[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 237 (Monday, December 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71549-71550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-21010]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

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 KA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Children 
and Families, as last amended 66 FR 52627, 10/16/01, and Chapter KN, 
Office of Public Affairs, as last amended 63 FR 81-87, 01/02/98. This 
notice adds a new office, the Office of Human Services Emergency 
Preparedness and Response to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Children and Families. In addition, this notice notes the name change 
from the President's Committee on Mental Retardation (PCMR) to the 
President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities 
(PCPID). Lastly, this notice moves the Freedom of Information Act 
(FOIA) Officer and Office of Inspector General (OIG) hotline functions 
from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families to 
the Office of Public Affairs. The changes are as follows:

I. Under Chapter KA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Children and 
Families, Make the Following Changes

    A. Delete KA.00 Mission in its entirety and replace with the 
following:
    KA.00 Mission. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Children 
and Families (OAS) provides executive direction, leadership, and 
guidance for all ACF programs. OAS provides national leadership to 
develop and coordinate public and private initiatives for carrying out 
programs that promote permanency placement planning, family stability, 
and self-sufficiency. OAS advises the Secretary on issues affecting 
America's children and families, including Native Americans, persons 
with developmental disabilities, refugees, and legalized aliens. OAS 
provides leadership on human service issues and conducts emergency 
preparedness and response operations during a nationally declared 
emergency.
    B. Delete KA.10 Organization in its entirety and replace with the 
following:
    KA.10 Organization. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for 
Children and Families is headed by the Assistant Secretary for Children 
and Families who reports directly to the Secretary and consists of:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families (KA),
President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities Staff 
(KAD),
Executive Secretariat Office (KAF),
Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (KAG).

    C. Delete KA.20 Functions in its entirety and replace with the 
following:
    KA.20 Functions. A. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Children 
and Families (KA): The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Children 
and Families is responsible to the Secretary for carrying out ACF's 
mission and provides executive supervision of the major components of 
ACF. These responsibilities include providing executive leadership and 
direction to plan and coordinate ACF program activities to ensure their 
effectiveness, approving instructions, policies, publications, and 
grant awards issued by ACF, and representing ACF in relationships with 
governmental and non-governmental organizations. The Assistant 
Secretary for Children and Families also serves as the Director of the 
Office of Child Support Enforcement, and signs official child support 
enforcement documents as the Assistant Secretary for Children and 
Families. The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary serves as an alter 
ego to the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families on program 
matters and acts in the absence of the Assistant Secretary for Children 
and Families.
    B. President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities 
Staff (KAD): The President's Committee for People with Intellectual 
Disabilities (PCPID) staff provides general staff support for a 
Presidential-level advisory body. It coordinates all meetings and 
Congressional hearing arrangements; provides such advice and assistance 
in the areas of intellectual disabilities as the President or the 
Secretary may request; prepares and issues an annual report to the 
President concerning intellectual disabilities and such additional 
reports or recommendations as the President may require or as PCPID may 
deem appropriate; and evaluates the national effort to prevent and 
ameliorate intellectual disabilities. It works with other Federal, 
State, local governments, and private-sector organizations to achieve 
Presidential goals vis-[agrave]-vis intellectual disabilities, and 
develops and disseminates information to increase public awareness of 
intellectual disabilities to reduce its incidence and to alleviate its 
effects. The staff supporting PCPID reports to the Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Policy and External Affairs.
    C. The Executive Secretariat Office (KAF): The Executive 
Secretariat Office (ExecSec) ensures that issues requiring the 
attention of the Assistant Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretaries and/
or executive staff are addressed on a timely and coordinated basis and 
facilitates decisions on matters requiring immediate action, including 
White House, Congressional, and Secretarial assignments. ExecSec serves 
as the ACF liaison with the HHS Executive Secretariat. ExecSec 
receives, assesses, and controls incoming correspondence and 
assignments to the appropriate ACF component(s) for response and action 
and provides assistance and advice to ACF staff on the development of 
responses to correspondence. ExecSec provides assistance to ACF staff 
on the use of the controlled correspondence system. ExecSec coordinates 
and/or prepares Congressional correspondence; and tracks development of 
periodic reports; and facilitates Departmental clearances.
    D. The Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response 
(KAG): The Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response 
(OHSEPR) provides general staff support for the implementation and 
coordination of ACF program and human services emergency planning, 
preparedness, and response during nationally declared emergencies. 
OHSEPR oversees disaster assessment, response operations and asset-
management protocols. OHSEPR coordinates with ACF Central and Regional 
Offices, ACF State- and local grantee-funded programs, ACF program 
partner organizations, and the Office of the Secretary, Office of 
Public Health Emergency Preparedness (OPHEP). OHSEPR coordinates, 
through the OPHEP, with the Department of Homeland Security Federal 
Emergency Management Agency on human services emergency planning as 
part of the National Emergency Plan. The staff supporting the OHSEPR 
report to the Director of OHSEPR who reports to the Principal Deputy 
Assistant Secretary.

[[Page 71550]]

II. Under Chapter KN, Office of Public Affairs, Make the Following 
Changes

    Delete KN.20 Functions, Paragraph A, in its entirety and replace 
with the following:
    KN.20 Functions. A. Office of Director [63 FR 81-87, 01/02/98] 
provides leadership and direction to OPA in administering OPA's 
responsibilities. The Office provides direction and leadership in the 
areas of public relations policy and communications services. The 
Office serves as advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Children and 
Families in the areas of public affairs; provides advice on strategies 
and approaches to be used to improve public understanding of and access 
to ACF programs and policies; and coordinates and serves as ACF liaison 
with the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. The Office serves as 
Regional Liaison on public affairs issues. The Deputy Director assists 
the Director in carrying out the responsibilities of the Office. The 
Office serves as the Freedom of Information Act Officer for ACF and 
coordinates hotline calls received by the Office of Inspector General 
relating to ACF operations and personnel.

    Dated: December 1, 2006.
Wade F. Horn,
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
 [FR Doc. E6-21010 Filed 12-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P