[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29789-29790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13604]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Agency Recordkeeping/Reporting Requirements Under Emergency
Review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Title: Information Collection for HHS Certification of Foreign
Adult Victims of Human Trafficking.
OMB No.: 0970-0454.
Description: The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Public Law
106-386 (TVPA) 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). The Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) within the HHS
Administration for Children and Families issues HHS Certification
Letters that grant adult foreign victims of human trafficking
eligibility for federal and state benefits and services to the same
extent as refugees.
In general, OTIP 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 HHS
Certification Letters, it is necessary for OTIP to collect information
from a victim, or a victim's representative, such as an attorney, case
manager, or law enforcement victim specialist, including an address to
send the HHS Certification Letter.
OTIP will ask if the victim is in need of case management services
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. OTIP will also ask about the victim's primary language and
urgent concerns, such as medical care or housing, and transmit this
information to the service provider with the victim's consent.
Finally, OTIP reports information on victim certification 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 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 in connection with programs or activities funded or
administered by HHS. HHS may include in these annual reports additional
aggregate information that it collects about the victims when assisting
each victim to obtain HHS Certification.
OTIP developed the form to facilitate the submission of consistent
information and improve program reporting. The trafficking victim or
his or her representative may submit the completed form, which we
recommend be done via password-protected email or encryption, to OTIP
for the purpose of issuing a Certification Letter. OTIP will store this
information in OTIP's secure database for no longer than 10 years, at
which time it will be destroyed, unless required for business use by
HHS. Other details maintained in the victim's file may include OTIP
staff actions, referrals, and notes regarding the victim's interest in
receiving services. Maintaining victim records within OTIP's database
will ensure efficient service delivery for victims, allow OTIP staff to
track victims' progress toward certification, verify eligibility for
benefits, and organize information for reporting aggregate data to
Congress.
Respondents: Nongovernmental entities providing social or legal
services, or victim/survivors of trafficking may use this form to
submit a request for certification. The use of this form is optional;
the victim or his/her representative has the option to make a request
for certification via telephone or email.
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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HHS Certification Instrument................ 800 1 .5 400
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 400.
Additional Information: ACF is requesting that OMB grant a 180 day
approval for this information collection under procedures for emergency
processing by JUNE 22, 2018. A copy of this information collection,
with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling
the Administration for Children and Families, Reports Clearance
Officer, Robert Sargis at (202) 690-7275.
Comments and questions about the information collection described
above should be directed to the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for ACF, Office of Management and
Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, 725 17th Street NW,
[[Page 29790]]
Washington, DC 20503; FAX: (202) 395-7285; email:
[email protected].
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-13604 Filed 6-25-18; 8:45 am]
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