[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 112 (Wednesday, June 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 33558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13529]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Proposed Projects
Title: Trafficking Victims Tracking System.
OMB No.: 0970-NEW.
Description: The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Public Law
106-386, Division A, 114 Stat. 1464 (2000), requires the Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS) to certify adult alien (``foreign'')
victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons (``human
trafficking'') who are willing to assist law enforcement in the
investigation and prosecution of human trafficking, unless unable to
cooperate due to physical or psychological trauma, and who have either
made a bona fide application for T nonimmigrant status that has not
been denied or been granted Continued Presence (CP) from the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Issued by the Office of Refugee
Resettlement (ORR) within the HHS Administration for Children and
Families, certification letters grant adult foreign victims of human
trafficking access to federal and state benefits and services to the
same extent as refugees.
In general, ORR initiates the certification process when it
receives a notice from DHS that DHS has granted a foreign victim of
trafficking CP or T nonimmigrant status, or has determined an
application for T nonimmigrant status is bona fide. To issue
certification letters, it is necessary for ORR to collect information
from a victim's representative, such as an attorney, case manager, or
law enforcement victim specialist, including an address to send the
letter. In line with other ORR Anti-Trafficking in Persons Program
activities, ORR may ask if the victim is in need of a service provider
and the current location (city, state) of the victim, and refer the
victim to an appropriate service provider in his or her area, if
requested. ORR will also ask about the victim's language and urgent
concerns, such as medical care or housing, and transmit this
information to the service provider.
Finally ORR collects information, such as the victim's sex and the
type of human trafficking the victim experienced, to provide to
Congress in an annual report on U.S. Government activities to combat
trafficking that is prepared by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Congress requires HHS and other appropriate Federal agencies to report,
at a minimum, information on the number of persons who received
benefits or other services under subsections (b) and (f) of section
7105 of Title 22 of the U.S. Code, the TVPA, in connection with
programs or activities funded or administered by HHS. HHS includes in
these annual reports additional information about the victims that it
collects when assisting each victim to obtain certification or
eligibility. ORR will store this information and any other details
regarding the victim's case in the Trafficking Victims Tracking System
(TVTS) on ORR's secure database. Other details maintained in the
victim's file may include ORR staff actions, referrals, and notes
regarding the victim's interest in receiving services. Maintaining
victim records on TVTS will ensure efficient service for victims, allow
ORR staff to track victims' progress toward certification, verify their
eligibility for benefits, and organize information for reporting to
Congress.
The TVTS also includes information about foreign victims of
trafficking and potential victims who were minors when an eligibility
letter was sought from ORR. Information about these individuals is
collected pursuant to an OMB-approved collection, OMB Control Number
0970-0362.
In January 2011, the Archivist of the United States approved an
Electronic System Schedule for the disposition of TVTS records.
Respondents: Respondents can include attorneys, legal
representatives, social service providers, case managers, and
volunteers acting on behalf of the adult foreign victim of trafficking.
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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Request for information......................... 800 1 .1 80
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours......... .............. .............. .............. 80
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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. 2014-13529 Filed 6-10-14; 8:45 am]
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