[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1114-1115]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00001]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Mental Health Care 
Services for Unaccompanied Alien Children (New Collection)

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and 
Families, Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for 
Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS), is inviting public comments on the proposed collection. 
The request consists of several forms that allow the Unaccompanied 
Alien Children (UAC) Program to provide mental health care services to 
UAC.

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

    1. Initial Mental Health Evaluation (Form MH-1): This instrument is 
used by clinicians to document the UAC's mental state upon arrival to 
the care provider facility. It includes an assessment of the UAC's 
current mental state, psychiatric history, and substance use history.
    2. Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (SSRS) Risk Assessment 
(Form MH-2): This instrument is used by clinicians to assess suicide 
risk for UAC who verbalize or demonstrate suicidal thoughts or 
behavior. It is a shorter version of the standard Columbia SSRS used to 
triage mental health care for UAC, a tool designed to support suicide

[[Page 1115]]

risk assessment through a series of simple, plain-language questions 
that anyone can ask. The Columbia SSRS includes the most essential, 
evidence-supported questions required for a thorough assessment. 
Further information about the Columbia SSRS can be found at https://cssrs.columbia.edu/the-columbia-scale-c-ssrs/about-the-scale/.
    3. Mental Health Group Event (Form MH-3): This instrument is used 
by clinicians to document group counseling or community meetings held 
at the care provider program.
    4. Clinical Contact Log (Form MH-4): This instrument is used by 
clinicians to document the following mental health services: Individual 
counseling, group counseling, community meetings, family counseling 
sessions, screenings/evaluations, and collateral contact with services 
providers involved in the UAC's case. Mental Health Group Events (Form 
MH-3) may be linked to a Clinical Contact Log entry.
    5. Mental Health Referral (Form MH-5): This instrument is used by 
clinicians and/or medical coordinators to refer a UAC for community-
based mental health care services (assessments/evaluations, 
psychotherapy, medical referrals, and treatment), acute and long-term 
psychiatric hospitalizations, and referrals to out-of-network 
residential treatment centers.
    6. Mental Health Service Report (Form MH-6): This instrument is 
used by clinicians and/or medical coordinators to document the 
provision of community-based mental health care services (assessments/
evaluations, psychotherapy, medical referrals, and treatment), acute 
and long-term psychiatric hospitalizations, and referrals to out-of-
network residential treatment centers. In addition, the UAC interview 
portion of the Out-of-Network Site Visit Report (Form M-3B), which is 
part of a different information collection request, is accessible from 
within this instrument.
    7. Mental Health Task (Form MH-7): This instrument is auto-
generated to create reminders for clinicians and/or medical 
coordinators of tasks that must be completed. Clinicians and/or medical 
coordinators may edit the instrument after it is generated.
    Respondents: ORR grantee and contractor staff, and UAC.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                                  Annual total
                                                  Annual total      number of    Average  burden   Annual total
                   Instrument                       number of     responses per    minutes per     burden hours
                                                   respondents     respondent        response
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Initial Mental Health Evaluation (Form MH-1)...             216             241               60          52,056
Columbia SSRS Risk Assessment (Form MH-2)......             216               5               45             810
Mental Health Group Event (Form MH-3)..........             216             156               10           5,616
Clinical Contact Log (Form MH-4)...............             216          11,194               10         402,984
Mental Health Referral (Form MH-5).............             216              24               45           3,888
Mental Health Service Report (Form MH-6).......             216              31               45           5,022
Mental Health Task (Form MH-7).................             216              55                5             990
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    Estimated Annual Burden Hours Total:.......  ..............  ..............  ...............         471,366
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    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: 6 U.S.C. 279; 8 U.S.C. 1232; Flores v. Reno 
Settlement Agreement, No. CV85-4544-RJK (C.D. Cal. 1996).

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-00001 Filed 1-6-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-45-P