CA Legislature Passes Bill to Extend Case Management for Refugees, a JPAC Priority

CA Legislature Passes Bill to Extend Case Management for Refugees, a JPAC Priority

Senate Bill 85 (Wiener) Doubles Amount of Time and Resources for Jewish Family Service and Other Refugee Resettlement Agencies to Offer Case Management for New Refugees

 

August 28, 2024

 

SACRAMENTO, CA — Yesterday, the California State Senate and Assembly approved Senate Bill 85, authored by Senator Scott Wiener (D–San Francisco) and a top priority for JPAC. SB 85, the California Extended Case Management Act, extends critical case management services for new refugees for 90 more days, on top of the 90 days currently funded by the federal government. Jewish Family Service agencies – in the East Bay, Silicon Valley, Long Beach, and San Diego – are some of the state’s leading refugee resettlement agencies, supported by HIAS.

 

After a two-year journey through the legislature, it passed the Assembly with 65 of 80 possible votes, and the Senate with 34 of 40 possible votes. Both votes earned bipartisan support. The bill now heads to Governor Newsom’s desk and must be signed by September 30th.

 

Refugees who are successfully resettled with support bring strong contributions to the economic welfare of their new communities as well as enhance the social fabric of these communities. However, the federal government only provides funding for 90 days of case management. This means that refugees who are settled in California have just 3 months to build their lives all over again. After that time, they must navigate the American health care system, find housing, secure employment, and establish a community for themselves on their own, all while living in a country that is foreign to them.

 

California takes more refugees than any other state, averaging 17,500 annually, totaling about 14% of all refugees admitted under the USRAP. SB 85 establishes the California Extended Case Management (CECM) Program to fund an additional 90 days of case management, providing those in need with a total of 180 days of care.

 

JPAC was a sponsor of the bill, alongside HIAS, CHIRLA – The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, and the California Welcomes Coalition. JPAC also organized 36 Jewish organizations to sign on in support, and it became a priority for the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, which Senator Wiener co-chairs.

 

“It is no coincidence that many Jewish organizations are at the forefront of refugee resettlement and care,” said David Bocarsly, JPAC Executive Director. “Generations of Jews arrived in America as refugees and built a thriving community, while many others have been fatally harmed when our country’s back was turned. Through the good and bad times, HIAS and Jewish Family Service agencies shaped policies and provided resources to best serve refugees – Jewish and non-Jewish alike. That storied legacy continues today. JPAC proudly joined our coalition members to drive this critical legislation to ensure refugees have the care they need to prosper. And we thank Senator Wiener, co-chair of the Jewish Caucus, for championing this effort.”

 

About JPAC:

The Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC) is the voice of California’s Jewish community to the State Capitol. Composed of California’s leading Jewish community organizations, JPAC advocates in Sacramento on behalf of the Jewish community’s concerns and broadly shared values. JPAC member organizations – including Jewish Federations, Jewish Community Relations Councils, Jewish Family Service agencies, and others – collectively serve hundreds of thousands of Californians of all backgrounds and represent the interests of California’s 1.2 million Jews, making it the largest single-state coalition of Jewish organizations in the nation.

For more information, visit us at http://jpac-cal.org.

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Contact: David Bocarsly, JPAC Executive Director, david@jpac-cal.org

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