[Federal Register: September 27, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 187)]
[Notices]
[Page 56539-56540]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27se06-111]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Title: Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Reviews; Child and Family
Services Reviews; Anti-Discrimination Enforcement.
OMB No.: 0970-0214.
Description: The following five separate activities are associated
with this information collection:
Foster Care Eligibility Review (FCER) Program Improvement
Plan;
Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR) State agency
Statewide Assessment;
CFSR On-site review;
CFSR Program Improvement Plan; and
Anti-Discrimination Enforcement Corrective Action Plan.
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 informaiton 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
4371(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).
[[Page 56540]]
The information collection is needed: (1) To ensure compliance with
title IV-E foster care eligibility requirements; (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, help ensure that claims by States for title IV-E
funds are made on behalf of title IV-E eligible children, and require
States to revise applicable statutes, rules, policies and procedures,
and provide proper training to staff, through the development and
implementation of corrective action plans. These reviews not only
address compliance with eligibility requirements but also assist States
in enhancing the 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 1356.7 (i) Program Improvement Plan 7 1 90 630
(FCER).........................................
45 CFR 1366.33 (b) Statewide Assessment (CFSR).. 13 1 240 3,120
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 1 1 780 780
Plan (Anti-discrimination enforcement).........
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 22,860.
Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collection may be
obtained 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. All requests should be identified by the title of the
information collection. E-mail address: infocollection@acf.hhs.gov.
OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning the
collection of information between 30 and 60 days after publication of
this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best
assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of
publication. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent directly to the following: Office
of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Attn: Desk
Office for ACF, E-mail address: Katherine_T._Astrich@omb.eop.gov.
Dated: September 20, 2006.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 06-8272 Filed 9-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M