[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 30850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12405]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Title: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System for Title
IV-B and Title IV-E (AFCARS).
OMB No.: 0970-0422.
Description: The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting
System (AFCARS) is mandated by 42 U.S.C. 679. The regulation at 45 CFR
1355 sets forth the requirements of section 479 of the Social Security
Act for the collection of uniform, reliable information on children who
are under the responsibility of the State or Tribal title IV-B/IV-E
agency for placement, care, and adoption. Effective October 1, 2009,
section 479B(b) of the Act authorizes direct Federal funding of Indian
Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Tribal consortia that choose to
operate a foster care, adoption assistance and, at Tribal option, a
kinship guardianship assistance program under title IV-E of the Act.
The Federal regulations at 45 CFR 1355.40 were amended as part of an
Interim Final Rule published January 6, 2012 to apply the same
regulatory requirements for data collection and reporting to a Tribal
title IV-E agency as are applied to a State title IV-E agency.
The data collected will inform State/Tribal/Federal policy
decisions, program management, and responses to Congressional and
Departmental inquiries. Specifically, the data are used for short/long-
term budget projections, trend analysis, child and family service
reviews, and to target areas for improved technical assistance. The
data will provide information about foster care placements, adoptive
parents, length of time in care, delays in termination of parental
rights and placement for adoption.
Respondents: Title IV-E State and Tribal Child Welfare Agencies.
Annual Burden Estimates
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Number of Average burden
Instrument Number of responses per hours per Total burden
respondents respondent response hours
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AFCARS...................................... 72 2 1,786 257,184
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 257,184.
In compliance with the requirements of Section 506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and
Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the
information collection described above. Copies of the proposed
collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of
Planning, Research and Evaluation, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW.,
Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. Email
address: [email protected]. All requests should be identified
by the title of the information collection.
The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) Whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted
within 60 days of this publication.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-12405 Filed 5-28-14; 8:45 am]
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