DHHS, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement

One of three case studies from The Lewin Group’s evaluation of two federally-funded employability programs serving refugees resettled in the U.S., this report presents findings from interviews with service providers, focus groups with program participants, and analysis of administrative, programmatic, and survey data on refugees served in Miami, Florida. The study focused on refugees, asylees, and related populations who entered the country between 2000 and 2004 and received RSS or TAG services at some point in Miami, including primarily Cubans, Colombians, and Haitians. Themes emerging from this case study include the role of Miami’s extensive network of experienced service providers and community support for arrivals; the strong focus on employment in refugee services; the relatively high education level of refugees served in Miami; the importance of bi-lingual Spanish and English skills; and special challenges facing the Haitian population The report also presents employment, income, and public assistance outcomes of service recipients.

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