INITIAL RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT SERVICES
Local resettlement agencies administer “Initial Reception and Placement Services” for persons arriving with refugee status in Minnesota. Through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Department of State and their affiliated national resettlement agency headquarters, local resettlement agencies are responsible to assist assigned persons with refugee status with basic needs and provide core services during the first 30-90 days after U.S. arrival. These services are often provided with support from local volunteers, relatives (called U.S.Ties) and church groups. Initial Reception and Placement core services include:

●	Airport reception.
●	Initial housing.
●	Basic household furnishings and supplies.
●	Initial food.
●	Cultural orientation.
●	Application for Social Security cards.
●	Application for public benefits.
●	School enrollment for children.
●	English As a Second Language (ESL)/English Language Learning (ELL) and employment services enrollment for adults.
●	Health screenings and connection to needed medical services.
●	Connection to other specialized resources as needed.
●	Disbursement of Initial Refugee Resettlement Funds.

INITIAL REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT FUNDS
The federal government provides local resettlement agencies with a one-time sum of $2,375 per person. These initial refugee resettlement funds help pay for some of a household’s basic needs, including initial housing, basic furnishings, initial food, and clothing. Persons with refugee status may receive part of these resources in cash, and part in payments made to third parties on their behalf. Local resettlement agencies may have varying models for distributing and leveraging the initial refugee resettlement funds, but all must fully disburse the funds within 90 days of a person’s arrival.

For the purposes of public benefits eligibility, initial refugee resettlement funds are not counted as income or assets for any program, whether received as cash or as vendored third party payments. Expenses paid by the initial refugee resettlement funds must be allowed as a deduction for other assistance programs where applicable. This includes expenses such as housing and utility costs.

MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR REFUGEES
Some local resettlement agencies may also offer a Matching Grant (MG) program for a limited number of people with refugee status. The MG program's goal is to help people with refugee status attain self-sufficiency within 6 months of arrival, without accessing to public cash assistance.

For more information about the Matching Grant program, see 0029.39 (The Matching Grant Program).

LOCAL RESETTLEMENT AGENCIES in RCA ADMINISTRATION
Local resettlement agencies participate in a contracted Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with DHS to administer the Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) program. The PPP model for RCA applies in 12 counties: Anoka, Benton, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Kandiyohi, Olmsted, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, and Washington. In these counties, RCA eligibility workers are housed within the local resettlement agencies. See 0030.03 (Refugee Cash Assistance), 0030.03.01 (Processing RCA Applications).

LOCAL RESETTLEMENT AGENCIES in MINNESOTA
The following are the local resettlement agencies in Minnesota:

●	Arrive Ministries - Richfield, MN 612-798-4332
●	Catholic Charities, Diocese of Winona – Rochester, MN 507- 287-2047
●	International Institute of Minnesota – St Paul, MN 651-647-0191
●	Lutheran Social Service Metro – Minneapolis, MN 612-879-5258
●	Lutheran Social Service St Cloud – St Cloud, MN 320-251-7700
●	Minnesota Council of Churches – Minneapolis, MN 612-874-8605

WELCOME CORPS
The Welcome Corps is a private sponsorship program of the U.S. Department of State, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that empowers everyday Americans to welcome refugees arriving through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Within the Welcome Corps, Private Sponsor Groups of 5 U.S. Citizens or lawful permanent residents support persons arriving with refugee status by administering similar “Initial Reception and Placement Services” as offered by local resettlement agencies. Through cooperative agreements between the U.S. Department of State and the consortium of Private Sponsor Organizations implementing the Welcome Corps, local Private Sponsor Groups are responsible to assist assigned persons with refugee status with basic needs and provide core services during the first 90 days after U.S. arrival.

The Welcome Corps offers similar benefits and services as the traditional Reception & Placement programs through Local Resettlement Agencies. Private Sponsor Groups must fundraise cash and in-kind contributions per person with refugee status being welcomed. This support is used to secure and furnish housing and provide for the refugee’s initial basic needs, until they secure employment. See 0030.03.09 – Determining RCA Gross Income.