[Federal Register: November 16, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 221)]
[Notices]
[Page 66786-66787]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16no06-81]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Title: Identifying Promising Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) Diversion Practices.
OMB No.: New Collection.
Description: The Identifying Promising TANF Diversion Practices
study is designed to understand States' and local offices' TANF
diversion policies and practices. Since the passage of the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, a
majority of States have implemented formal diversion programs that
provide assistance to families and/or impose program requirements on
them when they apply for TANF in order to reduce the number of families
who enroll in the program. These programs can send a strong signal to
applicants that TANF is a work-oriented program and/or prevent
applicants' need to use time-limited welfare benefits. States have
implemented three types of formal diversion programs: (1) Lump-sum
payment programs targeted to work-ready applicants to help them through
short-term crises; (2) ``up-front'' program requirements, such as
mandatory participation in a program orientation or job search as a
condition of eligibility; and (3) hybrid programs that provide short-
term cash assistance and impose up-front requirements. The
Administration for Children and Families has contracted with
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. to learn more about States'
implementation of these programs and to identify best practices.
The study consists of a survey of States and in-depth visits to
local sites. The survey of States will be administered in four stages:
(1) A State survey to the TANF director in all 50 States and the
District of Columbia to obtain a profile of States' diversion policies
and practices; (2) a semi-structured, one-hour follow-up telephone
interview with the State TANF director or designee in an estimated 35
States with States with current diversion programs to gather additional
information about these programs; (3) a semi-structured, 20-minute
telephone interview with the State TANF director or designee in other
States without current diversion programs to learn about future plans
for diversion programs; and (4) a semi-structured, one-hour telephone
interview with local TANF administrators from 30 selected local offices
in States that provide local flexibility in administering diversion
policies to learn about their practices.
To further understand the local implementation of diversion
policies and practices, the study includes site visits to two local
offices in each of three States with promising diversion programs. In
each office, interviews will be conducted with one TANF administrator,
an average of two supervisors or mid-level management staff members, an
average of three line staff members, and an average of two staff
members from partner organizations. Site visitors also will observe
selected activities, such as intake, orientation, and job search.
Respondents: State TANF directors and administrators and local TANF
administrators and line staff.
Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Average
Instrument Number of responses per burden hours Total burden
respondents respondent per response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Survey of States
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stage 1: State Survey........................... 51 1 0.2 10.2
Stage 2: Interview State TANF Director with 35 1 1.0 35.0
Diversion Program..............................
Stage 3: Interview State TANF Director without 16 1 0.3 4.8
Diversion Program..............................
Stage 4: Interview Local TANF Administrator..... 30 1 1.0 30.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Site Visit Protocols
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrator................................... 6 1 1.5 9.0
Supervisor...................................... 12 1 1.0 12.0
Line Staff...................................... 18 1 1.0 18.0
Partner Organization............................ 12 1 1.0 12.0
Observation..................................... 12 1 .............. ..............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 131.
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 of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded
by writing
[[Page 66787]]
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
address: 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: November 9, 2006.
Robert Sargis,
Report Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 06-9223 Filed 11-15-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M