[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51528-51530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13372]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Legal and Advocacy 
Services for Unaccompanied Children (Office of Management and Budget 
#0970-0565)

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

ACTION: Request for public comments.

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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 is inviting public comment on revisions to an approved 
information collection. The request consists of several forms that 
allow the Unaccompanied Children (UC) Program to provide legal and 
advocacy services to unaccompanied children.

DATES: Comments due August 19, 2024. In compliance with the 
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 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: This request is to remove two forms from this 
collection, add two new forms, move one form from a different 
information collection into this collection (with revisions), and 
revise three existing forms in this collection. ORR also proposes 
retitling this information collection ``Legal and Advocacy Services for 
Unaccompanied Children.''

Discontinued Forms

    ORR plans to remove the following forms from this information 
collection:
     Motion for Change of Venue (Form L-7): This instrument was 
created for the UC Path case management system and was intended to be 
used for filing a motion for change of venue for children transferring 
to a different ORR care provider program. However, the UC Path system 
was never implemented, and this form has never been used. In addition, 
this function is performed by an entity that is party to the 
proceedings, typically the child's legal representative or Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement, because the decision to file a change of venue 
may affect the child's immigration case. A change of venue is filed for 
cases where a Notice to Appear has been filed. Since neither ORR nor 
its care provider programs perform this function, the form is not 
needed.
     Post Legal Status Plan (Form L-8): The information 
collected in this form was incorporated into the Legal Services Plan 
section of the Category 4 Discharge Plan (Form R-9, currently approved 
under OMB #0970-0552). Therefore, ORR plans to discontinue this form.

New Forms

    ORR plans to add the following new forms to this information 
collection:
     Case Status Summary for Executive Office for Immigration 
Review (Form L-9): This form is completed by the Federal Field 
Specialist (FFS) or care provider and sent to the Executive Office for 
Immigration Review (EOIR) in advance of a child's immigration hearing. 
The form provides basic information needed to ensure that EOIR has 
accurate information on the child's case status. A copy of the form is 
also shared with the child's legal service provider or attorney of 
record and child advocate (if applicable).
     Recommended States List (Form L-11): This form is 
completed by legal service providers for children without viable 
sponsorship options or where the child is expected to remain in ORR 
custody for 3 or more months. The form

[[Page 51529]]

provides a recommended list of states where long-term foster care 
programs are present, taking into account the child's potential 
immigration case.

Forms Transferred From a Different Information Collection

    ORR plans to transfer the Child Advocate Recommendation and 
Appointment form into this information collection (currently approved 
under OMB #0970-0553). ORR also plans to move Section B: Recommendation 
and Appointment and Section C: ORR Approval into a separate form to 
better facilitate the referral, recommendation, and appointment 
process. The separate form containing the information collected in 
Sections B and C will be completed by fewer than 10 respondents and is, 
therefore, not subject to PRA and is not included in this request.
    In addition, ORR plans to make the following revisions to the 
current content:
     Rename the form Child Advocate Referral (Form L-12A).
     Replace ``UC'' with ``child'' throughout the form.
     Add fields for the Title, Email, and Phone Number of the 
referrer.
     Spilt the field to for the name of the child into three 
separate fields for First Name, Second or Middle Name, and Last 
Name(s).
     Add the following fields for additional information about 
the child that will assist the child advocate contractor in making 
recommendations:
    [cir] Other Language(s) Spoken.
    [cir] Is the child in ORR custody?
    [cir] Was the child at another ORR care provider facility?
    [cir] If yes, provide the care provider name.
    [cir] Child's length of care in ORR custody.
    [cir] Does the child have legal representation?
    [cir] If yes, provide the following information for the legal 
representative: Name, Phone, Email.
     Revise the list of reasons for referral to better reflect 
the most common reasons child advocate referrals are made.
     Revise the burden estimate to reflect the number of child 
advocate referrals made from April 2023 through March 2024. The annual 
number of respondents increased from 216 to 300 and the annual number 
of responses per respondent increased from 5 to 19.

