[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 226 (Wednesday, November 23, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72418-72420]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30176]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority; Administration on Developmental Disabilities

AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has 
reorganized the Office of the Assistant Secretary (OAS) and the 
Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD). This reorganization 
realigns the President's Committee for People with Intellectual 
Disabilities Staff within the OAS and moves the function to ADD as a 
result of the Charter Amendment for PCPID governed by Public Law 92-463 
signed by the Secretary, HHS, on May 9, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Lewis, Commissioner, 
Administration on Developmental Disabilities, 200 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20201, (202) 690-6590.
    This notice amends Part K of the Statement of Organization, 
Functions and Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) as 
follows: Chapter KA, Office of the Assistant Secretary (OAS) last 
amended, 75 FR 60471-60473, September 30, 2010, and Chapter KC, 
Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) last amended 75 FR 
63186-63187, October 14, 2010.

I. Under Chapter, KA, Amend the Office of the Assistant Secretary as 
Follows

    A. 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)
Executive Secretariat Office (KAF)
Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (KAG)
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Inter-Departmental Liaison 
for Early Childhood Development (KAH)

    B. Delete KA.20 Functions B in Its entirety.

II. Under Chapter, KC, Administration on Developmental Disabilities, 
Delete in Its Entirety and Replace With the Following

    KC.00 Mission. The Administration on Developmental Disabilities 
(ADD) advises the Secretary, through the Assistant Secretary for 
Children and Families, on matters relating to individuals with 
developmental disabilities and their families. ADD serves as the focal 
point in the Department to support and encourage the provision of 
quality services to individuals with developmental disabilities and 
their families. ADD assists states, through the design and 
implementation of a comprehensive and continuing state plan, in 
increasing the independence, productivity and community inclusion of 
individuals with developmental disabilities. These state plans make 
optimal use of existing Federal and state resources for the provision 
of services and supports to these individuals and their families to 
achieve these outcomes. ADD works

[[Page 72419]]

with the states to ensure that the rights of all individuals with 
developmental disabilities are protected.
    ADD administers two formula grant programs, State Developmental 
Disabilities Councils and Protection and Advocacy Systems, and two 
discretionary grant programs, University Affiliated Programs and 
Projects of National Significance, including Family Support. These 
programs support the provision of services to individuals with 
developmental disabilities and their families. In concert with other 
components of ACF as well as other public, private, and voluntary 
sector partners, ADD develops and implements research, demonstration 
and evaluation strategies for discretionary funding of activities 
designed to improve and enrich the lives of individuals with 
developmental disabilities. In addition, ADD serves as a resource in 
the development of policies and programs to reduce or eliminate 
barriers experienced by individuals with developmental disabilities 
through the identification of promising practices and dissemination of 
information. ADD supports and encourages programs or services, which 
prevent developmental disabilities and manages initiatives involving 
the private and voluntary sectors that benefit individuals with 
developmental and other disabilities and their families.
    ADD provides staff and administrative support to the President's 
Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (Committee). In 
order to promote full participation of people with intellectual 
disabilities in their communities, the Committee provides advice to the 
President and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary) 
through the Commissioner of ADD concerning a broad range of topics 
relating to people with intellectual disabilities.
    KC.10 Organization. The Administration on Developmental 
Disabilities (ADD) is headed by a Commissioner who reports directly to 
the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families. ADD consists of:

Office of the Commissioner (KCA)
President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (KCA1)
Office of Program Support (KCB)
Office of Innovation (KCC)

