[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38709-38710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13999]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity: Comment Request
Proposed Projects
Title: National Study of Title IV-E Child Welfare Waiver
Demonstrations.
OMB No.: New Collection.
Description: The National Study of the Title IV-E Child Welfare
Waiver Demonstrations is sponsored by the Children's Bureau,
Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services and involves the conduct of a cross-site
study of jurisdictions (referred to as waiver jurisdictions) approved
to operate demonstrations authorized by section 1130 of the Social
Security Act, as amended by the Child and Family Services Improvement
and Innovation Act, Public Law 112-34. The demonstrations involve
waivers of certain provisions of the foster care program authorized by
title IV-E of the Social Security Act. Child welfare agencies in waiver
jurisdictions are operating demonstrations to implement a variety of
programs and interventions that serve children and families in an
effort to improve their safety, permanency, and well-being. Each waiver
jurisdiction is required to conduct a third-party evaluation of its
demonstration.
The National Study will examine the extent to which safety,
permanency, and well-being outcomes have improved for children and
families; the characteristics of waiver jurisdictions where
improvements in outcomes have occurred; expenditure patterns and the
types of activities for which waiver jurisdictions have increased
funding; and the extent to which waiver jurisdictions have experienced
practice and systems-level changes. The National Study uses a mixed-
method approach to examine 25 waiver jurisdictions (including 23
states, the District of Columbia and one tribal government) with Terms
and Conditions approved in Federal Fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014.
Proposed data collection methods are two topically-focused telephone
surveys: (a) A telephone survey of waiver jurisdiction representatives
and evaluators who are focused on measuring well-being, and (b) a
second telephone survey of waiver jurisdiction representatives and
evaluators that is focused on understanding practice and systems-level
changes within child welfare service systems. Also proposed is a Web-
based survey of waiver jurisdiction representatives and evaluators that
will look more broadly at the implementation of waiver demonstrations
and corresponding changes in child welfare policy, practice, and
financing. Data collected through these instruments will be used by the
Children's Bureau to gain an understanding of the jurisdictions'
collective experience with implementing their demonstrations.
Respondents: The respondents to the Web-based survey will be a
purposive sample of an estimated 250 waiver jurisdiction
representatives and evaluators drawn from the 25 waiver jurisdictions
with waiver demonstration
[[Page 38710]]
projects (Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York,
Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, Rhode
Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Washington DC, West
Virginia, Wisconsin). The Web-based survey will be administered once
during the National Study. The respondents to the Well-Being telephone
survey will be a purposive sample of 60 respondents identified from up
to 12 waiver jurisdictions who are involved with the assessment of
child and family well-being in their waiver jurisdictions. The Well-
Being telephone survey will be administered once during the National
Study. The respondents to the Practice and Systems-Level Change
telephone survey will be a purposive sample of 60 respondents
identified from up to 12 waiver jurisdictions who are knowledgeable
about practice, policy, and organizational changes in their respective
waiver jurisdictions. The Practice and Systems-Level Change telephone
survey will be administered once during the National Study.
Annual Burden Estimates
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Number of Average
Instrument Number of responses per burden hours Total burden
respondents respondent per response hours
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Web-Based Survey................................ 250 1 0.33 82.5
Telephone Survey: Well-Being.................... 60 1 1 60
Telephone Survey: Practice and Systems-Level 60 1 1 60
Change.........................................
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours......... .............. .............. .............. 202.5
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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 collected 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, 330 C St. 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. 2016-13999 Filed 6-13-16; 8:45 am]
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