[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15184-15186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05500]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; National Child Abuse 
and Neglect Data System (OMB #0970-0424)

AGENCY: Children's Bureau, Administration on Children, Youth and 
Families, Administration for Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is 
requesting a 3-year extension of the National Child Abuse and Neglect 
Data System (NCANDS) collection (OMB #0970-0424, expiration 02/28/
2021). There are no changes requested to this data collection.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects 
of the information collection described above.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained and comments may be forwarded by emailing 
[email protected]. Alternatively, copies can also be obtained 
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of 
Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), 330 C Street SW, Washington, 
DC 20201, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. All requests, emailed or 
written, should be identified by the title of the information 
collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Description: The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)

[[Page 15185]]

was amended in 1988 to direct the Secretary of HHS to establish a 
national data collection and analysis program, which would make 
available state child abuse and neglect reporting information. HHS 
responded by establishing NCANDS as a voluntary national reporting 
system.
    In 1996, CAPTA was amended to require all states that receive funds 
from the Basic State Grant program to work with the Secretary of HHS to 
provide specific data elements, to the maximum extent practicable, 
about children who had been maltreated. Most of the required data 
elements were added to the NCANDS data collection. Subsequent CAPTA 
reauthorizations and amendments added required data elements. The 
current list of CAPTA-required data elements includes:
    1) The number of children who were reported to the state during the 
year as victims of child abuse or neglect.
    2) Of the number of children described in paragraph (1), the number 
with respect to whom such reports were--
    a) Substantiated;
    b) Unsubstantiated; or
    c) Determined to be false.
    3) Of the number of children described in paragraph (2)--
    a) the number that did not receive services during the year under 
the state program funded under this section or an equivalent state 
program;
    b) the number that received services during the year under the 
state program funded under this section or an equivalent state program; 
and
    c) the number that were removed from their families during the year 
by disposition of the case.
    4) The number of families that received preventive services, 
including use of differential response, from the state during the year.
    5) The number of deaths in the state during the year resulting from 
child abuse or neglect.
    6) Of the number of children described in paragraph (5), the number 
of such children who were in foster care.
    7)
    a) The number of child protective service personnel responsible for 
the--
    i.) intake of reports filed in the previous year;
    ii.) screening of such reports;
    iii.) assessment of such reports; and
    iv.) investigation of such reports.
    b) The average caseload for the workers described in subparagraph 
(A).
    8) The agency response time with respect to each report pertaining 
to the initial investigation of child abuse or neglect.
    9) The response time with respect to the provision of services to 
families and children where an allegation of child abuse or neglect has 
been made.
    10) For child protective service personnel responsible for intake, 
screening, assessment, and investigation of child abuse and neglect 
reports in the state--
    a) information on the education, qualifications, and training 
requirements established by the state for child protective service 
professionals, including for entry and advancement in the profession, 
including advancement to supervisory positions;
    b) data of the education, qualifications, and training of such 
personnel;
    c) demographic information of the child protective service 
personnel; and
    d) information on caseload or workload requirements for such 
personnel, including requirements for average number and maximum number 
of cases per child protective service worker and supervisor.
    11) The number of children reunited with their families or 
receiving family preservation services that, within 5 years, result in 
subsequent substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect, including 
the death of the child.
    12) The number of children for whom individuals were appointed by 
the court to represent the best interests of such children and the 
average number of out of court contacts between such individuals and 
children.
    13) The annual report containing the summary of activities of the 
citizen review panels of the state required by subsection (c)(6).
    14) The number of children under the care of the state child 
protection system who are transferred into the custody of the state 
juvenile justice system.
    15) The number of children referred to a child protective services 
system under subsection (b)(2)(B)(ii).
    16) The number of children determined to be eligible for referral, 
and the number of children referred, under subsection (b)(2)(B)(xxi), 
to agencies providing early intervention services under part C of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.).
    17) The number of children determined to be victims described in 
subsection (b)(2)(B)(xxiv).
    18) The number of infants--
    a) identified under subsection (b)(2)(B)(ii);
    b) for whom a plan of safe care was developed under subsection 
(b)(2)(B)(iii); and
    c) for whom a referral was made for appropriate services, including 
services for the affected family or caregiver, under subsection 
(b)(2)(B)(iii).
    The items listed under number (10), (13), and (14) are not 
collected by NCANDS.
    The Children's Bureau proposes to continue collecting the NCANDS 
data through the two files of the Detailed Case Data Component, the 
Child File (the case-level component of NCANDS), and the Agency File 
(additional aggregate data, which cannot be collected at the case 
level). There are no proposed changes to the NCANDS data collection 
instruments. New data elements were added during the previous OMB 
clearance cycle in response to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking 
Act of 2015 and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, 
both of which amended CAPTA.
    Respondents: State governments, the District of Columbia, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

                                                                 Annual Burden Estimates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        Total number   Average  burden
                             Instrument                                Total number     of responses      hours  per      Total burden    Annual burden
                                                                      of respondents   per respondent      response          hours            hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed Case Data Component (Child File and Agency File)..........              52                3              106           16,536            5,512
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,512.
    Comments: The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) 
Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper

[[Page 15186]]

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.

(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.)

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-05500 Filed 3-16-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-29-P