2945 Refugee Resettlement Program | Medicaid

The Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) provides cash and/or medical assistance to refugee adults and families in the United States who meet eligibility criteria. RRP is approved without regard to national origin. It is the purpose of RRP to provide for the effective resettlement of refugees and to assist them to achieve economic self-sufficiency as quickly as possible.

Cash and medical assistance benefits are available to refugees, asylees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, Vietnamese Amerasians and victims of human trafficking who do not qualify for TANF and/or Medicaid. Victims of human trafficking must be certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) eligible for benefits. These benefits are available during their first eight months in the country, or after having been granted status in one of the above.

The legal basis for RRP is the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) and the Refugee Act of 1980, as amended.

The Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) was authorized by the Refugee Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-212) to provide cash assistance, medical assistance, and social services to refugees. The Fascell-Stone Amendment to the Refugee Education Assistance Act of l980 (P.L. 96-422) extended to Cuban and Haitian entrants the same benefits and services available to refugees. The law was amended by the Refugee Assistance Amendments of 1982 (PL 97-363). In the Continuing Resolution of 1983 (PL 97-377), the Cuban/Haitian Entrant Program was combined with the RRP so that both refugees and entrants were served by the same program. The law was further amended by the Refugee Assistance Extension Act of l986 (P.L. 99-605). In 1988 the Amerasian Homecoming Act (P.L. 100-202) admitted Amerasians and their families as immigrants, making them eligible for refugee benefits. In 2000 the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (P.L. 106-386) made victims of severe forms of trafficking eligible for refugee benefits and services.

Applications for the Refugee Resettlement Program for refugees in the metropolitan Atlanta area are accepted at different sites located throughout metropolitan Atlanta, and the multi-county Refugee Resettlement Unit located at DeKalb County DFCS, 2300 Parklake Dr., N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30345. Refugees may also apply at local DFCS offices in other areas of the state and at Refugee Resettlement Voluntary Agencies (VOLAGs).