Administration for Children and Families – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is inviting public comment on revisions to an approved information collection, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0547. The request consists of several forms that allow ORR to perform Unaccompanied Children Bureau (UCB)- related administrative activities, such as facilitating stakeholder visits to care provider facilities; obtaining consent from children to share their case file information; and processing requests and waivers for the hiring of key and non-key personnel at care provider facilities.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the Intergovernmental Reference Guide (IRG) for an additional three years. The IRG contains State and Tribal child support information that helps State and Tribal child support agencies (CSAs) administer their respective programs. Minor updates are proposed, as described below. The current OMB approval (OMB #: 0970- 0209) expires on February 28, 2025.

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is modifying an existing system of records maintained by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within HHS' Administration for Children and Families (ACF), System No. 09-80-0321, ORR Division of Children's Services Records (being renamed ORR Unaccompanied Children Bureau (UCB) Administrative Program Records).

The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the Electronic Document Exchange (EDE), with minor revisions, for an additional three years. State child support agencies (CSAs) use the EDE to improve case processing. The current OMB approval expires on June 30, 2025.

OCSS is requesting the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the "State SNAP Agency NDNH Matching Program Performance Report," with minor revisions, for an additional three years. State agencies administering their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provide the annual performance report to OCSS in accordance with the computer matching agreement between state SNAP agencies and OCSS. The current OMB approval expires on February 28, 2025.

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is requesting approval of the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) Final Report Templates. HMRF grant programs are required to submit a final report describing their local evaluation analyses and findings. This request includes guidance for grant recipients in the form of templates. Information will inform technical assistance to support grantees in developing and submitting the final reports to ACF to fulfill a grant requirement.

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is establishing a new system of records to be maintained by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within HHS' Administration for Children and Families (ACF), System No. 09-80-0323, ORR Unaccompanied Children Bureau (UCB) Child Abuse or Neglect Investigation Records and Central Registry.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has reorganized the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE). This reorganization creates a new Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) and an Office of the Chief Data Officer (OCDO). This notice provides the Statement of Organizations, Functions, and Delegations of Authority for the new office of officer.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Community Services (OCS) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is requesting an extension without change to the current version of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Performance Measures (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0449) for use through June 30,2025, and for approval of a revised version to use beginning July 1, 2025.

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) and the Family and Youth Services Bureau in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) request an extension without changes of a currently approved information collection activity as part of the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Program Performance Analysis Study (PAS). The goal of the study is to collect, analyze, and report on performance measures data for the SRAE program (OMB Control No. 0970-0536; expiration date January 31, 2025). The purpose of the requested extension is to continue the ongoing data collection and submission of the performance measures by SRAE grant recipients. Minor updates were identified to incorporate into the OMB-approved versions of instruments.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is proposing to collect data for new Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) work outcomes measures required by the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) of 2023. Information collections include the Work Outcomes of TANF Exiters Report, Secondary School Diploma or its Recognized Equivalent Rate, and the Supplemental Work Outcomes Report.

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 the proposed collection. The request consists of two forms that will allow the Unaccompanied Children (UC) Bureau to obtain informed consent from authorized consenters and informed assent or agreement from unaccompanied children for the administration of psychotropic medication.

The Administration for Children and Families is proposing revisions to an approved information collection, the Child Care Improper Payments Data Collection Instructions (OMB #0970-0323, expiration 1/31/2025). In addition to the proposed changes, we are requesting a 3-year extension.

This final rule describes how the Office of Head Start officially delays the date for programs to meet the new competitive threshold for the Instructional Support domain of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS[supreg]) used to determine whether a Head Start agency will be subject to an open competition under the Designation Renewal System (DRS). The implementation date in the Head Start Program Performance Standards that raises the CLASS[supreg] Instructional Support competitive threshold from 2.3 to 2.5 was August 1, 2025. This final rule officially delays this implementation date to August 1, 2027.

