[Federal Register: June 22, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 120)]
[Notices]
[Page 35910-35911]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22jn06-83]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Proposed Projects
Title: Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews; Child and Family
Services Reviews; Anti-Discrimination Enforcement.
OMB No. 0970-0214.
Description: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is
requesting authority to renew an existing information collection that
is expiring October 31, 2006. The initial information collection was
contained in the final rule transmitting the Department's monitoring
protocols for assessing title IV-E eligibility and payment accuracy,
the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR), enforcement of the title
IV-E anti-discrimination requirements, and certain provisions of the
Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997. Five separate activities are
associated with this information collection.
The collection of information for review of Federal payments to
States for foster care maintenance payments (45 CFR 1356.71(i)) is
authorized by title IV-E of the Social Security Act (the Act), section
474 [42 U.S.C. 674]. The Foster Care Eligibility Reviews (FCER) ensure
that States claim title IV-E funds on behalf of title IV-E eligible
children.
The collection of information for review of State child and family
services programs (45 CFR 1355.33(b), 1355.33(c) and 1355.35(a)) to
determine whether such programs are in substantial conformity with
State plan requirements under parts B and E of the Act is authorized by
section 1123(a) [42 U.S.C. 1320a-1a] of the Act. The CFSR looks at both
the outcomes related to safety, permanency and well-being of children
served by the child welfare system and at seven systemic factors that
support the outcomes.
Section 474(d) of the Act [42 U.S.C. 674] deploys enforcement
provisions (45 CFR 1355.38(b) and (c)) for the requirements at section
471(a)(18) [42 U.S.C. 671], which prohibit the delay or denial of
foster and adoptive placements based on the race, color, or national
origin of any of the individuals involved. The enforcement provisions
include the execution and completion of corrective action plans when a
State is in violation of section 471(a)(18).
The information collection is needed: (1) To conduct Federal onsite
eligibility reviews of the title IV-E foster care program; (2) to
monitor State plan requirements under titles IV-B and IV-E of the Act,
as required by Federal statute; and (3) to enforce the title IV-E anti-
discrimination requirements through State corrective action plans. The
resultant information will allow ACF to determine if States are in
compliance with State plan requirements and are achieving desired
outcomes for children and families, as well as ensure that claims by
States for title IV-E funds are made on behalf of
[[Page 35911]]
title IV-E eligible children. These reviews not only address compliance
with eligibility requirements, but also assist States in enhancing
their capacities to serve children and families. In computing the
number of burden hours for this information collection, ACF based the
annual burden estimates on ACF's and States' experiences in conducting
reviews and developing program improvement plans.
Respondents: State Agencies.
Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Average
Instrument Number of responses per burden hours Total burden
respondents respondent per response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
45 CFR 1356.71(i) Program improvement plan 5 1 90 450
(FCER).........................................
45 CFR 1355.33(b) State agency statewide 13 1 240 3,120
assessment (CFSR)..............................
45 CFR 1355.33(c) On-site review (CFSR)......... 13 1 1,170 15,210
45 CFR 1355.35(a) Program improvement plan 13 1 240 3,120
(CFSR).........................................
45 CFR 1355.38(b) and (c) Corrective action plan 1 1 780 780
(Anti-discrimination enforcement)..............
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 22,680.
In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and
Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the
information collection described above. Copies of the proposed
collection information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by
writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of
Administration, Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade,
SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. E-mail:
infocollection@acf.hhs.gov. All requests should be identified by the
title of the information collection.
The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) Whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted
within 60 days of this publication.
Dated: June 15, 2006.
Robert Sargis,
Report Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 06-5606 Filed 6-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M