Family Reunification Monthly Update
February 2021
Monthly Report

The monthly report for February is due March 12th.
Previous Monthly Updates

December 2020
January 2021

USCCB Closings

April 1st
(Holy Thursday)

April 2nd
(Good Friday)

April 5th
(Easter Monday)
Quarter Network Call

Access the 1st quarter network call handout and recording here.

The 2nd quarterly call is scheduled for Wednesday, April 14th. Additional information will be shared closer to the call.
New Director Orientation

On February 12th, the Safe Passages Family Reunification Team held an orientation/training for new program directors. Click here to access the follow-up email sent on March 5th.

ORR Program Updates

  • Last week, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) announced its new director, Cindy Huang.
  • The latest FFS UAC program assignment list as of March 3rd, can be found here.
USCCB/MRS Program Updates

  • As of January1, 2021, please use the NEW training tracker to document your ORR required trainings.

  • New budgeted site onboarding training for the following programs will be held on Monday, March 22 - Thursday, March 25th, noon to 4 pm EST each day:
  • Catholic Charities San Diego, CA
  • Catholic Charities Nashville, TN
  • Catholic Charities San Antonio, TX
  • Catholic Charities Newark, NJ
  • Catholic Charities Baltimore, MD
  • International Christian Adoptions - CA
  • At-Promise Youth Solutions

*If you have not already done so, please complete the
UAC Portal trainings and sign the Rules of Behavior (RoB), as well
as ORR's 4-part Trauma Informed Care series. The training/form
links are list in the training section below. The certificates of
completion should be saved and forwarded to your assigned
Children's Services Specialist (CSS).
Training

*FY21Training Tracker - Please note that the training tracker has been updated to include the new mandated trauma and UAC Portal training requirements. Please utilize this tracker moving forward.
Reminders
  • FY19 Training Trackers were due to you CSS by February 28th, 2021. If you have yet to submit them, please do so no later than Friday, March 12th.
  • Monthly reports are due the 2nd Friday of the following month. There are several data components from the reports that are used to complete subsequent reports that USCCB/MRS Safe Passages Family Reunification submits to ORR. Please remember to submit your monthly reports on time.
  • Please remember to change your UAC Portal password when prompted via email; as a precaution, be sure to check your spam folders for the alerts. Failure to update your password within the time indicated will result in suspension of your Portal account. Also, you MUST login to the Portal weekly/bi-weekly to prevent being locked out due to inactivity.
  • Current NOC Template - This is the latest NOC template, reflecting our new ORR Project Officer (PO), Michelle Sheedy. Please use this updated template moving forward.
  • MRIS Issues - Some program staff reported recent issues with MRIS. Please note that MRIS is most compatible with Internet Explorer, and may not function properly with other browsers. Additionally, you need to ensure that your compatibility view settings are configured to include the website. Please contact your CSS is the issue persists.
  • Migration Protection Protocols - Please continue to track/report Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) (also known as “Remain in Mexico”). Additional information on the MPP can be found here. Please review and complete the information indicated here for all cases in which a child reports being impacted in any capacity by MPP.
Resources/News
Kudos
  • Hector Cendejas (Catholic Charities of Arlington) - Hector has been a Family Reunification case manager for the our site in Arlington, Virginia for close to six years. As a part of his current PhD program, Hector is working on a project, connecting with fellow case managers around the country to assess challenges with school enrollment. What is working and what can be improved? If you are interested in connecting virtually, please contact Hector at hector.cendejas@ccda.net.
  • Catholic Charities of Atlanta - Committed to provide an additional $5,000 in funds to provide food for Safe Passages clients using Instacart and Wal-Mart e-gift cards that can be texted to families in need. 
  • Catholic Charities of Boston - The Family Reunification program's partnership with the LOPC program at Catholic Charities of Boston continues to provide referrals for pro-bono or low-cost attorneys for UC receiving PRS. Nearly all of the UC enrolled in PRS through their program currently have legal representation.