Title
Request to Enter into Agreements to Provide Refugee and Immigrant Services (Ordinance S-49227)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into agreements with the International Rescue Committee, Inc. (IRC), Arizona Immigration and Refugee Services, Inc. (AIRS), Catholic Charities Community Services, Inc. (Catholic Charities) and Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (Lutheran Social Services) to provide refugee and immigrant services for an aggregate amount not to exceed $5.3 million. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item for the life of the contracts. Funding is available through the City’s allocation of the American Rescue Act Plan (ARPA) funding received from the federal government and is under the City’s Financial Assistance for Phoenix Refugee and Asylee Community.
Report
Summary
Funding provided to IRC, AIRS, Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services will assist to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by maintaining critical humanitarian aid. Funding will provide support in areas where there are critical gaps in services to comprehensively address the needs of refugees and immigrants in the areas of housing, medical case management, employment, access to benefits, and legal aid. Many refugee and immigrant populations have been disproportionately impacted by the recent housing crisis with rising rent costs and lack of affordable housing. Those with medical, dental, or behavioral health needs need support in navigating complex systems to access care and financial assistance for non-Medicaid eligible services. Other services will include increasing access to English as Second Language (ESL) classes, citizenship education, and food assistance programs. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for these services has increased substantially.
Contract Term
The term for each contract will be for two years beginning on or about Dec. 1, 2022, and ending on Dec. 31, 2024.
Financial Impact
Aggregate expenditures will not exceed $5.3 million over the life of the agreements. Funding breakdown for each agreement is as follows:
IRC: $2.3 million;
AIRS: $1 million;
Catholic Charities: $1 million; and
Lutheran Social Services: $ 1 million.
There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding is available through the City’s allocation of ARPA funding received from the federal government and is under the City’s Financial Assistance for Phoenix Refugee and Asylee Community.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Human Services Department.