Visiting the IRC Office

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.  

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