[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 179 (Tuesday, September 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57216-57217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20266]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; Assessing Models of Coordinated 
Services for Low-Income Children and Their Families (AMCS) (0970-0535)

AGENCY: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation; Administration 
for Children and Families; Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS), is requesting an extension to continue 
collecting data for the study, Assessing Models of Coordinated Services 
for Low-Income Children and Their Families (AMCS). Data collection has 
been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will not be complete by 
the current expiration date of October 31, 2020. There are no changes 
proposed to the current instruments.

DATES: Comments due within 30 days of publication. OMB must make a 
decision about the collection of information between 30 and 60 days 
after publication of this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, 
a comment is best assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it 
within 30 days of publication.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Description: Through AMCS, ACF seeks to learn more about how states 
and communities coordinate early care and education, family economic 
security, and/or other health and human

[[Page 57217]]

services to most efficiently and effectively serve the needs of low-
income children and their families. ACF aims to understand strategies 
used to support partnerships, including the federal barriers to agency 
collaboration. In support of achieving these goals, the study team is 
conducting ``virtual site visits'' with six programs that offer 
coordinated services. The study team will gather information through 
interviews with program staff members, such as agency leaders or 
frontline staff, and focus groups with parents.
    Data collection activities will include up to six program ``virtual 
site visits.'' ``Virtual site visits'' include semi-structured 
interviews with up to 30 total staff at each site and focus groups with 
8-10 parents at each site. Semi-structured interviews with program and 
partner staff will obtain in-depth information about the goals and 
objectives of programs, the services provided, how the coordinated 
services are implemented, how staffing is managed, data use, and any 
facilitators and barriers to coordination. Focus groups with parents 
participating in the program will provide the opportunity to learn 
about how parents perceive the program; how it meets their needs; what 
benefits they gain from the program; and how they enroll, participate, 
and progress through the program.
    Respondents: Lead program and partner program staff members working 
in six programs across the United States that coordinate early care and 
education services with family economic security services and/or other 
health and human services, as well as parents receiving services from 
these programs. Staff respondents will be selected with the goal of 
having staff represent each level of the organization. Parents who have 
participated in the program for at least 6 months and who receive early 
childhood services and at least one other program service will be 
invited to participate in focus groups.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                   Total/annual      Number of    Average burden
                   Instrument                        number of     responses per     hours per     Annual burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
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Master Virtual Site Visit Interview Protocol....             180               1               2             360
Parent Virtual Focus Group Protocol.............              60               1               1              60
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 420.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 9858(a)(5).

John M. Sweet, Jr.,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-20266 Filed 9-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-23-P