Refugee resettlement: Policies and procedures

Here's where you'll find statements of policy connected to specific programs for individuals with refugee status. It's not a comprehensive list. Find more details in various manuals, bulletins and statutes, to which there are links below, plus PartnerLink, our site for county and tribal agency partners.

Help with Refugee Cash Assistance

Exemptions for employment services participation
- See 0030.12.06 (RCA Employment Services Good Cause Claims in Combined Manual)
Agency error overpayment REVISED
Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) aligns with the agency error overpayment policy used across cash programs.
- Overpayments for RCA are collectible only when the sum of overpayments exceeds the correct amount of benefits that a participant was eligible for during a claim period. The claim period includes all consecutive months in which overpayments occurred.
- See Combined Manual section 0030.03.18 (RCA overpayments and underpayments) for further details.
- Follow Combined Manual section 0025.06 – Maintaining Records of Incorrect Payments, for questions regarding claim documentation.
- Current collections are not affected by this policy change. Continue to pursue recovery of agency error claims for overpayments prior to August 1, 2016.
- Until the MAXIS system is updated to support a 12/1/16 change in policy, use a workaround procedure described in Bulletin #16-06-01 Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Alignment with Cash Program Uniformity (PDF).
Asset limits
Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) aligns with the single asset limit of $10,000 per assistance unit used across cash programs.
- $10,000 per assistance unit used across cash programs. This applies to applicants and to participants. Assets subject to the asset limit are limited to cash, bank accounts, stocks and bonds, and vehicles.
- Include the value of all counted assets that are available to the assistance unit, and those outside the unit whose assets must be counted. Counted assets include: cash, bank accounts, stocks and bonds with no financial penalty, vehicles that are not excluded.
- Signed Personal Statement about Assets: The new law requires that a signed personal statement about assets must be accepted when verifying the value of countable assets, availability, vehicle ownership, or financial penalty.
- Use form Signed Personal Statement about Assets DHS-6054 (PDF)
- If the DHS-6054 is not used for verification of assets, clients must submit other documentation to verify countable assets.
- Until the MAXIS system is updated to support a 12/1/16 change in policy, use a workaround procedure described in Bulletin #16-06-01 Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Alignment with Cash Program Uniformity (PDF).
Determining Refugee Cash Assistance gross income
Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) aligns with the uniform income determination policy for applicants and participants used across cash programs.
- Workers should use the “income inclusion” method when determining income for program applicants and participants.
- Previous policy required that all income be counted unless specifically excluded by law. Under the new income inclusion policy, income should only be counted when it is specifically identified as countable income.
- Do not verify income sources that are not counted. Request verification if there is conflicting information about an income source.
- See Combined Manual section 0017.12.06 (Earned Income) for types of counted earned income.
- See Combined Manual section 0017.12.03 (Unearned Income) for types of counted unearned income.
- Until the MAXIS system is updated to support a 12/1/16 change in policy, use a workaround procedure described in Bulletin #16-06-01 Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Alignment with Cash Program Uniformity (PDF).
Income disregard
Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) aligns with the uniform earned income disregard used across cash programs.
- The first $65 of earned income per wage earner plus half of the remaining earned income per wage earner in the assistance unit.
- See Combined Manual section 0030.03.09 (Determining RCA Gross Income).
- Until the MAXIS system is updated to support a 12/1/16 change in policy, use a workaround procedure described in Bulletin #16-06-01 Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Alignment with Cash Program Uniformity (PDF).
Reporting requirements
Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) aligns with the uniform reporting requirements policy for applicants and participants used across cash programs,
- Applicants must report changes immediately while their application is pending.
- Participants must report changes or anticipated changes by the earliest of these dates: 10 days from the date that the change occurs; or 8 calendar days after the end of their monthly reporting period.
- Changes that must be reported include:
  - any change in earned income of $100 per month or greater
  - any change in unearned income of $50 per month or greater
  - any change in employment status and hours
  - any change in address or residence
  - any change in household composition
  - a receipt of a lump-sum payment
  - an increase in assets if over $9,000;
  - any change in citizenship or immigration status
  - any change in family status
  - any change in disability status of a unit member
  - a new rent subsidy or a change in rent subsidy
  - a sale, purchase, or transfer of real property.
- In addition to the requirements above, RCA participants must report any change in school enrollment status, and every pregnancy.
- RCA participants with earned income are subject to monthly reporting requirements, using the Household Report Form (HRF) DHS-2120 (PDF).
Access to Alternative Care Program for refugees

Manual

Combined Manual, Chapter 0030, Refugee Assistance Programs

Bulletins

Minnesota Department of Human Services bulletins are official communications to inform county and tribal staff, as well as other business partners, about program changes and required actions by workers and partner agencies.