[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 175 (Friday, September 11, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46772-46773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-21890]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Title: Title IV-E Foster Care Eligibility Review and Child and 
Family Service Reviews; Final Rule.
    OMB No.: 0970-0214.
    Description: The following five separate activities are associated 
with this information collection: Foster Care Eligibility Review (FCER) 
Program Improvement Plan; Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR) 
State agency Statewide Assessment; CFSR On-site Review; CFSR Program 
Improvement Plan; and Anti-Discrimination Enforcement Corrective Action 
Plan. The collection of information for review of Federal payments to 
States for foster care maintenance payments (45 CFR 1356.71(i)) is 
authorized by title IV-E of the Social Security Act (the Act), section 
474 [42 U.S.C. 674]. The Foster Care Eligibility Reviews (FCER) ensure 
that States claim title IV-E funds only on behalf of title IV-E 
eligible children. The collection of information for review of State 
child and family services programs (45 CFR 1355.33(b), 1355.33(c) and 
1355.35(a)) is to determine whether such programs are in substantial 
conformity with State plan requirements under parts B and E of the Act 
and is authorized by section 1123(a) [42 U.S.C. 1320a-1a] of the Act. 
The CFSR looks at the outcomes related to safety, permanency and well-
being of children served by the child welfare system and at seven 
systemic factors that support the outcomes. Section 474(d) of the Act 
[42 U.S.C. 674] deploys enforcement provisions (45 CFR 1355.38(b) and 
(c)) for the requirements at section 4371(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) of the Act. The information collection is needed: (1) To 
ensure compliance with title IV-E foster care eligibility requirements; 
(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 ACF to determine if States 
are in compliance with State plan

[[Page 46773]]

requirements and are achieving desired outcomes for children and 
families, help ensure that claims by States for title IV-E funds are 
made only on behalf of title IV-E eligible children, and require States 
to revise applicable statutes, rules, policies and procedures, and 
provide proper training to staff, through the development and 
implementation of corrective action plans. These reviews not only 
address compliance with eligibility requirements but also assist States 
in enhancing the capacities to serve children and families. In 
computing the number of burden hours for this information collection, 
ACF based the annual burden estimates on ACF's and States' experiences 
in conducting reviews and developing program improvement plans.
    Respondents: State Title IV-B and Title IV-E Agencies.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of        Average
                   Instrument                        Number of     responses per   burden hours    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent     per response        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
45 CFR 1356.7(i) Program Improvement Plan (FCER)               7               1              90             630
45 CFR 1366.33(b) Statewide Assessment (CFSR)...              13               1             240           3,120
45 CFR 1355.33(c) On-site Review (CFSR).........              13               1           1,170          15,210
45 CFR 1355.35(a) Program Improvement Plan                    13               1             240           3,120
 (CFSR).........................................
45 CFR 1355.38(b) and (c) Corrective Action.....               1               1             780             780
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 22,860.
    Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collection may be 
obtained 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. E-mail address: [email protected].
    OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning the 
collection of information between 30 and 60 days after publication of 
this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best 
assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent directly to the following: Office 
of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Fax: 202-395-
7245, Attn: Desk Officer for the Administration for Children and 
Families.

     Dated: September 4, 2009.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-21890 Filed 9-10-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P