Refugee cash and medical assistance benefits are available for a maximum of eight months following arrival to the United States to needy refugees who are not eligible for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) or Medicaid. This refugee assistance is paid entirely from federal funds through the Department’s existing FLORIDA system within the ACCESS/Economic Self-Sufficiency program structure.

Support services are provided through contracts with nonprofit organizations, local government agencies, and private entities to assist refugees and entrants meet the goal of economic self-sufficiency and successful integration. Services are contracted within the state’s regulations governing the acquisition of services, including competitive bidding requirements. Current services include:

  • Employment Services
    Employment services are provided to assist eligible refugees/entrants in achieving economic self-sufficiency and effective resettlement through gainful employment. Services primarily target refugees in their first two years in the United States, but refugees remain eligible for up to 60 months. Employment services include pre-employment counseling and orientation, direct job preparation and placement, 90 and 180 day follow-up, On-the-Job Training (OJT), re-credentialing/recertification, and career laddering services for refugees with professional backgrounds.
  • Adult and Vocational Education
    Adult education services include English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Vocational Training, Vocational English for Speakers of Other Languages (VESOL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), and General Education Diploma (GED) preparation classes.
  • Employability Status Assistance (Legal) Services
    Services include: assistance with obtaining Employment Authorization Documents (EAD), permanent residency applications, and other employment-related immigration status issues.
  • Child Care
    Child Care services are provided to children of eligible refugee/entrants who are enrolled in Refugee Services-funded employment and adult education services. Services are limited to 12 months.
  • Comprehensive Refugee Services (CRS)
    CRS is an integrated service delivery system where a single provider coordinates services in a multi-county area that are essential to refugee/entrant families’ self-sufficiency, effective resettlement, and successful integration into the local community. Services offered may include but are not limited to employment, adult and vocational education, employability status assistance, youth, and child care services. These services are available in Northwest Region, Central Region and SunCoast Region of Florida.
  • Youth Services
    Tutoring, academic enrichment, and orientation services are provided to refugee youth to promote academic success and prevent school dropouts and juvenile delinquency. Services are available in Collier, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Duval, Pasco, Palm Beach, and Pinellas Counties.
  • Eligibility Training
    Refugee Program eligibility training is provided to local contracted service providers to ensure proper determination of program eligibility for all refugee program services based on the most up-to-date federal eligibility requirements.
  • Interpreter Services
    Telephonic interpreter services and vital document translation services are provided to Refugee Services contracted providers, departmental programs, and local Community Based Organizations to increase service access to refugee/entrants and other limited English proficient individuals.
  • Health Screenings
    Services are administered statewide to newly arrived refugees and entrants by the Department of Health, Refugee Health Services Office. Federally approved protocol for completing health screenings of refugees are followed and provided within 90 days of arriving to Florida. Health screenings include TB test(s), vaccinations, and vision and hearing screening.
  • Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) Program
    Unaccompanied refugee minors are provided services equivalent to youth in foster care and services oriented toward the special needs of refugee youth (i.e. ESOL, cultural identity and adjustment, family tracing and trauma treatment services).