Refugee and Immigrant Services

Header for Refugee and Immigrant Services. Man studying, man holding flag, people working at computers, people shaking hands.The Refugee & Immigrant Services Program provides refugee resettlement services as an affiliate of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), as well as a wide range of educational and support services specifically for the unique needs of refugees and immigrants. The Catherine McAuley Center (CMC) serves more than 250 refugees each year.

Refugee Resettlement 

Pre-arrival

  • An individual or family is assigned a case manager to work directly with them and assess their individual needs.
  • CMC works with landlords, community members, and volunteers to arrange housing, furniture, clothing, and basic needs supplies for arriving families.

Arrival 

  • Families are welcomed at the airport and transported to their new home, where a warm, culturally-appropriate meal is waiting for them.

Post-arrival (first 90 days)

  • Cultural orientation gives a comprehensive introduction to life in the U.S.
  • Families learn to use the public transportation system.
  • Case managers connect families with medical care, education, English as a Second Language classes, and employment services.

Extended Case Management (90-180 days after arrival)

  • Qualified individuals can participate in case management services for up to one year after arriving in the U.S. to receive support in connecting to community services and working towards their goals for self-sufficiency.

Employment Services

Employment services are available to all refugee and immigrant clients.

For Clients 

  • CMC works individually with client to assess their skills, experience, and employment goals.
  • Employment services include:
    • Individual job coaching and job-seeking support
    • Group classes in employment readiness and workplace English
    • Partnerships with employers in a variety of industries to facilitate smooth connection between refugee job seekers and prospective employers

For Employers

  • CMC consults with employers in the community to understand their hiring needs and processes and connect them with qualified refugee applicants.
  • CMC partners with employers to provide support to new refugee employees in understanding their role, completing orientation, and successfully performing their work duties.

Child Care Business Development Services

  • CMC helps refugees start registered child care businesses in their homes, increasing the availability of culturally and linguistically diverse child care in our community, and offering refugee families an additional source of income.
  • CMC coordinates with local agencies to ensure that participants complete required training, and assists with translation/interpretation, the DHS registration process, micro-business development, and early childhood education skills.

 

Resource Navigation 

  • CMC meets individually with immigrant and refugee clients and connects them with local community services, including healthcare, housing, education, child care, social services, legal services, and other local resources.
  • CMC staff work closely with partner agencies to coordinate a “warm hand-off” from CMC to other community agencies, ensuring that clients successfully access the services they need.

Community Leadership 

  • CMC organizes and convenes the Refugee Alliance of Linn County and Immigrant Concerns groups, with participation from more than 40 public and non-profit agencies and businesses. These forums provide an opportunity for community partners and service providers to discuss issues facing their clients, and collaborate to address gaps in services.