📁 Casework Team

Core Services Provided by the Casework Team

The majority of core services will take place within the first 90 days after arrival/enrollment in services. In the state of Colorado, clients are eligible for services for up to 5 years after their date of eligibility. The type of services provided will look different over the course of the 5 years of eligibility, with the most intensive services and most contact with IRC staff occurring in the first 90 days to 1 year.

If you are having an emergency (including serious medical issues, life-threatening situations, witness/victim to a crime or fire), please call 911.

Arrival Support
- Coordinate welcome and transportation from airport to temporary or permanent housing
- Provide safe and sanitary affordable housing
- Safety orientation to temporary or permanent housing

Vital documents
- Apply for a Social Security Card, Colorado ID, AR-11, Selective Service registration.

Basic needs support
- Hot culturally appropriate meal upon arrival
- Groceries provided after arrival
- Phones for all adult family members
- Initial pocket money loaded onto IRC pre-paid card
- Community resource connection for food, clothing, and integration support.

Initial rental support from Reception and Placement (R&P) funds
Rent and utility payment navigation assistance
Service planning, goal setting, and budgeting
Connection to other programs, services, and teams
At the IRC and greater Denver community, such as the Employment, Health, Education, and Legal Teams at the IRC and food pantries, community centers, and childcare in the greater Denver community.
General well-being
Adjustment to life in Denver, navigating systems, integration in community

Important Update

Due to high caseloads and limited resources, the IRC utilizes a triage system: client cases are prioritized based on urgency and need. Clients with the most urgent needs and highest vulnerability are addressed first. Accordingly, you may experience a delayed response from staff-- Allow staff a minimum of 3 workdays to respond to your message or return your call. For staff to respond in a timely manner, it is critical that you leave a voice message or send a text message with your name and what you need assistance with. Please be aware that staff do not respond to messages or calls on weekends or after 5pm on weekdays.

Below is a list of urgent needs prioritized by each team:

Casework: risks of homelessness, not having sufficient food, or missing financial assistance from the IRC.
Employment: requests related to recent unemployment.

Health: suicidal ideation and other severe mental health concerns that require immediate support.
Public Benefits: EBT card is not working or funds that you expected did not arrive to your card.
Education: bullying/discrimination by peers or the school, as well as increased absences from school that could result in neglect.
Housing: if you have no heat, no water, have flooding, or the toilet is not working, make an urgent maintenance request to your landlord immediately. If your landlord does not respond on the same day, the housing team can help with contacting the landlord.
Legal: requests related to upcoming filing deadlines (i.e. I-589 applications for asylum, responses to Requests for Evidence, pre-hearing evidence submission), and assistance with work authorization where loss of employment is about to occur.

Team Members and Contact Information