Administration for Children and Families October 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Child Care (OCC) is requesting a 1-year extension of the form ACF-218: Quality Progress Report (QPR) (OMB #0970-0517, expiration 9/30/2021). There are minor changes requested to the form related to COVID-19 pandemic supplemental funding increases.

The Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is requesting expedited review of an information collection request from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and inviting public comment on the proposed collection. The proposed forms are necessary to provide data to the Administration and Congress in its oversight of recipients' performance in administering the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) program. The information collection is essential to the mission of the agency for this emergency assistance effort and the use of normal clearance procedures is reasonably likely to disrupt and prevent the collection of information.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency on state child support program operations, the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) proposes to modify the Paternity Establishment Percentage (PEP) from the 90 percent performance threshold to 50 percent for Federal Fiscal Years (FFY) 2020 and 2021 in order for a state to avoid a financial penalty. OCSE also proposes to provide that adverse findings of data reliability audits of a state's paternity establishment data will not result in a financial penalty.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is proposing to continue use of a coronavirus (COVID- 19) screening tool for unaccompanied children (UC) program staff and visitors at ORR care provider facilities.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting a 3-year extension of the form ACF-118A: Child Care and Development Fund for Tribes (OMB #0970-0198, expiration 06/30/2022) for FFY 2023-2025. There are changes requested to the form to improve formatting, and clarify and streamline questions. ACF is also requesting public comment on revising the thresholds used to determine tribes with small, medium, and large allocations.

This rule adopts as final the provision to the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) to establish parameters by which ACF may make designation renewal determinations during a federally declared major disaster, emergency, or public health emergency (PHE) and in the absence of all normally required data.

The ACF, OHSEPR announces the intent to award four single- source grants in the amount of up to $300,000 to the following recipients: United Way Worldwide, Alexandria, VA; National Association of Social Workers, Washington, DC; American Public Human Services Association, Arlington, VA; and National Association of County Human Services Administrators, Washington, DC. The purpose of these awards is to facilitate the coordination of human services to U.S. Citizens and their dependents evacuating to the United States from Afghanistan. These organizations are key players in the leadership, coordination, or direct provision of human services after an emergency and have direct access to their constituencies and networks. U.S. citizens and their dependents (repatriates) eligible for temporary assistance under the U.S. Repatriation Program can receive up to 90 days of temporary assistance which includes transportation, food, medical care, cash assistance, temporary lodging, and case management. These awards will ensure appropriate training and technical assistance, coordination, and subject matter expertise as repatriates connect to human services entities.