80 FR 10695 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 39 (February 27, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10695-10696]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-04101]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

    Title: Understanding the Intersection Between TANF and Refugee Cash 
Assistance Services.
    OMB No.: New Collection.
    Description: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is proposing data 
collection activities as part of a project to understand the 
intersection between Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and 
Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA). The goal of this project is to help ACF 
better understand how the variety of systems that assist refugees 
collaborate to promote common goals of self-sufficiency and employment, 
and how refugees' experiences might differ depending on the structure 
of the state (or local) program arrangements. To achieve this goal, 
this study aims to document what states are doing to help refugees gain 
self-sufficiency; if and how states are integrating RCA, TANF, and 
associated services to better meet the needs of refugees; and what data 
is collected currently, or might be collected in the future, to better 
understand refugee resettlement services and suggest future areas for 
inquiry.
    The proposed data collection activities described in this notice 
will collect data about state policies and practices; how TANF, RCA, 
and associated services are provided; the respective roles of the 
various agencies and organizations in serving participants; how the 
agencies and organizations integrate services internally and/or 
collaborate with other organizations; refugee populations served; 
approaches to addressing the particular barriers refugees face; 
promising practices and strategies for assisting refugees; gaps in 
services; local labor market conditions; and experiences of refugees 
accessing services through these programs.
    The proposed information collection activities include:
    (1) The survey of state refugee coordinators will be administered 
to state refugee coordinators in each state and the District of 
Columbia. The survey will collect information about state policies and 
practices.
    (2) The four site visit interview guides will collect information 
about how TANF, RCA, and associated services are provided; the 
respective roles of the various agencies and organizations in serving 
participants; how the agencies and organizations integrate services 
internally and/or collaborate with other organizations; approaches to 
addressing the particular barriers refugees face; promising practices 
and strategies for assisting refugees; gaps in services; data 
maintained by programs serving refugees; and local labor market 
conditions.
    (3) The focus group guide will collect information from program 
participants about the services they received how they were delivered, 
their experiences attempting to achieve self--sufficiency within a 
rapid timeframe, and the challenges they have faced.
    Respondents: Individuals receiving RCA, TANF, and related services; 
State Refugee Coordinators; Managers and staff at local TANF offices; 
local resettlement agency staff; community-based organization staff 
providing services to refugees; staff operating alternative cash 
assistance programs for refugees such as Public/Private Partnerships(s) 
and Wilson/Fish programs (if different from the local resettlement 
agency); and staff from other programs providing employability and 
social adjustment and cultural orientation services to refugees.

[[Page 10696]]



                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of    Average burden
           Instrument              Total number    Annual number   responses per     hours per     Annual burden
                                  of respondents  of respondents    respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Survey of State Refugee                       50              25               1              .5              13
 Coordinators...................
Site Visit Interview Guide for                40              20               1             1.5              30
 Public Agency Temporary
 Assistance for Needy Families
 Managers and Staff.............
Site Visit Interview Guide for                40              20               1             1.5              30
 Public Agency Refugee Cash
 Assistance Managers and Staff..
Site Visit Interview Guide for                40              20               1             1.5              30
 Voluntary Agency Staff.........
Site Visit Interview Guide for                40              20               1             1.5              30
 Other Community- Based
 Organization Staff.............
Focus Group Guide...............              72              36               1             1.5              54
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 187.
    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 
Planning, Research and Evaluation, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., 
Washington, DC 20447, Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer. Email 
address: [email protected]. 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.

Karl Koerper,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-04101 Filed 2-26-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-07-P