[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 30850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12405]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

    Title: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System for Title 
IV-B and Title IV-E (AFCARS).
    OMB No.: 0970-0422.
    Description: The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting 
System (AFCARS) is mandated by 42 U.S.C. 679. The regulation at 45 CFR 
1355 sets forth the requirements of section 479 of the Social Security 
Act for the collection of uniform, reliable information on children who 
are under the responsibility of the State or Tribal title IV-B/IV-E 
agency for placement, care, and adoption. Effective October 1, 2009, 
section 479B(b) of the Act authorizes direct Federal funding of Indian 
Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia that choose to 
operate a foster care, adoption assistance and, at Tribal option, a 
kinship guardianship assistance program under title IV-E of the Act. 
The Federal regulations at 45 CFR 1355.40 were amended as part of an 
Interim Final Rule published January 6, 2012 to apply the same 
regulatory requirements for data collection and reporting to a Tribal 
title IV-E agency as are applied to a State title IV-E agency.
    The data collected will inform State/Tribal/Federal policy 
decisions, program management, and responses to Congressional and 
Departmental inquiries. Specifically, the data are used for short/long-
term budget projections, trend analysis, child and family service 
reviews, and to target areas for improved technical assistance. The 
data will provide information about foster care placements, adoptive 
parents, length of time in care, delays in termination of parental 
rights and placement for adoption.
    Respondents: Title IV-E State and Tribal Child Welfare Agencies.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                                  Number of      Average burden
                 Instrument                      Number of      responses per      hours per       Total burden
                                                respondents       respondent        response          hours
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AFCARS......................................              72                2            1,786          257,184
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 257,184.
    In compliance with the requirements of Section 506(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 of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded 
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of 
Planning, Research and Evaluation, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., 
Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. Email 
address: [email protected]. 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.

Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-12405 Filed 5-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P