[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 190 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52703-52738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26273]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Project

    Title: Child and Family Services State plan Reviews (CFS).
    OMB No.: New.
    Description: The Department is proposing new review procedures for 
assessing compliance with State Plan requirements under parts B and E 
of title IV of the Social Security Act (the Act).
    The collection of information for review of State child and family 
services programs to determine whether such programs are in substantial 
conformity with State plan requirements under parts B and E of title IV 
of the Social Security Act is authorized by section 1123(a) [42 U.S.C. 
1320a-1a] of the Act.
    The purpose of the NPRM is to reform the existing review process so 
that the reviews are focused on assisting States to improve services 
and outcomes for children and families.
    We are proposing to review State programs in two areas: (1) 
Outcomes for children and families in the areas of safety, permanency, 
and child and family well-being; and (2) systemic factors that directly 
impact the State's capacity to deliver services leading to improved 
outcomes.
    The process we are proposing includes two stages: a State self-
assessment and an on-site review. The State self-assessment will be 
completed by the State members of the review team, including staff of 
the State agency and community representatives, in collaboration with 
ACF Regional Offices. In the second phase, a representative team of 
Federal, State and community reviewers will review a small ``discovery 
sample'' of cases selected randomly and stratified by type of cases, 
based on the findings of the self-assessment. The reviews will examine 
cases which reflect a wide range of services provided by the State, 
e.g., child protective services, out-of-home and in-home services, but 
more emphasis will be placed on those cases reflecting State-specific 
issues identified in the self-assessment. Information on each case will 
be gathered from the case records as well as interviews with the 
children, parents, social worker, foster parent and service providers 
in the case. Systemic issues will be reviewed on-site, primarily 
through interviews with

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State and community stakeholders from within and outside the State 
agency.
    We are publishing the self-assessment and the two on-site review 
instruments (``On-site Review Instrument'' and ``Stakeholder Interview 
Guide'') for public comment to meet Paperwork Reduction Act 
requirements. Please note--on all instruments, reviewers will be 
provided space for notation and documentation which was omitted for the 
purpose of publication in the Federal Register. The instruments will 
not be part of the regulations, however, they will be distributed to 
the States following publication of a Final Rule. The instruments are 
however published at the end of this notice.
    To review and comment on the Proposed Rule from which this 
information collection comes, see 63 Federal Regulation 50057 
(September 18, 1998).
    Respondents: States.
    Annual Burden Estimates:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                   Instrument                        Number of     responses per     hours per     Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Self-Assessment...........................              17               1             240           4,080
On-Site Review Instruments......................              17              35               8           4,760
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 8,840.

    In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1955, 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 to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of 
Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 
20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer.
    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.
    Instruments:

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    Dated: September 9, 1998.
Bob Sargis,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-26273 Filed 9-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-C