[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 176 (Wednesday, September 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 43025]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19367]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

    Proposed Projects: Grant Reviewer Recruitment and Recordkeeping.
    Title: Case Plan Requirement, Title IV-E of the Social Security 
Act.
    OMB No.: 0970-0428.
    Respondents: State and Tribe title IV-B and title IV-E agencies.
    Description: Under section 471(a)(16) of title IV-E of the Social 
Security Act (the Act), to be eligible for payments, states and tribes 
must have an approved title IV-E plan that provides for the development 
of a case plan for each child for whom the State or Tribe receives 
foster care maintenance payments and that provides a case review system 
that meets the requirements in section 475(5) and 475(6) of the Act.
    The case review system assures that each child has a case plan 
designed to achieve placement in a safe setting that is the least 
restrictive (most family-like) setting available and in close proximity 
to the child's parental home, consistent with the best interest and 
special needs of the child. Through these requirements, States and 
Tribes also comply, in part, with title IV-B section 422(b) of the Act, 
which assures certain protections for children in foster care.
    The case plan is a written document that provides a narrative 
description of the child-specific program of care. Federal regulations 
at 45 CFR 1356.21(g) and section 475(1) of the Act delineate the 
specific information that should be addressed in the case plan. The 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) does not specify a 
recordkeeping format for the case plan nor does ACF require submission 
of the document to the Federal government. Case plan information is 
recorded in a format developed and maintained by the State or Tribal 
child welfare agency.

                                             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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Case Plan...................................         544,098                1             4.80        2,626,436
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,626,436.
    In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chap 35), 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 may be obtained and comments may be 
forwarded by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, 
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, 330 C Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20201. 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. 2017-19367 Filed 9-12-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-25-P