Unaccompanied Alien Children Program (93.676)

Program

93.676 Unaccompanied Alien Children Program

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Administration For Children And Families

Authorization

William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, Section 235, Public Law 110-457, 122 Stat. 5074-5082, 8 U.S.C 1232; Homeland Security Act of 2002, Section 462, Public Law 107-296, 116 Stat. 2202-2205, 6 U.S.C 279.

Program Number

93.676

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

The Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) program was transferred to ORR from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on March 1, 2003, pursuant to section 462 of the Homeland Security Act. The program is designed to provide for the care and placement of unaccompanied alien minors who are apprehended in the U.S. by Homeland Security agents, Border patrol officers, or other law enforcement agencies and are taken into care pending resolution of their claims for relief under U.S. immigration law or released to adult family members or responsible adult guardians. Resolution of their claims may result in release, granting of an immigration status (such as special immigrant juvenile or asylum), voluntary departure, or removal.

Types of Assistance

Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements or Contracts)

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funds may be used only for the purposes set forth in the grant and/or contract. Services may be provided only to unaccompanied alien children who are apprehended by agents of the Department of Homeland Security or referred by other federal agencies or departments.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

State and local governments, private non-profit organizations, and private for-profit organizations.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Beneficiaries are unaccompanied alien children who are in Federal custody by reason of their immigration status.

Credentials/Documentation

Cost principles for private nonprofit organizations will be determined by OMB Circular No. A-122. Cost principles for state and local governments are found under OMB Circular No. A-87. Cost principles governing private for-profit organizations are found under OMB Circular No. A-76. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

ORR may enter into contracts or grants after full and open competition pursuant to regulations. However, special regulations permit other than full and open competition under any of the following circumstances: only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, expert services, unusual and compelling urgency, international agreement, national security, public interest, and authorized or required by statute. Any exemption requires documentation by the grants or contracting officer of the justification for any one of the circumstances listed above. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applications submitted in response to program announcements under this program will undergo a pre-review to determine if applicant is eligible for funding.

Award Procedure

Applications found to be eligible for funding will undergo an evaluation by an independent review panel. In the case of emergency, staff will review on the basis of specific evaluation criteria to determine applicant qualification based upon published review criteria, quality of services to be rendered, and the likelihood of the program success.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 60 to 90 days. The ORR Director may invite applications, if necessary, due to unusual and compelling urgency of unaccompanied alien children apprehended by law enforcement agents at the Department of Homeland Security, or referred by other federal agencies or departments. Deadlines for applications are noted in notices of funds of availability. Generally, the deadline for grant applications is 60 days after posting of the notice of funds availability.

It is anticipated that the approval/disapproval time will not exceed 30 days in urgent situations, and will not exceed 90 days in normal application situations.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Contingent upon appropriations, grantee performance, and whether continuation of funding is in the best interest of the government.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Grant awards are made on an as needed basis, and on an annual budget basis. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Final program reports summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the program in relation to the approved goals and objectives are required. No cash reports are required. Monthly progress reports of placements are required. Additional progress reports are required, usually on a quarterly or semi-annual basis, but sometimes more frequently. Financial reports are required, usually on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. Final financial reports are also required at the end of the project period. ORR conducts programmatic and financial on-site monitoring of grantees for the purpose of ensuring that the grantee's service delivery program and financial management system meets the requirements and standards of the program. All grantees are visited at least once a year by Project Officer Staff, who regularly makes site visits, monitor the care provider grantees, and make recommendations for non-compliance or improvements. ORR regularly requires reports on a daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annual, and annual basis for a variety of functions. In the event deficiencies or needs for improvement are indicated by DUCS, the items are documented through monitoring reports and corrective action plans are drafted if necessary.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Periodic audits are made as part of the system of financial management and internal control to meet terms and conditions of grants, contracts, and other agreements. "In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 1997), Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations, nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133." Nonprofit organizations receiving less than $25,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from federal audit requirements, but records must be available for review by appropriate officials of the Federal grantor agency or sub-granting entity.

Records

Grant and contract recipients are required to keep all financial, business, and program reports necessary for program review and audit during the project period and for three years after the end of the project period to ensure that funds have been expended in accordance with the regulations, grant terms, and conditions of this program.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: The program served 7,211 children in FY 2008, with 1,219 children in care on average. Fiscal Year 2009: The program expects to serve 7,600 children in FY 2009. Fiscal Year 2010: The program expects to serve 11,000 children in FY 2010.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-1503-0-1-506.

Obligations

(Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements)) FY 08 $91,685,000; FY 09 est $90,873,000; FY 10 est $132,669,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

In FY 2008, 26 grants were awarded, ranging from $670,122 to $7,736,243. In FY 2009, 28 grants and 5 contracts were awarded, ranging from $ 517,000 to $7,950,095 .

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Program announcements can be found at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr. All inquiries should be directed to the information contact listed below.

Related Programs

93.566 Refugee and Entrant Assistance_State Administered Programs; 93.576 Refugee and Entrant Assistance_Discretionary Grants; 93.598 Services to Victims of a Severe Form of Trafficking

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Maureen Dunn 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW, 7th Floor East, Washington, District of Columbia 20447 Email: maureen.dunn@acf.hhs.gov Phone: (202) 401-5523 Fax: (202) 401-1022

Web Site Address

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr.

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Types of care include shelter care facilities, staff-secure facilities, secure detention for children with criminal backgrounds, therapeutic group homes, group homes, residential treatment centers for children with severe and acute mental illness, temporary foster care and long term foster care, and therapeutic foster care. Fiscal Year 2009: Types of care include shelter care facilities, staff-secure facilities, secure detention for children with criminal backgrounds, therapeutic group homes, group homes, residential treatment centers for children with severe and acute mental illness, temporary foster care and long term foster care, and therapeutic foster care. Fiscal Year 2010: Expected Types of care include shelter care facilities, staff-secure facilities, secure detention for children with criminal backgrounds, therapeutic group homes, group homes, residential treatment centers for children with severe and acute mental illness, temporary foster care and long term foster care, and therapeutic foster care.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Notice of criteria for program funds can be found at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr. Please refer to the Contact section for information.