided to ensure that all refugees residing in a 
State or California county, who have been in the U.S. less than 5 
years, are being fully served. What we cannot do, however, is to 
delegate the authority to waive Federal regulations pertaining to the 
refugee program to a State official, as was requested by one State. The 
authority for waiving Federal refugee program regulations rests solely 
with the Director of ORR as the Federal official responsible for the 
administration of the program and, therefore, may not be delegated.

III. Allocation Formula

    Of the funds available for FY 1998 for social services, $90,907,690 
is allocated to States in accordance with the formula specified below. 
A State's allowable allocation is calculated as follows:
    1. The total amount of funds determined by the Director to be 
available for this purpose; divided by--
    2. The total number of refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, Amerasians 
from Vietnam, and Kurdish asylees who arrived in the United States not 
more than 3 years prior to the beginning of the fiscal year for which 
the funds are appropriated, as shown by the ORR Refugee Data System. 
The resulting per capita amount is multiplied by--
    3. The number of persons in item 2, above, in the Sate as of 
October 1, 1997, adjusted for estimated secondary migration.
    The calculation above yields the formula allocation for each State. 
Minimum allocations for small States are taken into account.

IV. Basis of Population Estimates

    The population estimates for the allocation of funds in FY 1998 are 
based on data on refugee arrivals from the ORR Refugee Data System, 
adjusted as of October 1, 1997, for estimated secondary migration. The 
data base includes refugees of all nationalities, Amerasians from 
Vietnam, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and Kurdish asylees.
    For fiscal year 1998, ORR's formula allocations for the States for 
social services are based on the numbers of refugees, Amerasians, 
Kurdish asylees, and entrants who arrived during the preceding three 
fiscal years: 1995, 1996, and 1997, based on arrival data by State. 
Therefore, estimates have been developed of the numbers of refugees and 
entrants with arrival or resettlement dates between October 1, 1994, 
and September 30, 1997, and who are thought to be living in each State 
as of October 1, 1997.
    The estimates of secondary migration were based on data submitted 
by all participating States on Form ORR-11 (OMB # 0970-0043) on 
secondary migrants who have resided in the U.S. for 36 months or less, 
as of September 30, 1997. The total migration reported by each State 
was summed, yielding in- and out-migration figures and a net migration 
figure for each State. The net migration figure was applied to the 
State's total arrival figure, resulting in a revised population 
estimate.
    Estimates were developed separately for refugees and entrants and 
then combined into a total estimated 3-year refugee/entrant population 
for each State. Eligible Amerasians and Kurdish asylees are included in 
the refugee figures.
    With regard to Havana parolees, we have adjusted the 3-year 
population of one State, the State of Florida, based on documentation 
the State provided regarding the number of Havana parolee arrivals to 
that State. For all other States, in the absence of reliable data on 
the State-by-State resettlement of this population, we are crediting 
each State that received entrant arrivals during the 3-year period from 
FY 1995-FY 1997 with a prorated share of the 5,992 parolees reported by 
the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to have come to the 
U.S. directly from Havana in FY 1997. In addition, we have credited 
each State with the same share of FY 1995 and FY 1996 Havana parolees 
that they were credited with in the final FY 1996 and FY 1997 social 
service notices. The allocations in this notice reflect these 
additional parolee numbers.
    Table 1, below, shows the estimated 3-year populations, as of 
October 1, 1997, of refugees (col. 1), entrants (col. 2), Havana 
parolees (col. 3); total refugee/entrant population, (col. 4); the 
formula amounts which the population estimates yield (col. 5); and the 
allocation amounts after allowing for the minimum amounts (col. 6).

V. Allocation Amounts

    Funding subsequent to the publication of this notice will be 
contingent upon the submitted and approval of a State annual services 
plan that is developed on the basis of a local consultative process, as 
required by 45 CFR 400.11(b)(2) in the ORR regulations. The following 
amounts are allocated for refugee social services in FY 1998:

 Table 1.--Estimated 3-Year Refugee/Entrant Populations of States Participating in the Refugee Program and Final
                           Social Service Formula Amounts and Allocations for FY 1998                           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Havana \2\     Total                             
               State                  Refugees     Entrants     parolees    population    Formula     Allocation
                                      \1\ (1)        (2)          (3)          (4)       amount (5)      (6)    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama...........................          523          113           61          697     $201,618     $201,618
Alaska \3\........................            0            0            0            0            0            0
Arizona...........................        4,979          542          324        5,845    1,690,760    1,690,760
Arkansas..........................          183           13            6          202       58,432       93,968
California \4\....................       45,673          948          667       47,288   13,678,816   13,678,816
Colorado..........................        3,502            9            7        3,518    1,017,638    1,017,638
Connecticut.......................        2,124          297          182        2,603      752,960      752,960
Delaware..........................           34            4            3           41       11,860       75,000
Dist. of Columbia.................        1,831           14            8        1,853      536,010      536,010
Florida...........................       14,625       24,247       19,517       58,389   16,889,960   16,889,960
Georgia...........................        8,420          247          153        8,820    2,551,327    2,551,327

