[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 58 (Wednesday, March 26, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14431-14432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7618]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Request for Comments on the Development of Minimum Tribal Child
Care Standards
AGENCY: Administration on Children, Youth and Families, ACF, DHHS.
ACTION: Request for comments on the development of minimum child care
standards applicable to Indian Tribes and tribal organizations
receiving Federal assistance under the Child Care and Development Fund.
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SUMMARY: the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-193) requires the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to develop minimum child care standards for
Tribes and tribal organizations receiving funds under the Child Care
and Development Fund. The Act requires that the standards be developed
in consultation with Indian Tribes and tribal organizations and
appropriately reflect the Tribes needs and available resources.
The Child Care Bureau has the responsibility to implement this
legislation. As part of the consultation process, the Child Care Bureau
is requesting comments on the development of minimum tribal child care
standards.
This process provides an opportunity for Tribes to provide comment
on areas that reflect the unique situations relevant to Tribes and
tribal organizations. Tribal input will enable the Department to
identify resources or standards that may be helpful to consider in
developing tribal standards; identify challenges that Tribes face in
meeting the existing health and safety requirements and to identify
procedures for Tribes to assure that children are properly immunized.
In addition, Tribes can be a source of information regarding tribal
child care licensing processes and identifying any barriers that Tribes
encounter in implementing and/or enforcing child care standards.
DATES: The Department invites comments from Indian Tribes and tribal
organizations on the development of minimum Tribal child care
standards. Written comments must be received on or before May 27, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed (facsimile transmissions will not
be accepted) to the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families,
Attention: Child Care Bureau, Hubert Humphrey Building, Room 320-F, 200
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201 or delivered to that
address between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on regular business days. Comments
received may be inspected during the same hours by making arrangements
with the contact person shown below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Moniquin Huggins, Child Care Bureau, Hubert Humphrey Building, Room
320F, 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201, telephone
(202) 690-8490.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act
(the Act) of 1996 made major changes to the Federal child care
assistance program. The Act repealed three title IV-A programs of the
Social Security Act: AFDC Child Care, Transitional Child Care and At-
Risk Child Care and amended the Child Care and Development Block Grant.
In addition, the Act amended section 418 of the Social Security Act to
provide new Federal child care funds and transfers these funds to the
Lead Agency under the amended Child Care and Development Block Grant
Act. The combined funds under the CCDBG have been renamed the Child
Care and Development Fund.
The Child Care and Development Fund assists States, Territories and
Tribes in providing child care services to children from low-income
families who need child care either because a parent is working or
attending a training or educational program.
The Act amended the CCDBG to require Grantees to certify that they
have in effect licensing requirements applicable to child care services
provided within the State, and to provide a detailed description of
those requirements and of how they are effectively enforced.
Grantee must certify that there are in effect within the State,
under State or local law, requirements designed to protect the health
and safety of children that are applicable to child care providers that
provide services for which assistance is made available under the Child
Care and Development Fund. Such requirements shall include:
(1) The prevention and control of infectious disease (including
immunizations);
(2) Building and physical premises safety; and
(3) Minimum health and safety training appropriate to the provider
setting.
[[Page 14432]]
In addition, for Indian Tribes and tribal organizations the Act
requires that ``in lieu of any licensing and regulatory requirements
applicable under State and local law, the Secretary, in consultation
with Indian Tribes and tribal organizations, shall develop minimum
child care standards (that appropriately reflect tribal needs and
available resources) that shall be applicable to Indian Tribes and
tribal organizations receiving assistance under the Child Care and
Development Fund''.
Purpose
The purpose of this Federal Register Notice is to seek input on the
development of minimum tribal child care standards. This Federal
Register Notice will serve as one means of consulting with the Tribes
and tribal organizations on the development of such standards.
Tribes for the most part have been faced with the challenge of
using a variety of methods to address the health and safety of children
in their child care programs. These methods have including adopting
State standards and/or using a combination of State and Tribal
standards. With the number of children in tribal child care programs
expected to increase as more parents enter the workforce, the need for
minimum standards that reflect the particular needs and situations of
Tribes is vital.
The development of minimum Tribal child care standards will enhance
the Tribes' ability to implement standards that address the varying
needs and available resources of tribal communities and to assure that
children are healthy and safe.
Dated: March 20, 1997.
Bob Sargis,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-7618 Filed 3-25-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M
