There is currently not enough capacity in the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) licensed care provider network to serve all the unaccompanied children entering the US. Our goal is to leverage potential existing capacity to help meet the urgent need, including high-quality, community-based providers who have small-moderate licensed capacity and could best support the current effort under the guidance of an experienced ORR-contracted provider.

The goal is to ensure high quality care on day one for children entering ORR custody. This means taking a different approach and intentionally shifting from larger facilities to smaller, community-based provider settings that use developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed approaches to provide care.  This shift is critical for the existing response of the UC program and the long-term shift to build a UC system that employs a child wellbeing framework through a strong and broad provider network.

Provider organizations that have an active state license for residential or foster care placement of children/youth and have adequate staff capacity, including fluent Spanish speaking staff, have two options based on desired nature of grantee relationship: contract directly or subcontract under a current UC provider. This page contains details for those interested in subcontracting under a current UC provider.