Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 3728 [08-185]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Administration for Children and Families
• Children and Families Administration

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 3728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-185]



[[Page 3728]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Title: Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Post-expenditure Report.
    OMB No.: 0970-0234.
    Description: The purpose of this information collection is to (1) 
extend the collection of post-expenditure data using the current OMB 
approved reporting form (OMB No. 0970-0234) past the current expiration 
date of May 31, 2008; and (2) request that States voluntarily use the 
post-expenditure report format to estimate expenditures and recipients, 
by service category, as part of the required annual intended use plan.
    The Social Services Block Grant program (SSBG) provides funds to 
assist States in delivering critical services to vulnerable older 
adults, persons with disabilities, at-risk adolescents and young 
adults, and children and families in the State. Funds are allocated to 
the States in proportion to their populations. States have substantial 
discretion in their use of funds and may determine what services will 
be provided, who will be eligible, and how funds will be distributed 
among the various services. State or local SSBG agencies (i.e., county, 
city, regional offices) may provide the services or may purchase them 
from qualified agencies, organizations or individuals. States report as 
recipients of SSBG-funded services any individuals who receive a 
service funded in whole or in part by SSBG.
    States are required to report their annual SSBG expenditures on a 
standard post-expenditure report. This request seeks approval to 
continue the use of the current form with no changes. This standard 
post-expenditure report form includes a yearly total of adults and 
children served and annual expenditures in each of 29 service 
categories. The annual report is to be submitted within six months of 
the end of the period covered by the report, and must address: (1) The 
number of individuals (as well as number of children and number of 
adults) who receive services paid for, in whole or in part, with 
Federal funds under the SSBG; (2) The amount of SSBG funds spent in 
providing each service; (3) The total amount of Federal, State, and 
local funds spent in providing each service, including SSBG funds; and 
(4) The method(s) by which each service is provided, showing separately 
the services provided by public and private agencies. These reporting 
requirements can be found at 45 CFR 96.74. Information collected on the 
post-expenditure report is analyzed and described in an annual report 
on SSBG expenditures and recipients produced by the Office of Community 
Services (OCS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The 
information contained in this report is used for program planning and 
management. The data establish how SSBG funding is used for the 
provision of services in each State to each of many specific 
populations of needy individuals.
    Federal regulation and reporting requirements for the SSBG also 
require each State to develop and submit an annual intended use plan 
that describes how the State plans to administer its SSBG funds for the 
coming year. This report is to be submitted 30 days prior to the start 
of the fiscal year (June 1 if the State operates on a July-June fiscal 
year, or September 1 if the State operates on a Federal fiscal year). 
No specific format is required for the intended use plan. The intended 
use of SSBG funds, including the types of activities to be supported 
and the categories and characteristics of individuals to be served, 
must be provided. States vary greatly in the information they provide 
and the structure of the report. States are required to submit a 
revised intended use plan if the planned use of SSBG funds changes 
during the year.
    In order to provide a more accurate analysis of the extent to which 
funds are spent ``in a manner consistent'' with each of the States' 
plan for their use, as required by 42 U.S.C. 1397e(a), ACF is 
requesting that States voluntarily use the format of the post-
expenditure report form to provide estimates of the amount of 
expenditures and the number of recipients by service category, that the 
State plans to use SSBG funds to support as part of the intended use 
plan. Many States are already using the format of the post-expenditure 
report form as part of their pre-expenditure report.
    Respondents: States.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                   Instrument                        Number of     responses per     hours per     Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post-Expenditure Report.........................              56               1             110           6,160
Use of Post-Expenditure Report Form as Part of                56               1               2             112
 the Intended Use Plan..........................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 6,272.
    Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collection may be 
obtained by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, 
Office of Administration, Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance 
Officer. All requests should be identified by the title of the 
information collection. E-mail address: infocollection@acf.hhs.gov.
    OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning 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. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent directly to the following: Office 
of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Fax: 202-395-
6974, Attn: Desk Officer for the Administration for Children and 
Families.

    Dated: January 15, 2008.
Janean Chambers,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 08-185 Filed 1-18-08: 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M