[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 6, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40244-40245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14343]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES'

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; State Court Improvement 
Program (OMB # 0970-0307)

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

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is 
requesting a 3-year extension of the Court Improvement Program (CIP) 
Program Strategic Plan Template and Annual CIP Self-Assessment (Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0307, expiration November 30, 
2022). There are minimal updates to the form to reflect new legislation 
as well as to support technical assistance. The collections are 
necessary to continue operating the program in compliance with 
congressional reauthorization.

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

ADDRESSES: You can obtain copies of the proposed collection of 
information and submit comments by emailing [email protected]. 
Identify all requests by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Description: The proposed collection is a continuation of the 
current

[[Page 40245]]

collection and comprised of two components. An application including a 
strategic plan and annual self-assessment. The self-assessment reflects 
what the state has done in the prior year focusing on its progress and 
status within the change management cycle. The strategic plan looks 
forward to those interventions and actions the state plans to undertake 
to address needs or buttress strengths they have discovered in their 
assessment activities. Additions from the prior approval include 
infrastructural questions around the Child and Family Services Reviews 
regarding efforts to engage legal and judicial staff and collaborate 
with the child welfare agency. They also include overall court 
structural questions which are responsive to requests from grantees to 
facilitate peer connections of similarly situated states. The next 
application will be due June 30, 2023.
    Respondents: We anticipate the highest state court of every state, 
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to 
respond. All 53 jurisdictions currently participate in the program.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                                  Annual  number      Average
                   Instrument                      Total number    of  responses   burden hours    Annual burden
                                                  of respondents  per respondent   per response        hours
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Annual Self-Assessment..........................              53               1              40           2,120
Strategic Plan..................................              53           * .20              52          551.20
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:........  ..............  ..............  ..............        2,671.20
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* The full Strategic Plan is completed every 5 years. In years when the Strategic Plan is not completed,
  respondents may spend minimal time updating relevant sections of the Strategic Plan. This is accounted for in
  the estimate for the Annual Self-Assessment.

    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: 42 U.S.C. 629h.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-14343 Filed 7-5-22; 8:45 am]
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