[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27314-27316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12550]



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[[Page 27315]]

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


The Regional Offices of the Administration for Children and 
Families Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority

    This Notice amends Part K of the Statement of Organization, 
Functions, and Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and 
Human Services (DHHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) 
as follows: Chapter KD, The Regional Offices of the Administration for 
Children and Families (58 FR 44343), as last amended, August 20, 1993. 
This reorganization realigns the functions in Region 6 to support their 
streamlining plan. This Chapter is amended as follows:

1. KD.10 Organization. Regions 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 through X are organized as 
follows:

    Office of the Regional Administrator (KD1A, KD3A, KD4A, KD5A, KD7A 
through KDXA)
    Office of Financial Operations (KD1B, KD3B, KD4B, KD5B, KD7B 
through KDXB)
    Office of Family Security (KD1C, KD3C, KD4C, KD5C, KD7C through 
KDXC)
    Office of Family Supportive Services (KD1D, KD3D, KD4D, KD5D, KD7D 
through KDXD)

    After the end of KD2.20 Functions, Paragraph D, insert the 
following:

2. KD6.10 Organization. The Administration for Children and Families, 
Region 6, is organized as follows:

    Office of the Regional Administrator (KD6A)
    Office of State and Tribal Programs (KD6E)
    Office of Community Programs (KD6F)

    Functions. A. The Office of the Regional Administrator is headed by 
a Regional Administrator. In addition, the Office of the Regional 
Administrator has a Deputy Regional Administrator who reports to the 
Regional Administrator. The Office provides executive leadership and 
directives to state, county, city, territorial and tribal governments, 
as well as public and private local grantees to ensure effective and 
efficient program and financial management. It ensures that these 
entities conform to federal laws, regulations, policies and procedures 
governing the programs, and exercises all delegated authorities and 
responsibilities for oversight of the programs. The office takes action 
to approve state plans and submits recommendations to the Assistant 
Secretary for Children and Families concerning state plan disapproval. 
The Office contributes to the development of national policy based on 
regional perspectives on all ACF programs. It oversees ACF operations, 
the management of ACF regional staff; coordinates activities across 
regional programs; and assures that goals and objectives are met and 
departmental and agency initiatives are carried out. The Office alerts 
the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families to problems and 
issues that may have significant regional or national impact. The 
Office represents ACF at the regional level in executive communications 
within ACF, with the HHS Regional Director, other HHS operating 
divisions, other federal agencies, and public or private local 
organizations representing children and families.
    Within the Office of the Regional Administrator, the Program 
Coordinator and Planning Unit (PCPU), headed by the Executive Officer 
and consisting of administrative staff, assists the Regional 
Administrator and Deputy Regional Administrator in providing day-to-day 
support for regional administrative functions, including budget, 
internal systems, employee relations and human resource development 
activities. The PCPU develops and implements the regional planning 
process. Tracking, monitoring and reporting on regional progress in the 
attainment of ACF national goals and objectives are carried out. The 
PCPU coordinates public awareness activities, information dissemination 
and education campaigns in accordance with the ACF Office of Public 
Affairs and in conjunction with the HHS Regional Director. The Unit 
also assists the Regional Administrator in management of cross-cutting 
initiatives and activities among the regional components, and ensures 
effective and efficient management of internal automation processes.
    B. The Office of State and Tribal Programs is headed by an 
Assistant Regional Administrator who reports to the Regional 
Administrator. The Office is responsible for providing centralized 
management, financial management services, and technical administration 
of ACF formula, block and entitlement programs such as Aid to Families 
with Dependent Children (AFDC), Child Support Enforcement (CSE), Job 
Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS), Title IV-A Child Care, 
Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), Child Welfare Services, 
Foster Care and Adoption Assistance, Child Abuse and Neglect and 
Developmental Disabilities. The Office provides policy guidance to 
state, county, city or town and tribal governments and public and 
private organizations to assure consistent and uniform adherence to 
federal requirements governing formula and entitlement programs. State 
plans are reviewed and recommendations concerning state plan approval 
or disapproval are made to the Regional Administrator. The Office 
provides technical assistance to entities responsible for administering 
these programs to resolve identified problems, ensures that appropriate 
procedures and practices are adopted, monitors the programs to ensure 
their efficiency and effectiveness, establishes regional financial 
management priorities and reviews cost allocation plans, and oversees 
the management and coordination of office automation systems in the 
regional and monitors state systems projects for the CSE, AFDC, Child 
Welfare and JOBS programs. The Office provides financial management 
services for ACF formula and entitlement grants in the region. Also 
reviews cost estimates and reports for ACF entitlement and formula 
grant programs and recommends funding levels. The Office performs 
systematic fiscal reviews and makes recommendations to the Regional 
Administrator to approve, defer or disallow claims for federal 
financial participation in ACF formula and entitlement grant programs. 
As applicable, recommendations are made on the clearance and closure of 
audits of state programs, paying particular attention to financial 
management deficiencies that decrease the efficiency and effectiveness 
of the ACF programs and taking steps to monitor the resolution of such 
deficiencies. The Office represents the Regional Administrator in 
dealing with ACF Program Offices on all program and financial policy 
matters under its jurisdiction. Alerts or early warnings are provided 
to the Regional Administrator regarding problems or issues that may 
have significant implications for the programs.
    C. The Office of Community Programs is headed by an Assistant 
Regional Administrator who reports to the Regional Administrator. The 
Office is responsible for providing centralized management, financial 
management services, and technical administration of ACF discretionary 
grant programs such as Head Start and Runaway and 
[[Page 27316]] Homeless Youth (RHY). In that regard, the Office 
provides policy guidance to state, county, city or town and tribal 
governments and public and private organizations to assure consistent 
and uniform adherence to federal requirements. The Office provides 
technical assistance to entities responsible for administering these 
programs to ensure that appropriate procedures and practices are 
adopted, and monitors the programs to ensure their efficiency and 
effectiveness. The Office performs systematic fiscal reviews and makes 
recommendations to the Regional Administrator to approve or disallow 
costs under ACF discretionary grant programs. The Office issues certain 
discretionary grant awards based on a review of project objectives, 
budget projections, and proposed funding levels. As applicable, 
recommendations are made on the clearance and closure of audits of 
grantee programs, paying particular attention to financial management 
deficiencies that decrease the efficiency and effectiveness of the ACF 
programs and taking steps to monitor the resolution of such 
deficiencies. The Office oversees the management and coordination of 
office automation systems in the region such as the PC Cost and HS Cost 
systems for budget analysis on Head Start Applications and monitors 
grantee systems projects such as the Head Start Program Information 
Report, Head Start Management Tracking System and the Youth Development 
and Head Start Bulletin Board. The Office represents the Regional 
Administrator in dealing with ACF Program Offices on all program policy 
and financial matters under its jurisdiction. Alerts or early warnings 
are provided to the Regional Administrator regarding problems or issues 
that may have significant implications on the programs.

    Dated: May 15, 1995.
Mary Jo Bane,
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
[FR Doc. 95-12550 Filed 5-22-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4148-01-M