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

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.

ACF proposes to allow a title IV-E agency to claim Federal financial participation (FFP) for the administrative cost of an attorney providing: legal representation in foster care proceedings of a title IV-E agency or any other public agency or tribe that has an agreement in effect under which the other agency has placement and care responsibility of a title IV-E eligible child; independent legal representation of a child who is either a candidate for title IV-E foster care, or in title IV-E foster care (hereafter, referred to as a child ``who is eligible for title IV-E foster care''), the child's parent(s), and the child's relative caregiver(s) in foster care and other civil legal proceedings when such legal representation is found necessary by the Secretary to carry out the requirements in the title IV-E agency's title IV-E foster care plan; and legal representation of an Indian child's tribe, when the child's tribe intervenes in any state court proceeding for the foster care placement or termination of parental rights of an Indian child who is in title IV-E foster care or an Indian child who is a candidate for title IV-E foster care when such legal representation is found necessary by the Secretary to carry out the requirements in the title IV-E agency's title IV-E foster care plan.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Community Service (OCS), Division of Energy Assistance announces a preliminary determination that funds from the Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2022 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are available for reallotment to States, Territories, Tribes, and Tribal organizations that received FFY 2023 direct LIHEAP grants. The purpose of this award is to redistribute FFY 2022 annual LIHEAP funds that grant recipients were unable to obligate or carry over to FFY 2023. No sub-recipients of these grant recipients or other entities may apply for these funds.

The Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) within the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) is accepting mandatory formula grant applications and State plans from States and Territories for the development of and implementation for Title V State Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Program. The Title V State SRAE Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) sets forth the application requirements for recipients. This request is to extend Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the request for information. No changes are proposed.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting to extend approval of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Data Reporting for Work Participation, with proposed revisions. Revisions are intended to improve the clarity of the instructions, streamline reporting, and ensure all instructions are up- to-date.

The Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is proposing to collect data for a new process and outcome study, Strengthening Child Welfare Systems to Achieve Expected Child and Family Outcomes (SCWS) Evaluation.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seeks approval to collect information to explore the role of Head Start in the early care and education (ECE) financing landscape, as well as how the use of multiple funding sources within a single Head Start program may be associated with the provision of Head Start's comprehensive services and with state-level differences in ECE funding. Survey data will be collected from Head Start program directors and state government administrators.

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is proposing an information collection activity for the Child Abuse and Neglect Background Checks for Child Care and Early Education (CAN Checks for CCEE) Project. The goal of the project is to better understand how states and territories use findings from CAN registry checks, as required by the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 2014 (CCDBG), to make child care employment eligibility determinations. The study will also be used to understand state and territory variation, facilitators, and challenges in implementing CAN registries; and any resulting within- or across-state/territory equity implications.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) proposes to extend data collection under the existing overarching generic clearance for Formative Data Collections for ACF Research and Evaluation (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0356). There are no changes proposed.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting a 3-year extension of the Mental Health Assessment Form (formerly the Health Assessment Form) and Public Health Investigation Forms, Active Tuberculosis (TB) and Non-TB Illness (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0509, expiration December 31, 2023). Changes are proposed to the currently approved forms.

The Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) Administration for Native Americans (ANA) is requesting a 3-year extension to the Ongoing Progress Report (OPR) and the Objective Work Plan (OWP) (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0452, expiration September 30, 2023). There are no changes requested to the forms.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a generic clearance to request information from potential participants at ACF gatherings, such as meetings or conferences. The planning for these gatherings is most often on a quick timeline and the standard timeline to comply with a full request under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) would inhibit the ability to collect information to inform these activities. Therefore, an umbrella generic is requested to allow for quick turnaround requests for similar information collections related to these activities.

The Office of Child Care invites public comment on the rules and regulations of the Tribally administered Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program as part of the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) commitment to creating partnerships with Tribal Nations to identify and implement solutions that transcend traditional program boundaries. As part of that commitment, OCC seeks input on the requirements, regulations, and processes for Tribal Nations that administer CCDF. This Request for Information (RFI) specifically seeks public comment on the following topics of the Tribal child care programCCDF Funding Policies for Tribes, CCDF Administration, Improving Families' Access to Child Care, and Increasing Child Care Supply in Tribal Communitiesbut input on any aspect of the Tribally administered CCDF program is welcome. OCC will host a Tribal consultation during the RFI public comment period.

The Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) requests Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an overarching generic clearance to collect data on programs serving youth transitioning out of foster care as part of the Chafee Strengthening Outcomes for Transition to Adulthood Project. The generic mechanism will allow ACF to conduct rapid-cycle evaluations that would not otherwise be feasible under the timelines associated with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The purpose of these data collections submitted under the generic will be to inform ACF programming by building the evidence about what works to improve outcomes for the target population and to identify innovative learning methods that address common evaluation challenges.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) launched the Testing Identified Elements for Success in Fatherhood Programs (Fatherhood TIES) project in 2022. Using a mix of research methods, this study will identify and test the ``core components'' of fatherhood programs in any effort to identify which core components are most effective at improving the lives of fathers who participate in fatherhood programs and their children. The study will ultimately include an implementation and an impact study.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is proposing to collect information to examine a promising strategy to support the child care and early education (CCEE) workforce in Colorado as part of the Building and Sustaining the CCEE Workforce BASE project. This project aims to build evidence about workforce development strategies designed to promote, retain, and advance the CCEE workforce by improving the economic well- being of CCEE workers.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is proposing to collect data from grantee agencies participating in the Voluntary Agencies Matching Grant Program. Client data collected will include enrollment information, demographics, and program outcomes.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), in partnership with the Health Resources and Services Administration, both of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is proposing to collect data as part of the elementary school phase of the Mother and Infant Home Visiting Program Evaluation (MIHOPE). MIHOPE is a longitudinal study of the effects of Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV)-funded home visiting on child and family outcomes. The purpose of the MIHOPE Long-Term Follow-Up, Third grade (MIHOPE-3G) data collection, which will focus on children when they are in approximately third grade, is to assess the long-term effects of MIECHV-funded home visiting on families and children when participating children are in elementary school.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting a 3-year extension of the form ACF-123: Guidance for the Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0157, expiration date: August 31, 2023). There are minor clarifying changes requested to the guidance.

The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) (formerly the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), is requesting the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend approval of the Income Withholding for Support Order (IWO), with minor changes, for an additional three years. The current OMB approval expires September 30, 2023.

The Office of Head Start (OHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, requests public comment on an extension with changes to recordkeeping requirements for ACF Head Start grant recipients. A Final Rule published on January 6, 2023, added a recordkeeping requirement that Head Start grant recipients update their program policies and procedures to include an evidence-based COVID-19 mitigation policy. OHS requested and received emergency approval from OMB to implement the updated recordkeeping requirement as required in the Final Rule. Approval was for 6 months. Subsequently, a final rule was published on June 26, 2023, which removed all previously approved vaccination recordkeeping requirements and the requirement to maintain a testing protocol. This request is to remove these requirements from the information collection and extend approval of the remaining recordkeeping requirement under this OMB number for an additional 3 years.

The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), United States Department of Health and Human Services, is requesting a three-year extension of the Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity and Required Data Elements for Paternity Establishment Affidavits (OMB #0970-0171, expiration 1/31/2024). No changes are proposed.