Department of Children & Families

September 2010 Page 1

“Our mission is to protect the vulnerable,

promote strong and economically

self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery

and resiliency.”

Refugee Services Newsletter

Statewide Task Force on Human Trafficking

“Our mission is to promote and protect the health of pregnant women, their

infants and young children through research, education

and service within the College of Public Health,

University of South Florida.”

University of South

Florida, Chiles Center Refugee and Entrant

Project Team:

Marianna Tutwiler, MPA, MSW Program Director

[email protected]

Pennie Slaughter Program Analyst

[email protected]

Sammie Reimers Training Support Specialist [email protected]

University of South

Florida College of Public Health The Lawton and Rhea

Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers And Babies

1310 Cross Creek Circle, Suite A

Tallahassee, FL 32301 (850) 487-0037

Fax (850) 487-0045

The latest meeting of the Statewide Task Force on Human Trafficking was held on July 21, 2010, via video teleconferencing. There were seven designated sites statewide where both the members and public could attend and participate. During the latest meeting, the six committees of the Task Force provided updates on their work for the past nine months. The Criminal Justice, Resource, Special Populations, Law and Public Policy, Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, and Education and Awareness committees have all been looking at the issue of trafficking using the 4Ps designated by the federal government as the key to combating this issue. These are prevention, protection, prosecution and partnership. Florida State University also provided the Task Force with an update on the strategic plan for Florida. After researching trafficking statewide for two years, FSU will provide the Task Force with the final report on October 1, 2010. After receiving it, the Task Force will ask each agency identified in the report to provide their plan for implementing their recommendations to the Task Force. A report with the compiled information will then be published in January 2011. For more information on the next meeting of the Task Force or the report, please visit the Statewide Task Force on Human Trafficking’s website at http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/initiatives/HumanTrafficking.

Due to federal budget cuts experienced by Refugee Services, the Refugee Services Program Eligibility Training and Technical Assistance contract with the University of South Florida, Lawton and Rhea Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies will not be renewed and will end September 30, 2010.

If you have questions or concerns regarding the Refugee Services Program Eligibility training, management of the online training modules, or upcoming training opportunities, please contact Holly Merrick (850.410.3062) or Osman Uzun (850.413.8200).

Refugee Services Program Eligibility Training

Page 2

DCF Hotline Numbers

Abuse Hotline

1-800-96ABUSE

ACCESS Response Unit

1-866-76ACCES

Adoption Info 1-80096ADOPT

Domestic Violence

Hotline 1-800-500-1119

EBT Assistance

1-888-356-3281

Emergency Financial Assistance

for Housing Program 1-877-891-6445

Food Stamp Fraud

Hotline 1-866-76ACCES

Uncap Hotline

1-866-762-2237

Citizenship and REAL Identification Requirements

To comply with the new Federal CHIPRA rules, beginning in August 2010, Florida KidCare and Children’s Medicaid applicants and renewing families will be required to submit new proof of citizenship and identification documents for each applicant. The proof of citizenship changes will primarily affects U.S. born children and not necessarily refugee children in Florida. However, Refugee Services providers should be knowledgeable of these changes, as they affect refugee parents with U.S. born children. The new identity requirements will affect all children over 16 years of age. Below is a brief summary of the documents that all parents need to bring with them when applying for or renewing Florida KidCare.

Documents Checklist: Income Verification— for all parents living in the household. At least one of the following:

Tax Return (Form 1040); or

Wage & Earning Statements (W-2 Form); or

Current Pay Stubs (covering the last 4 weeks). Child’s original Immigration Documents (for non-U.S. citizen

children) Child’s proof of citizenship (for U.S. citizen children) such as

birth certificate or passport. Social Security Card (if your child does not have a Social Security

Card then bring the date applied). The cost to add your child (or children) to health insurance

coverage if your employer offers it.

Identity documents for children over 16 years of age:

Examples include:

U.S. Passport Certificate of Naturalization State Driver’s License State issued ID card School ID card Military dependent’s ID card

If you have questions . . . Call Florida KidCare 1-888-540-5437 Apply for Florida KidCare at:

www.floridakidcare.org

Page 3

Refugee Health Case Manager The Florida Department of Health, Refugee Health Program is pleased to inform Refugee Service providers about the Refugee Health Case Management Program in Duval, Hillsborough, Orange, and Palm Beach counties. The primary role of the Refugee Health Case Manager (RHCM) is to assist refugees in need of follow-up medical care. Refugees needing treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) are commonly referred to RHCMs to assist with adherence to, and completion of, LTBI treatment. In addition to assisting with follow-up medical care, RHCMs provide assistance with accessing medical care benefits, transportation, and medical services for the refugee’s identified medical conditions.

Refugees are often given little education about the healthcare system as they enter our society. As this can become a detriment to accessing the public health system, RHCMs also provide education on navigating the healthcare system, the appropriate use of various healthcare facilities, and accessing public transportation for the purposes of attending medical care appointments.

