[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 5 (Monday, January 9, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2366-2367]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00111]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Request for Information

AGENCY: Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for information (RFI).

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SUMMARY: This Request for Information (RFI) seeks recommendations for 
future work with and on behalf of American Indian and Alaska Native 
(AI/AN) leadership, tribes, tribal organizations, and populations in 
accord with ACF's vision of ``children, youth, families, individuals, 
and communities who are resilient, safe, healthy, and economically 
secure.''

DATES: Submit responses by March 10, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through any of the methods 
specified below. However, electronic submission is preferred. Please do 
not submit duplicate comments.
    [ssquf] Electronic submission through https://www.regulations.gov 
portal. Follow the instructions for submitting electronic comments. 
Attachments, if any, should be in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel. 
You can find this RFI by typing ACF-2016-0002 in the Search window. 
Then click on the ``Comment Now!'' button on the Search Results page. 
This will open up a Comment form where you can enter your comment on 
the form, attach files (up to 10MB each), as well as your personal 
information, when applicable. Be sure to complete all required fields. 
Please note that information entered on the web form may be viewable 
publicly. Once you reach the ``Your Preview'' screen, the information 
that will be viewable publicly is displayed directly on the form under 
the section titled: ``This information will appear on 
Regulations.gov.'' To complete your comment, you must first agree to 
the disclaimer and check the box. This will enable the ``Submit 
Comment'' button. Upon completion, you will receive a Comment Tracking 
Number for your comment. To learn more about comment submission, visit 
the Submit a Comment section of the ``How to Use Regulations.gov'' 
pages.
    [ssquf] Electronic submission through email to 
[email protected].
    All comments received before the close of the comment period will 
be available for public inspection, including any information that is 
included in a comment. All electronically submitted comments posted 
through the https://www.regulations.gov portal received before the end 
of the comment period will be available at http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Camille Loya, Director, Division of 
Policy, Administration for Native Americans, [email protected], 
202-401-5964.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background information

    Executive Order 13175, dated November 6, 2000, established 
policymaking criteria applicable to federal agencies, to the extent 
permitted by law, when formulating and implementing policies that have 
tribal implications, including special requirements for legislative 
proposals and consultation. Subsequently, President Obama issued a 
Presidential Memorandum on Tribal Consultation, dated November 5, 2009, 
affirming that ``meaningful dialogue between Federal officials and 
tribal officials has greatly improved Federal policy toward Indian

[[Page 2367]]

tribes.'' Finally, ACF recently issued the ACF Principles for Working 
with Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, effective October 20, 2016, 
that affirmed ACF's commitment to receive input from elected tribal 
representatives as well as ``to otherwise ensure human services 
coordination around issues affecting AI/AN populations.''
    Consistent with the above affirmative statements of the value of 
feedback from AI/AN partners and stakeholders, ACF is requesting 
information from AI/AN tribes, tribal organizations, and stakeholders 
(including grantees). The purpose is to identify issues and challenges 
facing AI/AN populations as well as to inform ACF of tribes' and tribal 
organizations' recommendations, promising practices, and innovations to 
address the needs of AI/AN children, youth, families, and communities. 
This information may, in turn, be used by ACF in the development of 
future rulemaking and technical assistance, formation of legislative 
proposals and research agendas, and strategic planning in consultation 
with tribes.

II. Request for Information

    As President Obama stated in his Presidential Proclamation--
National Native American Heritage Month (2016):

    Let us continue to build on the advancements we have made, 
because enduring progress will depend on our dedication to honoring 
our trust and treaty responsibilities. With sustained effort and 
unwavering optimism, we can ensure a vibrant and resilient Indian 
Country filled with possibility and prosperity.

    In this RFI, we seek feedback and recommendations related to how 
ACF partners with tribes and how to make progress in the future. The 
following questions are not exhaustive, and we encourage commenters to 
provide any additional information they believe relevant to ACF's work 
with and on behalf of American Indians and Alaska Natives. You may 
provide general comments, respond to all questions posed in section II 
of this RFI, or respond to one or more questions. If you respond to any 
of the questions in section II, please identify the number that 
corresponds to the question(s) you are responding to. Include our 
agency name and the docket number on all submissions. Please do not 
include confidential information, or otherwise sensitive or protected 
information with your responses.
    (1) Are there challenges to AI/AN tribes and tribal organizations 
posed by non-federal match or cost sharing requirements in any 
applicable ACF programs? Please be specific as to the program or 
programs you are referring to as well as provide as much detail as 
possible in describing challenges or difficulties posed and any 
specific recommendations you wish to provide.
    (2) Are there challenges to AI/AN tribes and tribal organizations 
posed by administrative cost caps required under some ACF grant 
programs? Please be specific as to the program or programs you are 
referring to as well as provide as much detail as possible in 
describing challenges or difficulties posed and any specific 
recommendations you wish to provide.
    (3) Are there instances for which you believe waiver authority, 
additional waiver authority allowed under block grants, would benefit 
tribes under any ACF programs? Please be specific as to the program or 
programs you are referring to as well as provide as much detail as 
possible in describing challenges or difficulties posed and any 
specific recommendations you wish to provide.
    (4) For ACF programs that currently have waiver authority for 
tribes, do you recommend ACF streamline the processes under which AI/AN 
tribes and tribal organizations apply for or request waivers of 
statutory or regulatory requirements across ACF grant programs? Please 
be specific as to the program or programs you are referring to as well 
as provide as much detail as possible in describing where you believe 
additional streamlining is needed, along with any specific 
recommendations you wish to provide.
    (5) Are there regulatory or administrative barriers that present 
challenges to AI/AN tribes and tribal organizations in the 
implementation of ACF grant programs? Please be specific about what 
those regulatory or administrative barriers are as well as 
recommendations for addressing them.
    (6) Can you identify practices, policies, and procedures in ACF or 
elsewhere that are particularly effective in meeting the needs of AI/AN 
tribes, tribal organizations, families, and communities? Please be 
specific as to the program or programs you are referring to as well as 
provide as much detail as possible in describing effective and 
responsive practices, policies, and procedures.
    (7) Related to data, what would you recommend ACF either collect 
(if it does not already) or analyze that would be most useful to inform 
our work with AI/AN tribes and tribal organizations? Please be specific 
and provide as much detail as possible.
    (8) Do you have recommendations for how ACF could better share data 
related to AI/AN grantee program performance, outcomes, and 
sustainability? Please be specific, including recommended use of 
technological or other means of data sharing.
    (9) Are there elements of the application process that could 
potentially discourage AI/AN tribes or organizations from applying for 
ACF grants? If so, please specify what those elements are and explain 
why those elements could potentially discourage prospective AI/AN 
applicants and any recommendations for addressing such barriers.

III. Response to Comments

    Because of the large number of public comments we normally receive, 
we are not able to acknowledge or respond to them individually. 
However, comments will be accepted on this RFI through https://
www.Regulations.gov where you will be able to track your own comments 
and view other comments we receive.

    Dated: January 3, 2017.
Mark H. Greenberg
Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
    Dated: January 3, 2017.
Stacey Ecoffey,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs and 
Acting Commissioner Administration for Native Americans.
[FR Doc. 2017-00111 Filed 1-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-01-P