[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29789-29790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13604]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Agency Recordkeeping/Reporting Requirements Under Emergency 
Review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

    Title: Information Collection for HHS Certification of Foreign 
Adult Victims of Human Trafficking.
    OMB No.: 0970-0454.
    Description: The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Public Law 
106-386 (TVPA) requires the Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS) to certify adult alien (``foreign'') victims of severe forms of 
trafficking in persons (``human trafficking'') who are willing to 
assist law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of human 
trafficking, unless unable to cooperate due to physical or 
psychological trauma, and who have either made a bona fide application 
for T nonimmigrant status that has not been denied or been granted 
Continued Presence (CP) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS). The Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) within the HHS 
Administration for Children and Families issues HHS Certification 
Letters that grant adult foreign victims of human trafficking 
eligibility for federal and state benefits and services to the same 
extent as refugees.
    In general, OTIP initiates the certification process when it 
receives a notice from DHS that DHS has granted a foreign victim of 
trafficking CP or T nonimmigrant status, or has determined an 
application for T nonimmigrant status is bona fide. To issue HHS 
Certification Letters, it is necessary for OTIP to collect information 
from a victim, or a victim's representative, such as an attorney, case 
manager, or law enforcement victim specialist, including an address to 
send the HHS Certification Letter.
    OTIP will ask if the victim is in need of case management services 
and the current location (city, state) of the victim, and refer the 
victim to an appropriate service provider in his or her area, if 
requested. OTIP will also ask about the victim's primary language and 
urgent concerns, such as medical care or housing, and transmit this 
information to the service provider with the victim's consent.
    Finally, OTIP reports information on victim certification to 
provide to Congress in an annual report on U.S. Government activities 
to combat trafficking that is prepared by the U.S. Department of 
Justice. Congress requires HHS and other appropriate Federal agencies 
to report information on the number of persons who received benefits or 
other services under subsections (b) and (f) of section 7105 of Title 
22 of the U.S. Code in connection with programs or activities funded or 
administered by HHS. HHS may include in these annual reports additional 
aggregate information that it collects about the victims when assisting 
each victim to obtain HHS Certification.
    OTIP developed the form to facilitate the submission of consistent 
information and improve program reporting. The trafficking victim or 
his or her representative may submit the completed form, which we 
recommend be done via password-protected email or encryption, to OTIP 
for the purpose of issuing a Certification Letter. OTIP will store this 
information in OTIP's secure database for no longer than 10 years, at 
which time it will be destroyed, unless required for business use by 
HHS. Other details maintained in the victim's file may include OTIP 
staff actions, referrals, and notes regarding the victim's interest in 
receiving services. Maintaining victim records within OTIP's database 
will ensure efficient service delivery for victims, allow OTIP staff to 
track victims' progress toward certification, verify eligibility for 
benefits, and organize information for reporting aggregate data to 
Congress.
    Respondents: Nongovernmental entities providing social or legal 
services, or victim/survivors of trafficking may use this form to 
submit a request for certification. The use of this form is optional; 
the victim or his/her representative has the option to make a request 
for certification via telephone or email.

                                             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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HHS Certification Instrument................             800                1               .5              400
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 400.
    Additional Information: ACF is requesting that OMB grant a 180 day 
approval for this information collection under procedures for emergency 
processing by JUNE 22, 2018. A copy of this information collection, 
with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling 
the Administration for Children and Families, Reports Clearance 
Officer, Robert Sargis at (202) 690-7275.
    Comments and questions about the information collection described 
above should be directed to the Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for ACF, Office of Management and 
Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, 725 17th Street NW,

[[Page 29790]]

Washington, DC 20503; FAX: (202) 395-7285; email: 
[email protected].

Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-13604 Filed 6-25-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-47-P