E8-16180. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

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

OMB No.: 0970-0159.

Description: 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, forty-two 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 for 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 Governments.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument	Number of responses	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Total burden hours
Review	1	1	200	200

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 200.

Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collection may be obtained by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Administration, Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACE Reports Clearance Officer. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection. E-mail address: [e-mail].

OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning the collection of information between 30 and 60 days after publication of this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent directly to the following: Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Fax: [phone], Attn: Desk Officer for the Administration for Children and Families.

Dated: July 10, 2008.

Janean Chambers,

Reports Clearance Officer.