NEW YORK — On Monday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $20 million investment to expedite the filing process for more than 30,000 asylum seekers.
This investment, in addition to the $1.5 billion the State has already allocated to address this crisis, will help connect asylum seekers with case management services to expedite the process of leaving the shelter and, when necessary, submitting asylum applications. The ultimate goal of these social services is to support asylum seekers as they obtain legal employment status, exit the shelter system, and begin independent living.
“The way out of this crisis is work authorization,” Governor Hochul said. “New York has always been welcoming to immigrants and newcomers, and getting asylum seekers on the path to work authorization will help them become self-sufficient and come out of the shadows. New York State has provided significant humanitarian assistance for over a year, and we are committed to continuing to support the city in managing this ongoing crisis.”
This new effort will engage at least 30,000 asylum seekers who are being protected by NYC Health + Hospitals, NYC Emergency Management, and the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development with proactive exit support case management services.
The program is designed to immediately engage asylum seekers upon arrival and continue engagement throughout their stay at the shelter, connecting them with social services that will help them make plans to leave the shelter. These social service providers will include the Asylum Application Center, which is also funded by the State of New York.
Using a framework developed by the International Rescue Committee, the internationally recognized NGO, asylum seekers in the city’s shelters will be ranked using a new color-coded scale: green indicates there are no significant barriers to leaving the shelter; yellow indicates barriers to exit that have a path to resolution; and red indicates more complex, resource-intensive exit barriers.
This triage method will expedite exit from the shelter, facilitate connection to services or resources needed to exit the shelter, and put families on the path to independent living. Individuals and families will participate upon arrival at the City’s arrivals center and on an ongoing basis throughout their time in the shelter.
This funding is in addition to $10 million the state provided in the FY24 budget to help New York City provide legal services to immigrants, which was used to establish the city’s Asylum Claims Center. It also builds on the State’s existing efforts to house unprecedented numbers of asylum seekers, including most recently the State-funded Humanitarian Emergency Relief and Response Centers (HERRC) that opened on Randall’s Island and at the Center. Creedmoor Psychiatric.
The State has also committed $1.5 billion to support the City’s efforts to house asylum seekers and has deployed more than 1,800 New York National Guard members to provide logistical and operational support at City-run shelters.
2023-08-22 03:34:29
#Hochul #Designates #Million #NYC #Increase #Social #Work #Asylum #Seekers
