[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 210 (Tuesday, October 30, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65693-65694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26579]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Notice of Intent To Make Changes in the State Title V Maternal
and Child Health Block Grant Allocations
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Response to solicitation of comments.
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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA)
Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) plans to move forward in
implementing annual changes to the State Title V MCH Block Grant
allocations, beginning in Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, using the U.S.
Census Bureau's 3-year American Community Survey (ACS) poverty
estimates. Title V MCH Block Grant funds are currently allocated to
states based in part on a calculation of the number of children living
in poverty (in an individual state) as compared to the total number of
children living in poverty in the United States. Historically, data for
the number of children in poverty in each state came from the Decennial
Census. As the Census Bureau has replaced the Decennial Census long-
form sample questionnaire with the ACS, MCHB
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plans to use the ACS as its source for this data. In order to maintain
balance between precision and currency, annual changes to the State
Title V MCH Block Grant allocations will be based on a rolling average
of the 3-year ACS poverty estimates.
Yearly changes in the MCH Block Grant allocations for individual
states will be buffered by the use of shared data for two of the three
data years in the rolling period estimate. According to the U.S. Census
Bureau, the ACS is the best source of survey-based state-level income
and poverty estimates. Moreover, ACS child poverty estimates are
produced annually, and their use will allow the Block Grant allocation
proportions to be updated more frequently than every 10 years.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cassie Lauver, Director, Division of
State and Community Health, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health
Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Parklawn
Building, Room 18-31, Rockville, Maryland 20857, or by telephone at
(301) 443-2204.
DATES: Effective Date: October 30, 2012.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning in FY 2013, HRSA will use the U.S.
Census Bureau's ACS 3-year rolling average data to determine the annual
poverty-based allocations to states under Section 502 of Title V of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 702). The Census Bureau produces annual
state-level poverty estimates based on the most recent 1, 3, and 5
years of ACS data, as well as annual model-based Small Area Income and
Poverty Estimates (SAIPE). Based on a thorough review, HRSA determined
that the 3-year time frame strikes an appropriate balance between
reliability (strength of 5-year estimates) and currency (strength of 1-
year estimates). The 3-year estimates provide necessary stability in
annual poverty-based allocation changes for all states, regardless of
size, while still allowing the allocations to be responsive to changes
in the distribution of children in poverty across states. With the 3-
year estimates for FY 2013 already available, states have been informed
of the proposed changes and need for adjustment from the existing
allocation proportions based on the 2000 Census data. The ACS data are
released annually by the U.S. Census Bureau in October which will allow
states to be aware of the poverty-based allocation proportions close to
a year in advance of each subsequent fiscal year.
The proposed change in State Title V MCH Block Grant allocations
was announced in the Federal Register at 77 FR 42749 on July 20, 2012.
A comment period of 60 days was established to allow interested parties
to submit comments. HRSA received three responses. The responses
included two comments that specifically discussed the potential impacts
of the proposed change in State MCH Block Grant formula allocations
using the 3-year ACS child poverty estimates. Responses to these
comments are provided below.
The remaining comments did not specifically address the proposed
changes in State Title V MCH Block Grant allocation, but instead
expressed concern with the size of the federal government; accuracy of
Census data, generally; and equity of the statutorily-mandated Title V
funding formula. These issues were not addressed in greater detail
because they are beyond the scope of this notice.
Comments and Responses
Comment: Timing of the proposed change is inopportune in light of
the potential for significant reductions in State MCH Block Grant
allocations as a result of sequestration.
Response: The timing of the proposed changes to the state formula
allocations is consistent with the 10-year interval for updating
formula allocations based on the U.S. Census Bureau's Decennial Census.
Current formula allocations are based on 2000 U.S. Census child poverty
data. Use of a 3-year rolling average of the ACS child poverty data
will allow for annual updates to the State MCH Block Grant formula
allocations and greater responsiveness to changes in the distribution
of children in poverty across states.
Comment: If the new methodology is implemented and will use the
ACS, the 5-year rather than the 3-year estimate should be used.
Response: Researchers in MCHB's Office of Epidemiology and Research
evaluated the impact of using 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year ACS data, and
the single-year SAIPE on annual poverty-based allocation changes as
well as overall allocation changes. Consistent with the documentation
and guidelines provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, the poverty data are
the most current and least precise through the use of 1-year data and
least current but most precise through the use of 5-year data. Using
the 3-year ACS poverty data achieves a reasonable balance between
reliability and currency.
Dated: October 23, 2012.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-26579 Filed 10-29-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P