The Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) program takes responsibility for refugee children who arrive in the U.S. with no parent or guardian. The program places the minors in foster care with specially-trained local families and provides culturally and linguistically appropriate social services support to include:
- Training foster families
- Assisting the minors with educational and medical issues
- Helping these refugee children to adjust to life in America
- Preparing them to live independently as adults
Washington’s Department of Social & Health Services (DSHS) provides unaccompanied refugee minors with the same range of child welfare benefits and services available to other children in Washington who require such services. The benefits and services allowed include:
- Foster care maintenance payments (room, board, and clothing)
- Medical assistance
- Expenses incurred in establishing legal responsibility
- Extended Foster Care
- Educational Training Vouchers
The Office of Refugee Resettlement and DSHS work together to provide a smooth transition for unaccompanied refugee children. DSHS contracts with Lutheran Community Services Northwest and Catholic Community Services to provide direct services to refugee minors.
There’s always a need for caring and loving families to foster refugee children. For more information about how to become a Refugee Foster Parent under this program, please contact one of our URM Providers below:
Catholic Community Services (Tacoma & Vancouver)
Lutheran Community Services Northwest (Seattle)
Lutheran Community Services Northwest (Spokane)
Additional information about becoming a foster parent in Washington state, can be found at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families website.
ORIA URM Program Manager:
Molly Daggett
(360) 790-0839
molly.daggett@dshs.wa.gov