[[Page 35250]]

                                                                                                                
Hawaii............................          236            1            0          237       68,556      100,000
Idaho.............................        1,443            1            1        1,445      417,990      417,990
Illinois..........................       11,462          446          251       12,159    3,517,187    3,517,187
Indiana...........................        1,195           11            9        1,215      351,458      351,458
Iowa..............................        4,851            6            3        4,860    1,405,833    1,405,833
Kansas............................        1,601           17           10        1,628      470,925      470,925
Kentucky \5\......................        3,065          579          248        3,892    1,125,824    1,125,824
Louisiana.........................        1,345          239          163        1,747      505,348      505,348
Maine.............................          674            1            0          675      195,255      195,255
Maryland..........................        3,700          170          104        3,974    1,149,544    1,149,544
Massachusetts.....................        7,176          151          113        7,440    2,152,140    2,152,140
Michigan..........................        7,327          396          192        7,915    2,289,541    2,289,541
Minnesota.........................        8,726           25           15        8,766    2,535,707    2,535,707
Mississippi.......................           37           32           22           91       26,323       75,000
Missouri..........................        5,765           22           17        5,804    1,678,901    1,678,901
Montana...........................          226            0            0          226       65,374      100,000
Nebraska..........................        1,825           40           17        1,882      544,399      544,399
Nevada \5\........................          692          803          551        2,046      591,838      591,838
New Hampshire.....................          903            1            0          904      261,497      261,497
New Jersey........................        3,866        1,110          799        5,775    1,670,512    1,670,512
New Mexico........................          466          787          613        1,866      539,771      539,771
New York..........................       38,386        1,184          793       40,363   11,675,649   11,675,649
North Carolina....................        3,179           45           23        3,247      939,247      939,247
North Dakota......................        1,163            4            3        1,170      338,441      338,441
Ohio..............................        3,985           54           28        4,067    1,176,445    1,176,445
Oklahoma..........................          772           17           10          799      231,124      231,124
Oregon............................        4,383          514          273        5,170    1,495,506    1,495,506
Pennsylvania......................        7,217          327          166        7,710    2,230,242    2,230,242
Rhode Island......................          346            7            3          356      102,979      102,979
South Carolina....................          346            8            4          358      103,557      103,557
South Dakota......................          658            0            0          658      190,337      190,337
Tennessee.........................        3,570          225          105        3,900    1,128,138    1,128,138
Texas.............................       11,470        1,064          703       13,237    3,829,016    3,829,016
Utah..............................        2,567            1            0        2,568      742,835      742,835
Vermont...........................          714            0            0          714      206,536      206,536
Virginia..........................        4,834          252          143        5,229    1,512,573    1,512,573
Washington........................       17,412           66           30       17,508    5,064,471    5,064,471
West Virginia.....................           14            1            0           15        4,339       75,000
Wisconsin.........................        2,387           18           11        2,416      698,867      698,867
Wyoming \3\.......................            0            0            0            0            0            0
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total.......................      251,878       35,059       26,351      313,288   90,623,606   90,907,690
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes: refugees, Kurdish asylees, and Amerasian immigrants from Vietnam.                                 
\2\ For FY 1997, Florida's HP's (3957) were based on actual data while HP's in other States (2035) were prorated
  based on the States' proportion of the three year (FY 1995-1997) entrant population. For FY 1996, Florida's   
  HP's (7303) were based on actual data while HP's in other States (2611) were prorated based on the States'    
  proportion of the three year (FY 1994-1996) entrant population. For FY 1995, Florida's HP's (8245) were based 
  on actual data while HP's in other States (2188) were prorated based on the States' proportion of the three   
  year (FY 1993-1995) entrant population.                                                                       
\3\ Alaska and Wyoming no longer participate in the Refugee Program.                                            
\4\ A portion of the California allocation is expected to be awarded to continue a Wilson/Fish project in San   
  Diego.                                                                                                        
\5\ The allocation for Kentucky and Nevada is expected to be awarded to continue a Wilson/Fish project.         

VI. Paperwork Reduction Act

    This notice does not create any reporting or recordkeeping 
requirements requiring OMB clearance.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.566 Refugee 
Assistance--State Administered Programs)

    Dated: June 19, 1998.
Lavinia Limon,
Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement.
[FR Doc. 98-17266 Filed 6-26-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M