2018-14037. Proposed Information Collection Activity

AGENCY:

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation; ACF; HHS.

ACTION:

Request for Public Comment.

TITLE:

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Data Innovations (TDI) Project (New Collection).

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposes to collect information as part of the TANF Data Innovations (TDI) project. TDI is an investment to expand the integration, analysis, and use of TANF data to improve program administration, payment integrity, and outcomes for participants.

TDI will start by assessing the needs and readiness of TANF agencies across the country to set up and operate data systems to support program improvement. A key goal of the needs assessment is to help categorize states' readiness to effectively use data and produce evidence. Informed by this assessment and discussions with key stakeholders, TDI will support a broad learning collaborative of state agencies and other entities related to the TANF program, including a range of Technical Assistance (TA) options to help states improve their use of TANF and other program data.

This information collection request will consist of a needs assessment survey to be completed by state TANF agency administrators and staff to gather detailed information about their capacities and needs. These data will help HHS to better understand the challenges and barriers states face in using data and research to inform program decision-making, and they will help the TDI team design future technical assistance activities for TANF agencies to address states' challenges.

Respondents: State TANF Administrators and TANF agency staff. We expect four respondents per state or territory.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument	Total/annual number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Annual burden hours
Needs Assessment Survey	216	2	0.25	108

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 108.

DATES:

Comments due within 60 days of publication. 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.

ADDRESSES:

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 Planning, Research, and Evaluation, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer. Email address: [e-mail]. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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.

Authority: Sec. 413, Pub. L. 115-31.

Mary B. Jones,

ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.