[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 190 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 52739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26274]



[[Page 52739]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Project

    Title: Grants to States for Access and Visitation--Program Data.
    OMB No.: New.
    Description: As required by Paragraphs 303.109(a), (b) and (c) of 
the PRWORA Act, States are directed to monitor and evaluate their 
access and visitation programs using a set of criteria aimed at 
providing detailed descriptions of each funded program. To that end, 
States will use collection techniques available to the Administration 
for Children and Families and the Office of Child Support Enforcement.
    Specifically, paragraph (a) requires States to monitor all access 
and visitation program to ensure that services funded under these 
programs are: (1) authorized under section 469B(a) of the Act and (2) 
efficiently and effectively provided while complying with reporting and 
evaluation requirements, as set forth in paragraphs 303.109(b) and 
303.109(c).
    Paragraph 303.109(b) allows State programs funded by section 469B 
of the act to be evaluated using data gathered to measure the 
effectiveness of program operations. States also are required to assist 
in the evaluation of programs deemed significant or promising by the 
Department, as directed by program memorandum.
    Paragraph 303-109(c) requires that States provide a detailed 
description of each funded program by including such information as: 
service providers and administrators, service area, population served, 
program goals, application or referral process, referral agencies, 
nature of the program, activities provided, and length and features of 
a ``completed'' program. Other required information from the program 
also includes: number of applicants or referrals for each program, the 
number of program participants in the aggregate an by eligible 
activity, and the total number of graduates in the aggregate and by 
eligible activities (e.g., mediation, education etc.). This information 
is proposed in order to assess: (1) The demand for the program and 
effectiveness of outreach and ability of the program to meet demand, 
(2) the service population served and scope and size of the program, 
and (3) whether such recipients are completing standard program 
requirements. States would be required to report this information 
annually, collected at a date and in a form as the Secretary may 
prescribe in program instructions from time to time.
    The Office of Child Support Enforcement will use information 
gathered from the data collection instrument to report on the programs 
to the Congress in its annual report. States may use this information 
to assess demand for an utilization of their programs when considering 
funding options and make appropriate program changes from year to year. 
Funded agencies will use the information to assess effectiveness of 
project administration and design. Public interest groups will use the 
information to keep apprised services provided to constituencies.
    Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Annual Burden Estimates:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Number of      Average burden
                 Instrument                      Number of      responses per      hours per       Total burden
                                                respondents       respondent        response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Access and Visitation.......................             216                1               24            5,184
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 5,184.

    In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(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 Information Services, Division of 
Information Resource Management Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W.; 
Washington, D.C. 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. 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.

    Dated: September 25, 1998.
Bob Sargis,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-26274 Filed 9-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M