    KC.20 Functions. A. The Office of the Commissioner provides 
executive leadership and management strategies for all components of 
the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), and serves as 
the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Children and 
Families, the Secretary, and other elements of the Department for 
individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The 
Office plans, coordinates and controls ADD policy, planning and 
management activities which include the development of legislative 
proposals, regulations and policy issuances for ADD. The Office 
provides executive direction, leadership, and management strategy to 
ADD's components and establishes goals and objectives for ADD programs. 
The Office manages the formulation and execution of the program and 
operating budgets; provides administrative, personnel and information 
systems support services; serves as the ADD Executive Secretariat 
controlling the flow of correspondence; and coordinates with 
appropriate ACF components in implementing administrative requirements 
and procedures. The Office also initiates, executes and supports the 
development of interagency, intergovernmental and public-private sector 
agreements, committees, task forces, commissions or joint-funding 
efforts as appropriate.
    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, the Secretary or the 
Commissioner may request and prepares and issues reports to the 
President concerning intellectual disabilities. It works with other 
Federal, State, local governments, and private-sector organizations to 
achieve Presidential goals related to intellectual disabilities, and 
develops and disseminates information to increase public awareness of 
intellectual disabilities. The staff supporting PCPID reports to the 
Commissioner of ADD. In coordination with the ACF Office of Public 
Affairs, the Office of the Commissioner develops a strategy for 
increasing public awareness of the needs of individuals with 
developmental disabilities, their families, and programs designed to 
address them. The Deputy Commissioner assists the Commissioner in 
carrying out the responsibilities of the Office.
    B. The Office of Program Support is responsible for the 
coordination, oversight, management and evaluation of the State 
Councils on Developmental Disabilities, the Protection and Advocacy 
Systems, and the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental 
Disabilities grant programs as authorized by the Developmental 
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act). The Office is 
responsible for the development of procedures and performance standards 
that ensure compliance with the DD Act and that improve the outcomes of 
the programs in increasing the independence, productivity and community 
inclusion of persons with developmental disabilities as well as program 
outreach activities. The Office conducts routine and special analyses 
of state plans of State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, 
statement of goals and objectives of State Protection and Advocacy 
Systems, and five-year plans of the University Centers for Excellence 
in Developmental Disabilities, to assure consistent application of ADD 
program goals and objectives.
    In addition, the Office of Program Support provides program 
development services, develops and initiates guidelines, policy 
issuances and actions with team participation by other components of 
ADD, ACF, HHS and other government agencies to fulfill the mission and 
goals of the DD Act, as amended. The Office ensures the dissemination 
of grantee results, including project results and information produced 
by ADD grantees, by coordinating with the Office of Innovation and the 
Office of the Commissioner for information sharing.
    The Office of Program Support manages cross-cutting initiatives 
with other components of ADD, ACF, HHS and other government agencies to 
promote and integrate the grant programs into cross-agency and cross-
disability efforts.
    C. The Office of Innovation is responsible for the coordination, 
oversight, management and evaluation of the Projects of National 
Significance, Family Support, and the Direct Support Workers grant 
programs as authorized by the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and 
Bill of Rights Act (DD Act). The Office is responsible for the 
development of procedures that ensure compliance with the DD Act and 
that improve the outcomes of the programs, grants and contracts in 
increasing the independence, productivity and community inclusion of 
persons with developmental disabilities. The Office also ensures the 
dissemination of project results and information produced by ADD 
grantees.
    The Office of Innovation also administers two formula grants under 
the Help America Vote Act (State and Local Grants for Election 
Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities and Grants to Protection 
and Advocacy Systems) that improve accessibility for individuals with 
the full range of disabilities, including the blind and

[[Page 72420]]

visually impaired, to polling places, including the path of travel, 
entrances, exits and voting facilities. The Office also administers a 
training and technical assistance grant program under the Help America 
Vote Act that provides technical assistance to Protection and Advocacy 
Systems in their mission to promote the full participation in the 
electoral process for individuals with the full range of disabilities, 
including registering to vote, casting vote, and accessing polling 
places.
    The Office of Innovation originates and manages cross-cutting 
research, demonstration and evaluation initiatives with other 
components of ADD, ACF, HHS and other government agencies. The Office 
also coordinates information sharing and other activities related to 
national Developmental Disability program trends with other ACF 
programs and HHS agencies; and studies, reviews and analyzes other 
Federal programs providing services applicable to persons with 
developmental disabilities for the purpose of integrating and 
coordinating program efforts.

III. Continuation of Policy

    Except as inconsistent with this reorganization, all statements of 
policy and interpretations with respect to organizational components 
affected by this notice within the Administration for Children and 
Families, heretofore issued and in effect on this date of this 
reorganization are continued in full force and effect.

IV. Delegation of Authority

    All delegations and redelegations of authority made to officials 
and employees of affected organizational components will continue in 
them or their successors pending further redelegations, provided they 
are consistent with this reorganization.

V. Funds, Personnel, and Equipment

    Transfer of organizations and functions affected by this 
reorganization shall be accompanied in each instance by direct and 
support funds, positions, personnel, records, equipment, supplies, and 
other resources.
    This reorganization will be effective upon date of signature.

    Dated: November 10, 2011.
George H. Sheldon,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
[FR Doc. 2011-30176 Filed 11-22-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-06-P