The Office of Child Care (OCC), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting a three-year extension with changes to the form ACF-800: CCDF Annual Aggregate Report (Office of Management and Budget #0970-0150, expiration 3/31/2025). OCC proposes changes incorporating new items on presumptive eligibility and on additional information about lead agencies using grants and contracts for direct services to expand parent options for certain types of care specified in the 2024 CCDF final rule.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting a 3-year extension of the Administration for Native Americans Project Outcome Assessment Survey (OMB #: 0970-0379, expiration 6/30/2025). The survey was revised based on a review by the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) and feedback from grantees, which identified some data elements that could be eliminated and areas that could be clarified.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), invites public comments to inform the use or adoption of interoperability standards for human services programs. ACF and state, local, and tribal governments all provide a number of health and human services programs for children, youth, families, communities, and individuals. ACF seeks public comment on the most effective approaches, technical standards, and technological tools that currently or could promote interoperability between health and human services programs. ACF collaborates with the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ ONC) as a critical steward and advisor for human services interoperability with responsibility for leading the development and harmonization of interoperability standards between health and human services in line with the HHS Data Strategy. The potential of interoperability across the full spectrum of health and human services is immenseit can enable efficient delivery of government services, enhance access to critical non-profit programs, and most importantly, improve overall individual and community outcomes. ACF has authority under the Title IV of the Social Security Act to designate use of interoperable data standards for several of its programs (e.g., Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child support, child welfare, and foster care). The purpose of this RFI is to understand how ACF, in collaboration with ASTP/ONC, can better support interoperability between human services within and across states and local community resources, between states, and ACF.

Notice is hereby given to the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada (ITCN) and interested parties of a reconsideration hearing. The purpose of the hearing is to reconsider the decision of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Child Care (OCC) regarding revision to the FY2023-2025 triennial child count submitted by the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada (ITCN) as part of their triennial plan, submitted on July 1, 2022. Because the child count was submitted as part of ITCN's FY2023-205 triennial plan, ITCN is entitled to request reconsideration to determine "whether such Plan or amendment conforms to the requirements for approval under the Act and pertinent Federal regulations." The sole issue to be reconsidered is OCC's decision to reduce ITCN's child count.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seeks approval to collect information to deepen our understanding of Head Start programs' funding approaches, as well as how the use of multiple funding sources within a single Head Start program may be associated with the delivery of Head Start's comprehensive services and early care and education (ECE) funding landscapes within states. Interviews will be conducted with Head Start staff, as well as state and local/regional staff knowledgeable about and/or directly responsible for ECE financial decision making and/or funding source administration. Existing documents from Head Start programs and ECE agencies will also be reviewed to further contextualize interview data.

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is requesting approval of the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood (HMRF) Final Report Templates. HMRF grant programs are required to submit a final report describing their local evaluation analyses and findings. This request includes guidance for grant recipients in the form of templates. Information will inform technical assistance to support grantees in developing and submitting the final reports to ACF to fulfill a grant requirement.

The ACF, OCS, Division of Energy Assistance announces a preliminary determination that funds from the federal fiscal year 2023 (FY23) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are available for reallotment to states, territories, tribes, and tribal organizations that received FY24 direct LIHEAP awards. The purpose of this award is to redistribute FY23 annual LIHEAP funds that recipients were unable to obligate or carry over to FY24. No sub-recipients of these recipients or other entities may apply for these funds.

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) and the Family and Youth Services Bureau in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) request an extension without changes of a currently approved information collection activity as part of the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Program Performance Analysis Study (PAS). The goal of the study is to collect, analyze, and report on performance measures data for the SRAE program (OMB Control No. 0970-0536; expiration date 1/31/2025). The purpose of the requested extension is to continue the ongoing data collection and submission of the performance measures by SRAE grant recipients.

As part of the Understanding and Expanding the Reach of Home Visiting (HV-REACH) project, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is proposing to collect qualitative data to understand the features of centralized, coordinated, or collaborative intake systems used by seven purposively selected sites that refer families to early childhood home visiting (ECHV) programs.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Child Care plans to submit revisions to an approved generic information collection (GenIC) under the umbrella generic: Generic Clearance for Financial Reports used for ACF Non-Discretionary Grant Programs (0970- 0510). The request revises ACF-696T, the annual financial report for tribal CCDF grant programs to submit financial claims. This specific form collects financial data for Tribal CCDF programs. The proposed revisions to the ACF-696T will provide reporting instructions to Tribal Lead Agencies who are approved under a temporary opportunity to retroactively request the use CCDF funds, including most COVID- relief funds, for construction and/or major renovation with the intent of offsetting increased costs of materials, labor, and other related project costs.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Early Childhood Development (ECD) is requesting revisions to the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program: Guidance for Submitting Reports (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #: 0970-0409; expiration 3/31/2026) and a three-year extension of approval.