[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 64 (Thursday, April 3, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15897-15901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-8534]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Regional Offices; Statement of Organization, Functions, and
Delegations of Authority
This Notice amends Part K of the Statement of Organization,
Functions, and Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and
Human Services (DHHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
as follows: Chapter KD, The Regional Offices of the Administration for
Children and Families (61 FR 68045), as last amended, December 26,
1996. This Notice reflects the organizational changes for Regions 8 and
9 and the reorganization for Region 4.
I. Amend Chapter KD as follows:
KD.10 Organization. Delete in its entirety and replace with the
following:
KD.10 Organization. Regions 8 and 9 are organized as follows:
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Office of the Regional Administrator (KD8A)
Office of the Regional Hub Director (KD9A)
Office of Financial Operations (KD8B and KD9B)
Office of Family Security (KD8C and KD9C)
Office of Family Supportive Services (KD8D and KD9D)
II. After the end of KD3.20 Functions (61 FR 68045, 12/26/96),
Paragraph D, and before KD5.10 Organization (60 FR 34284, 06/30/95),
insert the following:
KD 4.10 Organization. The Administration for Children and
Families, Region 4, is organized as follows:
Office of the Regional Hub Director
Office of the Deputy Regional Administrator
Division of Community Programs
Division of State Programs
KD4.20 Functions. A. The Office of the Regional Hub Director is headed
by the Hub Director who reports to the Assistant Secretary for Children
and Families through the Director, Office of Regional Operations. The
Office is responsible for the Administration for Children and Families'
key national goals and priorities. It represents ACF's regional
interests, concerns, and relationships within the Department and among
other Federal agencies and focuses on State agency culture change, more
effective partnerships, and improved customer service. With the
assistance of the executive staff, the Office of the Regional Hub
Director provides executive leadership and direction to state, county,
city, and tribal governments, as well as public and private local
grantees to ensure effective and efficient program and financial
management. It ensures that these entities conform to federal laws,
regulations, policies and procedures governing the programs, and
exercises all delegated authorities and responsibilities for oversight
of the programs.
The Office takes action to approve state plans and submits
recommendations to the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families
concerning state plan approval, where applicable. The Office
contributes to the development of national policy based on perspectives
on all ACF programs. It oversees ACF operations and the management of
ACF regional staff; coordinates activities across regional programs;
and assures that ACF goals are met and departmental and agency
initiatives are carried out. The Office alerts the Assistant Secretary
for Children and Families to problems and issues that may have
significant regional or national impact. The Office provides executive
representation for ACF in regional external communications, and serves
as ACF liaison with the HHS Regional Director, other HHS operating
divisions, other federal agencies, and public or private local
organizations representing children and families.
The Administrative staff, headed by an Executive Officer, provides
day-to-day support for regional administrative functions, including
internal ACF regional budget and financial management, performance
management, procurement, property management, internal systems,
employee relations, and training and human resource development
activities. An Information Officer within the Office serves as the
clearinghouse for responding to all media inquiries.
The Office oversees the management and coordination of the internal
automation systems in the Southeast Regional Hub, maintaining and
ensuring proper function of all servers, computers and associated
software and network capabilities, including maintaining proper
interface between ACF Region IV and Central Office systems and
networks.
B. The Office of the Deputy Regional Administrator consists of the
Deputy, a Secretary, a Special Assistant and the Grants Officer. The
Developmental Disabilities (DD) function also resides in this Office.
Developmental Disabilities staff assist states and tribes in the design
and implementation of a comprehensive and continuing plan for providing
quality services to persons with developmental disabilities. This
office also serves as a resource for information for service providers
at the regional, state and local level in the development of policies
and programs to reduce or eliminate barriers experienced by
developmentally disabled persons; and supports and encourages programs
or services to prevent developmental disabilities.
The Deputy Regional Administrator serves as the full deputy or
``alter ego'' to the Regional Hub Director, Administration for Children
and Families. The Deputy assists the Director with responsibility for
providing executive direction, leadership and coordination to all ACF
programs, financial operations and related activities in the Hub
region. The Deputy has primary responsibility for overseeing day-to-day
program operations. In the absence of the Director, the Deputy Director
acts on all matters within the jurisdiction of the Director, with full
authority.
