Repatriation Program Coordinator, Joyce Gbarwea
Repatriation Program
The U.S. Repatriation Program provides temporary assistance to United States (U.S.) citizens and their dependents that are identified by the U.S. Department of State as needing to return from a foreign country to the U.S. If an American citizen in a foreign country becomes ill, is without funds or needs to be returned to the U.S. because of a threatening situation in a foreign country, necessary services and a loan are provided through the Repatriation Program.
The United States Repatriation Program (USRP) was established in 1935 under §1113 of the Social Security Act (Assistance for United States Citizens returned from Foreign Countries) to provide temporary assistance to US citizens and their dependents who have been identified by the US Department of State (DOS) as having returned, or been brought from a foreign country, to the US because of destitution, illness, war, threat of war or a similar crisis, and because they are without resources immediately accessible to meet their needs. The Georgia Department of Human Services works with the USRP in providing assistance to US citizens returning to Georgia to resume their lives in the US.
Program Services/Temporary Services
Repatriates are provided with cash aid and services which include, but are not limited to:
- Food, lodging, and incidentals
- Domestic travel assistance
- Medical/psychiatric care
- Temporary shelter
- Transportation
- Assistance to unaccompanied minors
Repatriation Program services and cash assistance are one hundred percent (100%) federally funded. However, assistance given under this program is considered a loan which must be repaid to the US government, and individuals requesting repatriation program assistance are required to sign a repayment agreement.
Programmatic Structure
The US Repatriation program consists of four different activities that are divided into two categories: Emergency and Non-emergency Repatriations.
- The Individual Repatriation Activity serves individuals or families in need of assistance upon arrival to the US and is part of the regular/ongoing non-emergency caseload.
- The Mentally Ill Activity provides for the care and treatment of eligible legally insane or otherwise mentally ill persons and is part of the regular/ongoing non-emergency caseload.
- The Group Repatriation Activity allows for the evacuation of 50 to 500 US citizens and dependents from overseas to the US due to war, the threat of war and other overseas crises.
- The Emergency Repatriation Activity allows for the evacuation of 500 or more US citizens and dependents from overseas to the US due to war, the threat of war and other overseas crisis.
Program Information
- Repatriation Fact Sheet
- Repatriation Program Overview
- To repatriate back to the U.S., please contact the U.S. Embassy in the foreign country in which you are currently living
Training
Training is available through the International Social Services website here.