Services for Older Refugees

Background

The Services for Older Refugees Program (SOR) is an Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) Refugee Support Services (RSS) set-aside program that provides funding for activities that increase and support integration and independent healthy living for older (age 60 and above) ORR-eligible populations per 45 CFR Part 400 Subpart D - Documentation of Refugee Status. The primary goals and objectives of the SOR program follow guidance per ORR Policy Letter 19-03 and ORR Policy Letter 22-08. Services may include English-as-a-Second-Language, citizenship and social adjustment classes, translation and interpretation services, and outreach and referrals to mainstream services for older Americans.

The Refugee Programs Bureau (RPB) allocates SOR funding to impacted counties based on the number of older refugees in the counties receiving public assistance. Please see Funding Letters for annual funding allocations. SOR services may be provided to eligible individuals within the first 5 years of their arrival but are prioritized for those who have been in the United States for 1 year or less. Services are currently offered in Alameda County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Sacramento County, San Diego County, San Francisco County, and Santa Clara County.

Program Goals and Services

The SOR program’s goals are to increase integration and independent healthy living for older ORR eligible populations. Efforts should focus on services and activities in the following areas, according to the needs of its participants:

Mainstream Outreach - Establishing and/or expanding relationships with state or local Area Agencies on Aging to ensure older ORR-eligible populations are linked to community aging services
- Helping older ORR-eligible populations access mainstream aging services in the community such as information about supportive services, nutrition services, meal delivery, elder abuse prevention, senior community centers, and intergenerational activities.
- Developing opportunities for older ORR-eligible populations to connect with their communities to avoid isolation such as through mental health support, community navigators, and opportunities for engagement in social and cultural activities.
Service Enhancement - Providing appropriate services not currently being provided in the community to older ORR-served populations
- Examples include interpretation and translation services.
Independent Living - Creating opportunities that enable older ORR-served populations to live independently as long as possible
- Examples include transportation, home care, adult day care, and respite care.
Naturalization - Developing services that link older ORR-served populations to naturalization services, especially individuals who have lost or are at risk of losing Supplemental Security Income or other federal benefits
- Examples include civics instructions, counseling, and application assistance.

Note: Funding from the SOR program cannot be used to pay application fees for citizenship examinations and not duplicate citizenship services provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Reporting and Monitoring Requirements

Counties providing SOR services must report all SOR activities, accomplishments and challenges in the ORR-6 Semiannual Report every six months. The SOR program will be monitored to ensure that SOR activities are targeted to best meet the needs of older ORR-eligible populations. Counties and contracted service providers shall also ensure they meet the following:

Provide case management, to begin by performing an initial assessment of the needs and goals of the individual.
Develop a plan to meet those needs through services and activities.
Refer the individual and facilitate the individual’s access to the relevant services and activities.
Document services provided and activities.
Assess the progress of each SOR enrollee toward meeting their needs and goals.

Contact Information

If residing in one of the impacted counties mentioned above, please reach out to your local county representative for SOR services in your area. For additional information, please contact the RPB at (916) 654-4356, or at RefugeePolicy@dss.ca.gov or at RPB@dss.ca.gov.