[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 147 (Wednesday, August 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 50868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-16340]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Case Plan 
Requirement, Title IV-E of the Social Security Act

AGENCY: Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, 
United States Department of Health, and Human Services.

ACTION: Request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), is 
requesting a 3-year extension of the information collection Case Plan 
Requirement, Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, (Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0428, expiration September 30, 2023). 
There are no changes to the requirements, but burden estimates have 
been updated to reflect current numbers of children in foster care.

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. You can 
also obtain copies of the proposed collection of information by 
emailing [email protected]. Identify all emailed requests by 
the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Description: The case plan information collection is authorized in 
sections 422(b)(8)(A)(ii) and 471(a)(16), and defined in sections 475 
and 475A of the Social Security Act (the Act). Statutory requirements 
in the Act mandate that states, territories, and tribes with an 
approved title IV-E plan develop a case review system and case plan for 
each child in the foster care system for whom the state, territory, or 
tribe receives title IV-E reimbursement of foster care maintenance 
payments. The case review system assures that each child has a case 
plan designed to achieve placement in a safe setting that is the least 
restrictive, most family-like setting available and in close proximity 
to the child's parental home, consistent with the best interest and 
special needs of the child. States, territories, and tribes meeting 
these requirements also partly comply with title IV-B, section 422(b), 
of the Act, which assures certain protections for children in foster 
care. The case plan is a written document that provides a narrative 
description of the child-specific program of care. Federal regulations 
at 45 CFR 1356.21(g) and sections 475 and 475A of the Act delineate the 
specific information that must be addressed in the case plan. ACF does 
not specify a format for the case plan nor does ACF require submission 
of the document to the federal government. Case plan information is 
recorded in a format developed and maintained by the state, 
territorial, or tribal title IV-E agency.
    Burden estimates have been adjusted to reflect two additional 
agencies, a decreased number of children entering foster care and an 
increased number of children exiting foster care.
    Respondents: State, territorial, and tribal title IV-E agencies.

                                                                 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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Case Plan..........................................................              66           23,039              4.8        7,298,755        2,432,918
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,432,918.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 622; 42 U.S.C. 671; 42 U.S.C. 675; 42 U.S.C. 
675a.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-16340 Filed 8-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P