The RHCMs work in close collaboration with refugee resettlement agencies to ensure refugees receive the maximum benefit from services available to them. Since the program began in April 2009, RHCMs have served over 530 refugee clients with medical conditions ranging from diabetes and hypertension to kidney failure and heart disease. To learn more about our RHCM services, please visit our website at: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/disease_ctrl/refugee/index.html

Florida can now say “we provide services to refugees in all of the DCF regions!” This is great news for not only the refugees but also for our communities. On July 1, a unique contract was executed between the Department of Children and Families, Refugee Services and Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida. Typically, we do not think of refugees resettling in the Northwest part of Florida, but in the past five years a growing number of arrivals from Cuba, Haiti, Colombia and Venezuela have resettled to this area. Refugee Services introduced a new approach to service delivery with this project; one service provider managing all of the services provided to eligible refugees. It’s a one stop shop concept called Refugee Social Services. With the implementation of this new project, not only will critical support services be provided but case managers will be able to assess the needs, plan, refer, and monitor the services to ensure they are accessible and appropriate while ultimately leading the refugees towards a solid integration in their community. Services provided include English language instruction, employability status assistance (help with employment related immigration services), adult education, child care, and employment. It’s a new day in Refugee Services.

2-1-1 Community Resources Seminole, Orange, and

Osceola Counties hfuw.org

(407) 839-4357

2-1-1 First Call For Help of Broward County

Broward County www.211-broward.org

(954) 537-0211

2-1-1 Palm Beach/ Treasure Coast

Indian River, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach

Counties www.211palmbeach.org

(561) 383-1111

2-1-1 Tampa Bay Hillsborough County

211atyourfingertips.org (813) 234-1234

2-1-1 Tampa Bay Cares

Pinellas, Hernando, and Citrus Counties

www.211tampabay.org (727) 210-4233

Catholic Charities of

Lee, Hendry, Glades Counties www.unitedwaylee.org

(239) 455-2655

Switchboard of Miami, Inc. Dade County

www.switchboardmiami.org (305) 358-4357

United Way 2-1-1 of Manasota,

Inc. Manatee, Sarasota, and

DeSoto Counties www.uw211manasota.net

(941) 308-4357

United Way 2-1-1 of NE Florida Duval, Nassau, St. John’s, Clay,

Putnam, Bradford, Baker, Columbia, Hamilton, and

Suwannee Counties www.nefl211.org (904) 390-3200

These agencies have

information specific to refugees and

victims of trafficking.

Contact your local Information and Referral agency by dialing 211 or the number in your area

Resource Corner

A Community That Is Ready, Willing and Able

Page 4

Empowering Refugees to Provide Input Regarding Service Needs

An important initiative implemented by Refugee Services in February 2010, is the establishment of Refugee Advisory Panels (RAPs) in areas where refugee task forces exist. These areas include Duval, Orange, Hillsborough, Collier, Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.

Establishment of the RAPs provides a forum for refugees to provide input and feedback to Refugee Services on issues regarding services and their resettlement experience. RAPs serve as a valuable resource to the local refugee task forces, Refugee Services contracted service providers, state and local government agencies and refugee resettlement agencies.

The RAPs meet regularly to discuss issues of local concern and interest to refugees and a RAP representative participates in the local task forces. They have begun to move forward with initiatives locally. In Miami, the RAP conducted a survey among refugees regarding needs and services and presented this information to the members of the Miami-Dade Refugee Task Force. Members of the Jacksonville RAP recently appeared before the Duval County School Board to advocate on behalf of refugee children who were expected to safely cross the street at a dangerously large intersection. As a result, action has been taken by the school board to add a new bus stop at the complex where many of these refugee children reside. Currently, the Tampa Bay RAP is focusing on health and financial matters. They have organized workshops to educate refugees on these issues. The Tampa Bay RAP has also set up a Facebook page and is creating a web site providing resource materials in different languages.

The Panel held its first statewide meeting via conference call on July 3, 2010. The purpose of the meeting was to hear the thoughts and impressions of the three RAP members who participated in the 2010 Office of Refugee Resettlement’s Consultation held in Washington D.C. on June 7th and 8th. The group selected represents the largest refugee populations and newly arrived refugees (Cuban, Haitian and Bhutanese) as well as three different regions of Florida. All three representatives are current chairs of their respective RAPs.

The three representatives indicated that participating at the national consultation was a great experience and gave them the opportunity to learn about current refugee resettlement issues. They said the inspiring speeches they heard have encouraged them to dedicate their time and energy to help newly arriving refugees in their communities. They also proposed some actions to promote interest and better engage other refugees in RAPs. During the conference call, RAP members also suggested ways that RAPs could become more involved in assisting other refugees as well as ways to involve more refugees in the panels.

NORTHWEST REGION Theresa Leslie (850) 921-7944

[email protected]

NORTHEAST REGION Debbie Ansbacher

(904) 726-1540 [email protected]

CENTRAL REGION Pedro Padua


SOUTHEAST REGION Miriam I. Bracero-

Rosario (561) 837-5022

[email protected]

SUNCOAST REGION Janet Blair


SOUTHERN REGION Adria Dilme-Bejel


Lourdes Dysna-Leconte


COMMUNITY LIAISON

SUPERVISORS Taddese Fessehaye


Ileana Bustelo (305) 377-5090

[email protected]

REFUGEE SERVICES

COMMUNITY LIAISONS

This project is funded by the Florida Department of Children and Families Refugee Services Program, with grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of

Refugee Resettlement.