The Grants Officer, functioning independently of all program
offices, provides program staff with expertise in the technical and
other non-programmatic areas of grants administration, and provides
appropriate internal control and checks and balances to ensure
financial integrity in all phases of the grants process.
C. The Division of Community Programs is headed by a Director who
reports to the Deputy Regional Administrator. The Division is
responsible for the ACF oversight and technical administration of the
Head Start and Runaway and Homeless Youth grants, discretionary and
formula grants funded directly from ACF to community-based grantees.
The Division provides policy guidance to county, city, town or tribal
governments and public and private organizations to assure consistent
compliance with federal requirements and the adoption of appropriate
policies and procedures. The Division performs systematic on-site
reviews of grantees to determine compliance with applicable federal
requirements, requiring correction of identified deficiencies and,
where necessary, adverse actions including defunding of dysfunctional
grantees.
The Division performs systematic fiscal reviews, makes
recommendations to the Deputy Regional Administrator and Hub Director/
RA to approve or disallow costs under the ACF discretionary grant
regulations, and makes recommendations regarding grant approval and
disapproval. The Division issues discretionary grant awards based on a
review of project objectives, budget projections, and proposed funding
levels. The Division makes recommendations on the clearance and closure
of grantee audits, paying particular attention to financial management
deficiencies that decrease the efficiency and effectiveness of program
service delivery to customers, and taking steps to monitor the
resolution of such deficiencies. The Division oversees the management
and coordination of the Head Start automation systems such as PC Cost
and Head Start Cost systems for budget analysis on Head Start refunding
applications, and to monitor grantee systems projects such as the Head
Start Program Information Report (PIR), Child Plus, Head Start
Management Tracking System and the Head Start Bulletin Board.
The Division represents the Hub Director/RA in dealing with
grantees on all matters of program policy and financial matters under
its jurisdiction, providing early warnings on problems
[[Page 15899]]
or issues that may have significant implications for ACF programs
operated by local grantees.
D. The Division of State Programs is headed by a Director who
reports to the Deputy Regional Administrator. The Division is
responsible for providing centralized management, financial management
services, and technical administration of ACF formula, block and
entitlement programs including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF), Child Care, Child Support Enforcement, Foster Care and Adoption
Assistance, Child Welfare, Family Preservation and Support Services,
and Child Abuse and Neglect.
The Division oversees the management and coordination of external
automated systems in the region, and provides data management and
statistical analysis support to all regional office components. Data
management responsibilities include the development of automated system
applications to support and enhance program, fiscal, administrative
operations, and the compilation and analysis of data on demographic and
service trends that assist in ACF monitoring and oversight
responsibilities. The Division's external systems responsibilities
include monitoring state systems projects and providing technical
assistance to states on the development and enhancement of automated
systems. The Division represents the Regional Hub Director on State
systems matters with ACF central office, states, and contractors.
The Division provides policy guidance to state, county, city, town
or tribal governments and public and private organizations to assure
consistent and uniform adherence to federal requirements governing ACF
grants. State plans are reviewed and recommendations made to the
Regional Hub Director concerning state plan approval or disapproval.
The Division provides technical assistance to entities responsible for
administering ACF grants, resolving identified problems and ensuring
adoption of appropriate procedures and practices that promote policy
compliance and program efficiency and effectiveness.
The Division provides financial management oversight for ACF grants
under its jurisdiction, reviews cost allocation plans, program
objectives, budget projections, cost estimates, and reports. The
Division performs systematic fiscal reviews and makes recommendations
to the Regional Hub Director to approve, defer, or disallow claims for
financial participation in ACF grants. As applicable, the Division
makes recommendations regarding the clearance and closure of audits,
paying particular attention to financial management deficiencies that
decrease the efficiency and effectiveness of ACF programs and closely
monitors the resolution of such deficiencies.
The Division represents the Regional Hub Director in dealing with
entities receiving ACF funding on all matters under its jurisdiction,
and in providing early warnings on problems or issues that may have
significant implications for ACF programs.
Dated: March 27, 1997.
Olivia A. Golden,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
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[FR Doc. 97-8534 Filed 4-2-97; 8:45 am]
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