Revisions to Existing Forms

    ORR plans to make the following revisions to existing form in this 
information collection:
     Request for Specific Consent to Juvenile Court 
Jurisdiction (Form L-1):
    [cir] Replace ``UC'' with ``child'' throughout the form.
    [cir] Revised Section D: Next Steps to align with the UC Program 
Foundational Rule (45 CFR 410).
    [cir] Revise the burden estimate to reflect the number of requests 
for specific consent received in FY 2023. The annual number of 
respondents decreased from 40 to 31.
     Specific Consent Request Case Summary (Form L-2):
    [cir] Remove the instruction to complete an internal clearance form 
because that is no longer part of the process.
    [cir] Update the email address where the form is submitted.
    [cir] Add text fields for the email addresses of the case manager 
and FFS to better facilitate communication when UC Program headquarter 
staff have follow-up questions.
    [cir] Replace ``UC'' with ``child'' throughout the form.
    [cir] Revise the available dropdown options for the Level of Care 
field to align with the UC Program Foundational Rule (45 CFR 410).
    [cir] Revise the burden estimate to reflect the number of case 
summaries completed in FY 2023 and account for an increase in the 
number of care provider facilities. The annual number of respondents 
increased from 216 to 300 and the annual number of responses per 
respondent decreased from 0.2 to 0.1.
     Acknowledgement of Receipt of Legal Resource Guide (Form 
LRG-4):
    [cir] Change form number from LRG-5 to LRG-4.
    [cir] Retitle form Acknowledgement of Receipt of Legal Resource 
Guide (formerly titled Legal Service Provider List for UC in ORR Care).
    [cir] Remove the information provided on the first page and the 
list of legal service providers and their contact information. ORR 
plans to incorporate this information into a separate document and 
children will acknowledge receipt of that document in this form.
    [cir] Revise the list of documents provided to children to reflect 
forthcoming revisions and consolidation of legal resource guide 
documents.
    [cir] Remove requirement for children to initial each list item to 
reduce burden for the child.
    [cir] Add instructions to put an ``X'' in the signature line in 
cases where the child is unable to sign the form and add a text field 
for the care provider to document the reason the child was unable to 
sign (e.g., child is 2 years old). This will assist ORR in monitoring 
compliance with requirements to complete this form.
    [cir] Add a field for care provider program name.
    [cir] Revise the burden estimate to account for an increase in the 
number of care provider facilities and in the number of children placed 
in ORR care, and report the burden for care providers and unaccompanied 
children separately to improve accuracy of the estimate. The annual 
number of respondents increased from 216 to 300 for care providers and 
121,669 unaccompanied child respondents were added. The annual number 
of responses per respondent increased from 556 to 817 for care 
providers and the responses per respondent for children is two (2).
    [cir] ORR plans to translate the form into Spanish and other 
languages commonly spoken by unaccompanied children.

Revisions to Burden Estimates Only for Existing Forms

     Notice of Attorney Representation (Form L-3):
    [cir] Previously, the annual number of respondents was 
overestimated at 13,000. ORR is changing that estimate to 10,000 (which 
will still be higher than the number of forms submitted in the previous 
year) based on the actual number of children who received direct 
representation through ORR's legal service provider contractor and 
rounded up to account for an expected increase in direct representation 
and forms submitted by outside attorneys.
     UC Legal Information (Form L-4):
    [cir] Revise the burden estimate to account for an increase in the 
number of care provider facilities and in the number of children placed 
in ORR care. The annual number of respondents increased from 216 to 300 
and the annual number of responses per respondent increased from 241 to 
406.
     Legal Service Provider Record (Form L-6):
    [cir] Revise the burden estimate to account for an increase in the 
number of care provider facilities and in the number of children placed 
in ORR care. The annual number of respondents increased from 216 to 300 
and the annual number of responses per respondent increased from 241 to 
406.
    Respondents: ORR grantee and contractor staff, unaccompanied 
children, parents/legal guardians of unaccompanied children, attorneys 
of record and legal service providers.
    Annual Burden Estimates:

[[Page 51530]]



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                                                  Annual  number     Number of        Average
                   Instrument                           of         responses per   burden hours    Annual total
                                                    respondents     respondent     per response    burden hours
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Request for Specific Consent to Juvenile Court                31             1.0            0.25               8
 Jurisdiction (Form L-1)........................
Specific Consent Request Case Summary (Form L-2)             300             0.1            0.33              10
Notice of Attorney Representation (Form L-3)....          10,000             1.0            0.25           2,500
UC Legal Information (Form L-4).................             300           406.0            1.00         121,800
Legal Service Provider Record (Form L-6)........             300           406.0            0.08           9,744
Case Status Summary for Executive Office of                  300             5.0            0.17             255
 Immigration Review (Form L-9)..................
Recommended States List (Form L-11).............              60            10.0            0.33             198
Child Advocate Referral (Form L-12A)-Respondents             300            19.0            0.25           1,425
Child Advocate Referral (Form L-12A)-                          1         5,601.0            0.33           1,848
 Recordkeepers..................................
Acknowledgment of Receipt of Legal Resource              121,669             2.0            0.25          60,835
 Guide (LRG-4)-Unaccompanied Children...........
Acknowledgment of Receipt of Legal Resource                  300           817.0            0.25          61,275
 Guide (LRG-4)-Care Providers...................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours Total:........  ..............  ..............  ..............         259,898
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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 C. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-13372 Filed 6-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-45-P