[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6566-6567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02297]



[[Page 6566]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Evaluation of the Child 
Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative (0970-0576)

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

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and 
Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is 
proposing to collect additional data for an evaluation of the services 
provided to child welfare jurisdictions and Court Improvement Programs 
(CIPs) by the Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative. This new 
data collection is the second part of a data collection effort already 
underway (OMB #0970-0576, expiration 9/30/2024). This notice details 
the second group of instruments that will be used for data collection 
as part of this evaluation.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
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]. Identify all requests by the title of the 
information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Description: The Capacity Building Collaborative includes three 
centers (Center for States, Center for Tribes, Center for Courts) 
funded by the Children's Bureau to provide national child welfare 
expertise and evidence-informed training and technical assistance 
services to state, tribal and U.S. territorial public child welfare 
agencies, and CIPs. The Centers offer services including Web-based 
content and resources, product development and dissemination, self-
directed and group-based training, virtual learning and peer networking 
events, and tailored consultation, coaching, and facilitation 
(``tailored services''). Centers' services are being evaluated by three 
Center-specific evaluations and a cross-Center evaluation. The cross-
Center evaluation examines collaboration among Centers and with federal 
staff, services delivered by the Centers, service recipient 
satisfaction with service quality, federal staff's experiences of 
assessment and work planning services offered by the Centers, 
effectiveness of Center services, how Centers apply a common ``change 
management approach'' in their work, what affects engagement with 
Center services, and the costs of Center services. The Center for 
States' evaluation consists of data collection around two research 
questions focusing on understanding usefulness, relevance, and 
satisfaction from a stakeholder perspective as well as outcomes of 
services. The Center for Tribes' evaluation examines the extent to 
which the Center provides effective, culturally responsive services 
that meet the needs of tribal child welfare programs, the satisfaction 
of service recipients with service quality, and service outcomes for 
tribal child welfare programs and stakeholders. The Center for Courts' 
evaluation assesses satisfaction with and effectiveness of service 
delivery; progress toward meeting Center goals and the needs of CIP to 
promote continuous quality improvement (CQI); and increased knowledge, 
collaboration, and capacity to improve court performance and child and 
family outcomes.
    An initial set of instruments was approved and are currently in use 
for these evaluations. For information about these instruments, see: 
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202105-0970-015. 
These instruments will continue to be used for data collection through 
July 2024.
    The second group of data sources proposed include (1) a guide for 
conducting focus groups with teams of child welfare and CIP staff 
implementing tailored service projects with Center support (one version 
for use with states and one version for use with CIP); (2) a protocol 
to collect interview data from Center tailored service providers (known 
as Liaisons or Child Welfare Specialists) about their service provision 
experiences, relationships and interactions with jurisdictions and 
federal staff, perceptions of their role, and their Centers' approach 
to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) services; (3) a protocol to 
collect interview data from jurisdiction staff implementing tailored 
service projects about how Centers' technical assistance addresses 
diversity, equity, and inclusion; (4) a protocol to collect interview/
focus group data from tribal child welfare program staff about 
strategies and contextual factors associated with achievement of 
program goals, the capacity to use data for CQI and evaluation, and the 
outcomes of services delivered by Center for Tribes; and (5) a survey 
to collect feedback from CIP directors/coordinators about the CIP's 
experiences and satisfaction with capacity building services delivered 
by the Center for Courts, and the perceived impact on CIP capacity.
    Respondents: Respondents to the data collection instruments will 
include (1) child welfare and judicial professionals that receive 
Center services and (2) Center tailored service providers.

Annual Burden Estimates

    The following details the burden associated with the new 
instruments. For burden currently approved and ongoing, visit https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202105-0970-015.

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                                                   Total number       Average
           Instrument             Total number     of responses    burden hours    Total burden    Annual burden
                                 of respondents   per respondent   per response        hours           hours
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Cross-Center: Tailored Services              50                1               1              50              17
 Team Focus Group Guide (for
 states).......................
Cross-Center: Tailored Services              25                1               1              25               8
 Team Focus Group Guide (for
 CIPs).........................
Cross-Center: Liaison/Child                  23                1               1              23               8
 Welfare Specialist Interview
 Protocol......................
Cross-Center: Tailored Services              30                1             .75              23               8
 Jurisdiction Staff DEI
 Interview Protocol............
Center for Tribes: Jurisdiction              25                2               1              50              17
 Staff Interviews..............
Center for Tribes: Jurisdiction              25                3             1.5             113              38
 Staff Focus Groups............
Center for Courts: CIP Capacity              53                2             .25              27               9
 Building Services Feedback
 Survey........................
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 105.
    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: Sec. 5106, Pub. L. 111-320, the Child Abuse Prevention 
and Treatment Act Reauthorization Act of 2010, and titles IV-B and IV-E 
of the Social Security Act.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-02297 Filed 2-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-44-P