Administration for Children and Families October 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is proposing to collect nationally representative survey data to learn more about where parents look for and find information about Child Care and Early Education (CCEE); how parents assess the people, places, or things that may offer CCEE information; what types of CCEE information parents look for; and how parents use information to select CCEE. The study aims to gather information that may be used by Child Care Lead Agencies to inform their consumer education efforts.

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is altering an existing department wide system of records, ``Records About Restricted Dataset Requesters,'' System Number 09-90-1401, to add records maintained by HHS' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and to make other changes, including changing the system of records name to ``Records About Requesters of Restricted Datasets.'' This system of records covers records about individuals within and outside HHS who request restricted datasets and software products from HHS (e.g., for health-related scientific research and study purposes), when HHS maintains the requester records in a system from which they are retrieved directly by an individual requester's name or other personal identifier.

The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting proposed revisions to an approved information collection the Tribal Child Support Enforcement Direct Funding Requests(Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970- 0218, expiration March 31, 2026). We are proposing a new requirement for tribes or tribal organizations to provide that charging fees and recovering costs will not be permitted.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) intends to request from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) an extension of approval for an umbrella generic clearance for information collections related to ACF program office monitoring activities. ACF programs promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities. The Generic for ACF Program Monitoring Activities allows ACF program offices to collect standardized information from recipients that receive federal funds to ensure oversight, evaluation, support purposes, and stewardship of federal funds. There are no changes proposed to the terms of the generic. Burden estimates have been updated.

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 to 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 12/31/2023). The purpose of the requested extension is to continue the ongoing data collection and submission of the performance measures by SRAE grantees. Materials under the submission will be updated to reflect only surveys currently in use.

The Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response (OHSEPR), 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 comments on the proposed collection. OHSEPR's Disaster Human Services Intake Assessment, Resource Referral, and Case Management Plan collection is part of a system of tools that OHSEPR utilizes to support disaster survivors during response missions. ACF is requesting immediate approval for this information collection but also requesting comments to inform any updates prior to requesting an extension of approval within six months.

This NPRM proposes to adopt and replace regulations relating to the key aspects of the placement, care, and services provided to unaccompanied children referred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), pursuant to ORR's responsibilities for coordinating and implementing the care and placement of unaccompanied children who are in Federal custody by reason of their immigration status under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (HSA) and the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA). ORR intends to promulgate a final rule that would establish a foundation for the Unaccompanied Children Program (UC Program) that is consistent with its statutory duties, for the benefit of unaccompanied children and to enhance public transparency as to the policies governing the operation of the UC Program. ORR also proposes this rule for the purpose of implementing the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement (FSA), which remains in effect as a court-ordered consent decree to which the UC Program is subject. As modified in 2001, the FSA provides that it will terminate forty-five days after publication of final regulations implementing the agreement. ORR anticipates that any termination of the settlement based on the adoption of this proposal as a final rule would only be effective for those provisions that affect ORR and would not terminate provisions of the FSA for other Federal Government agencies.

ACF proposes to amend the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program regulations to strengthen the safety net and reduce administrative burden. This NPRM encompasses a package of reforms to ensure TANF programs are designed and funds are used in accordance with the statute. In addition, the package includes provisions that are more technical in nature and are designed to reduce administrative burden and increase program effectiveness.

OCS announces the intent to award a supplement in the amount of up to $3.6 million ($1.2 million per year for 3 fiscal years at $400,000 per individual award) to three Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) award recipients under Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Regional Performance and Innovation Consortia (RPIC) (HHS-2019-ACF-OCS- ET-1582, HHS-2019-ACF-OCS-ET-1586, and HHS-2019-ACF-OCS-ET-1587). The purpose of the RPIC awards is to support robust regional training and technical (T/TA) strategies for the CSBG Networkstates, territories, directly-funded tribes and tribal organizations, and CSBG-eligible entities, and state associations within the 10 ACF regions. The RPICs are designed to assist in meeting high organizational standards in the areas of consumer input and involvement, community engagement, community assessment, organizational leadership, board governance, strategic planning, human resource management, financial operations and oversight, and data and analysis. In addition, the RPICs identify, promote, and support multiyear T/TA efforts to ensure high-quality programs and services and impactful outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.