Refugee casework returns to Iowa after federal funding delay
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Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) has reestablished a small team of case managers to assist Afghan and Ukrainian refugees residing in the state after months of halted federal funds.
Why it matters: Case management is a vital support system for refugees after their arrival, assisting them in navigating housing, employment, school enrollment, health care and legal paperwork.
- Resuming support offers people a better chance at long-term success and self-sufficiency, Nicholas Wuertz, LSI's director of refugee services, tells Axios.
Catch up quick: LSI, one of Iowa's oldest and largest nonprofit human service agencies, has provided resettlement assistance through federal contracts for decades, including aiding the state in resettling hundreds of Afghan refugee families in recent years.
- Most of those services ended in April when the agency laid off 25 staffers after the Trump administration's freeze on foreign aid, reflecting actions taken by resettlement agencies nationwide.
Driving the news: Federal reimbursements for extended case management, including services for Afghan humanitarian parolees and Ukrainian refugees, resumed this month with LSI receiving $1.5 million it was owed for previous work.
- This allowed LSI to rehire five staff members over the past two weeks and resume part of its case management programs.
Yes, but: LSI isn't welcoming new families.
- Donor support, which has aided the agency in recent months, is still necessary to assist families who arrived before Jan. 24, when the federal resettlement program was halted, CEO Renee Hardman tells Axios.
The big picture: ABC News reports that other agencies nationwide are resuming some services, including the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants in Ohio.
Zoom in: About 200 people were affected when LSI suspended the case management services.
- Of about 100 refugees who were seeking jobs, 20 are still looking, Wuertz said.
What's next: LSI, which also provides services for people with disabilities, is urging its supporters to contact their congressional lawmakers to advocate against cuts to Medicaid.