[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 90 (Thursday, May 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22006-22008]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09581]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Proposed Projects: Reinstate and Extend Collection with
Modification--Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Post-Expenditure
Report.
Title: Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) Post-Expenditure Report.
OMB No.: 0970-0234.
Description: The purpose of this is to request approval to: (1)
Reinstate and extend the collection of post-expenditure data using the
current OMB approved Post-Expenditure Reporting form (OMB No. 0970-
0234) with modification past the current expiration date of November
30, 2017; (2) propose 8 minor additions to the current Post-Expenditure
Reporting form; and (3) to request that grantees continue to
voluntarily submit estimated pre-expenditure data using the Post-
Expenditure Reporting form, as part of the required annual Intended Use
Plan.
The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) is authorized under Title XX
of the Social Security Act, as amended, and is codified at 42 U.S.C.
1397 through 1397e. SSBG provides funds to States, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (hereinafter referred
to as States and Territories or grantees) to assist in delivering
critical services to vulnerable older adults, persons with
disabilities, at-risk adolescents and young adults, and children and
families. SSBG funds are distributed to each State and the District of
Columbia based on each State's population relative to all other States.
Distributions are made to Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin
Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands based on
the same ratio allotted to them in 1981 as compared to the total 1981
appropriation.
Each State or Territory is responsible for designing and
implementing its own use of SSBG funds to meet the specialized needs of
their most vulnerable populations. States and Territories may determine
what services will be provided, who will be eligible, and how funds
will be distributed among the various services. State or local SSBG
agencies (i.e., county, city, regional offices) may provide the
services or grantees may purchase services from qualified agencies,
[[Page 22007]]
organizations, or individuals. States and Territories must administer
the SSBG according to their accepted Intended Use Plan, along with
amendments, and in conformance with their own implementing rules and
policies. The Office of Community Services (OCS), Administration for
Children and Families administers the SSBG.
Annually, grantees are required to submit a Pre-Expenditure Report
and Intended Use Plan as a prerequisite to receiving SSBG funds. The
Pre-Expenditure Report must include information on the types of
services to be supported and the characteristics of individuals to be
served. This report is to be submitted 30 days prior to the start of
the Fiscal Year (June 1 if the State operates on a July-June Fiscal
Year, or September 1 if the State operates on a Federal Fiscal Year).
No specific format is required for the Intended Use Plan. Grantees are
required to submit a revised Intended Use Plan and Pre-Expenditure
Report if the planned use of SSBG funds changes during the year (42
U.S.C. 1397c).
In order to provide a more accurate analysis of the extent to which
funds are spent ``in a manner consistent'' with each of the grantees'
plan for their use, as required by 42 U.S.C. 1397e (a), OCS continues
to request that States voluntarily use the format of the Post-
Expenditure Reporting form to create their Pre-Expenditure Report,
which provides estimates of the amount of expenditures and the number
of recipients, by service category, and is submitted as part of the
grantees' Intended Use Plan. Most of the States and Territories are
currently using the format of the Post-Expenditure Reporting form to
report estimated expenditures and recipients (the Pre-Expenditure
Report), by service category, as part of their Intended Use Plan.
On an annual basis, States and Territories are also required to
submit a Post-Expenditure Report that details their use of SSBG funds
in each of 29 service categories. Grantees are required to submit their
Post-Expenditure Report within six months of the end of the period
covered by the report. The Post-Expenditure Report must address (1) The
number of individuals (including number of children and number of
adults) who receive services paid for, in whole or in part, with
Federal funds under the SSBG; (2) The amount of SSBG funds spent in
providing each service; (3) The total amount of Federal, State, and
Local funds spent in providing each service, including SSBG funds; (4)
The method(s) by which each service is provided, showing separately the
services provided by public and private agencies; and (5) The criteria
applied in determining eligibility for each service such as income
eligibility guidelines, sliding scale fees, the effect of public
assistance benefits, and any requirements for enrollment in school or
training programs (45 CFR 96.74a). The Post-Expenditure Report must
also; (1) Indicate if recipient totals are actual or if the total
reported is based on estimates and/or sampled data; and (2) use its own
definition of child and adult in reporting the required data (45 CFR
96.74b).
This request seeks approval to reinstate and continue the use of
the current OMB approved Post-Expenditure Reporting form (OMB No. 0970-
0234) with modification, for estimating expenditures and recipients as
part of States'/Territories' Pre-Expenditure Reports and for annual
Post-Expenditure Reporting. The proposed modifications seek to
consolidate information that would be stored or transmitted elsewhere
into the singular reporting form to allow OCS to better analyze and
provide guidance to improve States efficiency in grant administration.
These modifications address the regulations 42 U.S.C. 1397e and 45 CFR
96.74 cited above by providing space on the Post-Expenditure form to
indicate the required information.
Beginning in 2013, States completed the current reporting form on
the SSBG Portal. The SSBG Portal is a secure web-based data portal. The
SSBG Portal allows for more efficient data submission without
increasing the overall burden on States. Until recently, Territories
reported the data on the Post-Expenditure Reporting form in Microsoft
Excel and submitted it to ACF, via email or posted mail. In 2017,
Territories can complete the current reporting form on the SSBG Portal.
The SSBG Portal provides a user-friendly means for States and
Territories to submit and access their Pre-Expenditure and Post-
Expenditure and Recipient Data.
Information collected in the Post-Expenditure Reports submitted by
States and Territories is analyzed and described in an annual report on
SSBG expenditures and recipients produced by the Office of Community
Services (OCS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The
information contained in this report is used for grant planning and
management. The data establishes how SSBG funding is used for the
provision of services in each State or Territory.
The data is also analyzed to determine the performance of States
and Territories in meeting the SSBG performance measures developed to
meet the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of
1993 (GPRA), as amended by the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 [Pub. L.
11-352; 31 U.S.C 1115(b)(10)]. GPRA requires all Federal agencies to
develop measurable performance goals.
The SSBG currently has an administrative costs efficiency measure
which is intended to decrease the percentage of SSBG funds identified
as administrative costs in the Post-Expenditure Reports [U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children
and Families, Office of Community Services. (2007, June). Implementing
a new performance measure to enhance efficiency (Information Memorandum
Transmittal No. 04-2007). Available from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/resource/implementing-a-new-performance-measure-to-enhance-efficiency].
The SSBG also implements a performance measure designed to ensure that
SSBG funds are spent effectively and efficiently while maintaining the
intrinsic flexibility of the SSBG as a block grant. The performance
measure assesses the degree to which States and Territories spend SSBG
funds in a manner consistent with their intended use, as required by
Federal law [42 U.S.C. 1397e(a); U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community
Services. (2012, February). Implementation of a new performance measure
(Information Memorandum Transmittal No. 01-2012). Available from
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/resource/implementation-of-a-new-performance-measure]. It will be used to determine how well grantees
are doing overall in minimizing variance between projected and actual
expenditures of SSBG funds. This program measure began implementation
with FY 2013 data and remains ongoing.
Respondents: The Post-Expenditure Reporting form and Pre-
Expenditure Report are completed once annually by a representative of
the agency that administers the Social Services Block Grant at the
State or Territory level. Respondents include the 50 States, the
District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as the territories of
American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of
Northern Mariana Islands.
[[Page 22008]]
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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Post-Expenditure Reporting Form................. 56 1 110 6,160
Use of Post-Expenditure Reporting Form as Part 56 1 2 112
of the Intended Use Plan.......................
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 6,272.
In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chap 35), 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, 330 C Street SW.,
Washington DC 20201. 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. 2017-09581 Filed 5-10-17; 8:45 am]
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