08-96. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Projects

Title: Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) Assessment Review Guide (SARGE).

OMB No.: 0970-0159.

Description: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cannot fulfill its obligation to effectively serve the nation's adoption and foster care populations, nor report meaningful and reliable information to Congress about the extent of problems facing these children or the effectiveness of assistance provided to this population, without access to timely and accurate information. Currently, SACWIS support State efforts to meet the following Federal reporting requirements: The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) required by section 479(b)(2) of the Social Security Act; the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS); Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA); and the Chafee Independent Living Program. These systems also support State efforts to provide the information to conduct the Child and Family Service Reviews. Currently, 42 States and the District of Columbia have developed, or are developing, a SACWIS with Federal financial participation. The purpose of these reviews is to ensure that all aspects of the project, as described in the approved Advance Planning Document, have been adequately completed, and conform to applicable regulations and policies.

To initiate a review, States will submit the completed SACWIS Assessment Review Guide (SARGE) and other documentation at the point that they have completed system development and the system is operational statewide. The additional documents submitted as part of this process should all be readily available to the State as a result of good project management practices.

The information collected in the SACWIS Assessment Review Guide will allow State and Federal officials to determine if the State's SACWIS meets the requirements of title IV-E Federal Financial Participation (FFP) defined at 45 CFR 1355.50. Additionally, other States will be able to use the documentation provided as part of this review process in their own system development efforts.

Respondents: State Title IV-E Agencies.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument	Number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Total burden hours
SACWIS Assessment Review Guide (SARGE)	3	1	250	750

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 750.

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, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 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: January 8, 2008.

Janean Chambers,

Reports Clearance Officer.