[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 217 (Monday, November 9, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71347-71348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24777]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; State Plan for Grants 
to States for Refugee Resettlement (OMB #0970-0351)

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and 
Families, HHS.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of 
Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is requesting a 3-year extension of the ACF 
form ORR-0135 State Plan for Grants to States for Refugee Resettlement 
(OMB #0970-0351, expiration 3/31/2021). ORR is proposing changes to the 
form.

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

[[Page 71348]]

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: A State Plan is a required comprehensive narrative 
description of the nature and scope of a state's or Replacement 
Designee's (RD) Refugee Resettlement Program and provides assurances 
that the program will be administered in conformity with the specific 
requirements stipulated in 45 CFR 400.4-400.9. The State Plan must 
include all applicable state or RD procedures, designations, and 
certifications for each requirement as well as supporting 
documentation. The plan assures ORR that the state or RD is capable of 
administering refugee assistance and coordinating employment and other 
social services for eligible caseloads in conformity with specific 
requirements.
    Changes proposed to the previously approved State Plan for Grants 
to States for Refugee Resettlement information collection are described 
below. ORR is proposing:
     Streamlining/formatting changes to multiple sections of 
the form including technical corrections to regulatory citations and 
removing a number of requirements related to the now obsolete Wilson-
Fish Alternative Program (superseded by the Wilson-Fish TANF 
Coordination Program, which will have its own separate reporting 
requirements).
     adding a number of requirements related to Replacement 
Designees (RDs) to ensure that they are administering the Refugee 
Resettlement Program with transparency and equity and to the same 
standard as a state, including quarterly consultation process, Refugee 
Medical Assistance, Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM), and emergency 
planning to ensure ORR populations receive all necessary information 
and services to the extent possible.
     requesting additional information related to the Refugee 
Support Services (RSS) program; ORR's current template does not provide 
sufficient detailed information for ORR to ascertain how a grantee 
intends to provide RSS services to its client base.
     improving the URM section to correct inefficiencies, 
eliminate unnecessary items, and address the needs of victims of 
trafficking and Special Immigrant Juveniles now eligible for the URM 
program. In particular, ORR is soliciting states' and RDs' plans for 
placing children referred by ORR and ensuring alignment with federal 
capacity priorities.
    Respondents: State agencies and RDs under 45 CFR 400.301(c) 
administering or supervising the administration of programs.

                                                                 Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                                                      Total number of   Average burden
                             Instrument                              Total number of   responses per      hours per       Total burden    Annual burden
                                                                       respondents       respondent        response          hours            hours
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State Plan for Grants to States for Refugee Resettlement...........              62                3               18            3,348            1,116
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,116.
    Comments: 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.

    Authority:  8 U.S.C. 1522 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(the Act) [Title IV, Sec. 412 of the Act] for each state agency 
requesting federal funding for refugee resettlement under 8 U.S.C. 
524 [Title IV, Sec. 414 of the Act].

Mary Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-24777 Filed 11-6-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-45-P