[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
