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Refugee Resettlement Agency and Translator Services Staff Instructions

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RS Social Services Receptionist Volunteer Instructions

INCLUDED IN THIS PACKET

*At end of simulation check that you still have all nonconsumable items on this list. Collect notices and EBT cards from central pile.*

INCLUDED ON YOUR WEBPAGE

TIME REMINDER

This simulation is broken up into four 15-minute “weeks” representing one month in the life of a refugee family.

TASKS

You have five major tasks:

  1. Collect Transportation Passes (1 per family) when they arrive at your table.
  2. Fill out the Appointment Log.
  3. Give clients forms to fill out to apply for benefits.
  4. Assign Clients to Caseworkers evenly.
  5. Send out “Notice to Appear” letters via a floater.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. TRANSPORTATION PASSES
    1. Collect 1 pass per family per visit. Those without ANY transportation passes should be turned away.
    2. Families that do not have enough passes should be sent to Quik Cash to buy more transportation passes for $1 each.

  2. KEEP APPOINTMENT LOG
    1. Put a check by the client’s name and ask them why they have come in.
    2. If they are recertifying benefits that they already have an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Card and need to talk to a Caseworker.
    3. If they are applying for benefits they will need to fill out an “Application for Benefits”.
    4. If they do not speak English or speak little English (Red or Yellow name tags), give them the BLACKED OUT version.

  3. INTERVIEW SHEETS
    1. Each family has an interview sheet in the accordion file with an EBT Card and Health Insurance Card (if they do not already have them).
    2. When clients come in, pull out their interview sheet (and cards) and hand it to their assigned caseworker.
    3. Keep the file in Alphabetical order.

  4. NOTICE TO APPEAR
    1. At some point in the first or second week, have a floater deliver the “Notice to Appear” cards to families already receiving benefits. They need to meet with a caseworker to recertify.

  5. ASSIGNING CLIENTS TO CASEWORKERS
    1. As you receive applications and put them with interview sheets, give them to the first case worker available.
    2. They will review the forms and call the client to their desk.

  6. HEALTH INSURANCE CARDS
    1. Families that have been here for 1 day need to pick up their Health Insurance and EBT cards from you. They do not need to apply.
    2. Families that have only lived here for 30 to 90 days do not need to apply and already have their Health Insurance cards on their webpage.
    3. If the family has been here for more a year or more, they DO need to APPLY for Health Insurance.
    4. Once a family has applied and spoken with a caseworker, you can give them their new health insurance cards.

  7. REPLACEMENT EBT CARDS
    1. Some people may come to you and say they have lost their EBT card. If that happens, give them a “Application for Benefits” to fill out and have them speak with a caseworker to get a new one.

REMINDERS:

TL;DR:

Act as a receptionist for Social Services. Keep records, replace lost EBT and Health Insurance cards.

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Social Services Caseworker Instructions

INCLUDED IN THIS PACKET

INCLUDED ON YOUR WEBPAGE

TIME REMINDER

This simulation is broken up into four 15-minute “weeks” representing one month in the life of a refugee family.

TASKS

You be working with several types of clients:

  1. Those applying for food stamps.
  2. Those applying for TANF Benefits
  3. Those applying for Replacement EBT Cards.
  4. Those applying for Health Insurance

Morality Alignment

TRUE GOOD = Honest, Charity-Focused people. You want to help!

RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. TRANSPORTATION PASSES
    1. DO NOT COLLECT Transportation passes from families. The Receptionist will take care of this.

  2. CLIENT INTERVIEWS
    1. The Receptionist will give you a packet with (1) a completed application, (2) an interview sheet (a form that gives you information about the family), and (only if they are applying for them or picking them up) (3) EBT Cards and (4) Health Insurance Cards.
    2. Look over the application to make sure everything is filled out. If they were unable to fill out the form (because it was Blacked-Out), ask them to try again or return with a translator.
    3. Tell the client what kind of assistance they qualify for based on the information on their interview sheet.
    4. If they are applying for Food Stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (EBT), give them benefits based on how many weeks are left in the simulation. If they are in need of more help, tell them to seek out help from one of the charities in the community (Refugee Resettlement Agency or Interfaith).
    5. If they are applying for Health Insurance, get enough blank cards for their entire family and write the names of each family member on the cards (1 name per card). Hand them their Health Insurance Cards and remind them not to lose them because “replacements will take a month to process”, by which time the simulation will be over.

REMINDERS:

TL;DR:

Help needy families apply for government benefits like TANF, EBT, Health Insurance, Unemployment, etc.