Resettlement

Reception and Placement

NICE began its Reception and Placement (R&P) program in 2011. Since that time, the program has developed rapidly, resettling refugees from a variety of nations including; Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, Somalia and more.

When refugees first arrive, they generally know very little about everyday life in America. Our team welcomes clients at the airport, ensures them a home cooked meal and orients them to their new life. We take care of everything refugees need upon arrival, such as finding and furnishing a new home, scheduling initial medical screenings, enrolling in all eligible social services and registering children for school. NICE’s R&P team is here to break down barriers and ensure that the transition from life as a refugee to a life of self-sufficiency in America goes as smoothly as possible.

Refugee Cash Assistance/Refugee Medical Assistance

Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) is an eight-month, employment-based eligibility program that assists our clients financially while searching for a job. This program also gives our clients access to ESL classes to improve their English abilities in their pursuit of overall success and independence.

Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) is used when our clients do not fit the criteria for TennCare. New arrival refugees can be enrolled for up to eight months. Because of this program, we are able to ensure all our clients have access to medical care in the United States.

Match Grant

The Match Grant program is an alternative option to Refugee Cash Assistance. Through the Match Grant program, refugees pursue economic and employment stability without using publicly funded cash assistance. For their first four to six months in America, refugees receive housing and a cash allowance, as well as employment-seeking assistance and case management. Match Grant is designed to help those refugees with higher levels of education find employment quickly; thus promoting self-sufficiency and reducing the need for government assistance.

Refugee Social Services Program

The Refugee Social Services (RSS) Program is designed to help R&P clients find work quickly upon arrival in the United States. When refugees arrive in America, they receive some monetary assistance from the government to adjust to their new life. That money is rarely enough for a family to exist, and it does not last long. The RSS program aims to help clients become self-sufficient so they are not dependent upon government assistance.