[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 239 (Thursday, December 12, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76408-76409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-31258]


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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
    OMB No. 0970-0214
    Description: ACF is requesting authority to renew an existing 
information collection that is expiring April 4, 2003. 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 
information collections are associated with this information 
collection.
    The collection of information for review of Federal payments to 
States for foster care maintenance payments (section 1356.71(i)) is 
authorized by title IV-E of the Social Security Act (the Act), section 
474 [42 U.S.C. 674]. The collection of information for review of State 
child and family services programs (section 1355.33(b), 1355.33(c), and 
1355.33(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.
    Section 474(d) of the Act [42 U.S.C. 674] deploys enforcement 
provisions (sections 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 title IV-E of the Act, ``Federal Payments for 
foster care and adoption assistance''; and (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 us to determine if States are in compliance with 
State plan requirements and are achieving desired outcomes for children 
and families, as well as assure eligibility for Federally-assisted 
foster care expenditures. These reviews not only address compliance 
with eligibility requirements, but also assist States in enhancing 
their capacities to serve children and families. In doing the OMB 
information collection, we based the annual burden estimates for the 
child and family service review instruments on the pilot reviews. We 
are therefore soliciting comments on the annual burden estimates from 
more accurate estimates of the annual burden. We would like to know the 
number of person-hours for State and local child welfare agency 
employees who completed the statewide assessment instrument, completed 
the onsite review instrument and completed a program improvement plan.
    Respondents: State Agencies.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Number of   Average
                                                                    Number of    responses    burden     Total
                           Instruments                             respondents      per     hours per    burden
                                                                                respondent   response    hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1355.33(b) State agency statewide assessment.....................          17            1        240      4,080
1355.33(c) On-site review........................................          17            1        900     15,300
1355.35(a) Program improvement plan..............................          17            1         80      1,360
1355.38(b) and (c) Corrective action plan........................           5            1         80        400
1356.71(i) Program improvement plan..............................          17            1         63      1,071
                                                                  --------------
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:.........................  ...........  ..........  .........     22,211
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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. 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)

[[Page 76409]]

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: December 4, 2002.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-31258 Filed 12-11-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M