Spring Into Advocacy 2023

Supporting California Extended Case Management Legislation

Senate Bill 85, the California Extended Case Management Act (CECM) is now being considered by our California state legislature. This law would support refugees and those granted asylum by extending the base number of days they are entitled to case management from 90 to 180, with additional days available for extreme cases.

Currently, JFCS East Bay is funded by the Federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) through HIAS to provide 90 days of case management for those refugees who qualify for Federal support. In our experience, this is not nearly enough time for newcomers who have been forced from their home to become self-sufficient. Support from the state for extended case management would be transformative in its impact on our clients.

Case management connects refugees and asylees with culturally competent case workers to address their unique challenges by helping them access public and private services like Medi-Cal, CalFresh and Covered California. Case managers also help with cultural orientation, school enrollment, engagement in ESL programs and job training.

TAKE ACTION: You can support this new legislation by writing or calling State Senator Nancy Skinner, Senate Budget Committee Chair, and letting her know how important it is for her to support the California Extended Case Management legislation, SB85.

• Call 510-286-1333 or
• Leave a comment on her website