Announcement of Intent To Issue an OPDIV-Initiated Supplement to BCFS Health and Human Services Under the Standing Funding Opportunity Announcement Number HHS-2017-ACF-ORR-ZU-1132, Residential (Shelter) Services for Unaccompanied Children

AGENCY:

Unaccompanied Alien Children's (UAC) Program, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION:

Notice of intent to issue an OPDIV-Initiated Supplement.

SUMMARY:

Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, announces the intent to issue an OPDIV-Initiated Supplement to BCFS Health and Human Services, San Antonio, TX, in the amount of up to $6,500,000. ORR has been identifying additional capacity to provide shelter for potential increases in apprehensions of Unaccompanied Children at the U.S. Southern Border. Planning for increased shelter capacity is a prudent step to ensure that ORR is able to meet its responsibility, by law, to provide shelter for Unaccompanied Alien Children referred to its care by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). To ensure sufficient capacity to provide shelter to unaccompanied children referred to HHS, BCFS proposed to the continuation of services to ORR with 222 variance licensed beds.

DATES:

Supplemental award funds will support activities until January 31, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jallyn Sualog, Deputy Director for Children's Programs, Office of Refugee Resettlement, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201. Phone: 202-401-4997. Email: DCSProgram@acf.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

ORR is continuously monitoring its capacity to shelter the unaccompanied children referred to HHS, as well as the information received from interagency partners, to inform any future decisions or actions.

ORR has specific requirements for the provision of services. Award recipients must have the infrastructure, licensing, experience, and appropriate level of trained staff to meet those requirements. The continuation of services of the existing program and its services through this supplemental award is a key strategy for ORR to continue to meet its responsibility to provide shelter for Unaccompanied Children referred to its care by DHS and so that the U.S. Border Patrol can continue its vital national security mission to prevent illegal migration, trafficking, and protect the borders of the United States. The award to BCFS will be made as two OPDIV-initiated supplements.

Statutory Authority: This program is authorized by—

(A) Section 462 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which in March 2003, transferred responsibility for the care and custody of Unaccompanied Alien Children from the Commissioner of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) to the Director of ORR of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

(B) The Flores Settlement Agreement, Case No. CV85-4544RJK (C.D. Cal. 1996), as well as the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-457), which authorizes post release services under certain conditions to eligible children. All programs must comply with the Flores Settlement Agreement, Case No. CV85-4544-RJK (C.D. Cal. 1996), pertinent regulations and ORR policies and procedures.