Currently, there are three agencies that are recognized by the state department, through their affiliates, to conduct the reception and placement of refugees in the state of Maine. OMRS provides fundings to these agencies to implement some ORR programs, such as Refugee Support Services and Refugee Medical Screening Coordination.
They are:
1. Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services (RIS)
2. Jewish Community Alliance (JCA)
3. Maine Immigrants and Refugee Services (MEIRS)
New pathways for resettlement include WelcomeCorps, Virtual R&P, and Cash Based. Please visit our Resources page for further information on these pathways.
In the State of Maine the Private Sponsor Organization working with WelcomeCorps is:
Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services (MEIRS)
OMRS contracts with clinics and health care providers to provide the domestic refugee medical screening throughout the state. These providers maintain strong relationships with the State Refugee Health Coordinator and the refugee medical screening coordinators.
They are:
1. Maine Medical Center International Clinic, Portland
2. Greater Portland Health, Portland
3. Southern Maine Health Center, Saco
4. The B Street Clinic of St Mary’s Community Clinical Service, Lewiston
5. The Pediatric Associates, Lewiston
6. Maine General Family Practice, Augusta
7. The Penobscot Community Health Center, Bangor
8. HealthReach Community Health Centers, Fairfield
9. Central Maine Healthcare, Lewiston
Areas of the state that have greater concentration of school-age refugee children receive funds from the School Impact Grant to support refugees’ successful integration into local school systems. OMRS also partners with many Adult Education programs to provide English language learning and employability services to ORR eligible populations.
Some of the schools and adult education centers are:
1. Brunswick School Department
7. Westbrook School Department
OMRS maintains several contracts with nonprofit and community-based organizations to provide Health education and promote enrichment and wellness activities, youth mentoring programs, legal services, mental health orientations, professional English language learning and more. These are:
2. New England Arab American Organization
3. Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services
4. Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center
6. Catholic Charities Behavioral Health Network
7. Goodwill Industries of Northern New England
OMRS regularly coordinates and consults with some state and federal government entities to strengthen the refugee resettlement infrastructure in Maine. Regular meetings with these entities are meant to troubleshoot and ease the ORR eligible population’s access to state and federal benefits for which they qualify. Through its Wilson Fish TANF Coordination Program, OMRS maintain a strong relationship with the State of Maine ASPIRE program. Our state and federal partners are:
1. The federal HHS Administration of Children and Family
2. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services
3. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
4. The Social Security Administration
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