81 FR 38709 - Proposed Information Collection Activity: Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERICES
Administration for Children and Families

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 114 (June 14, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38709-38710]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13999]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity: Comment Request

Proposed Projects

    Title: National Study of Title IV-E Child Welfare Waiver 
Demonstrations.
    OMB No.: New Collection.
    Description: The National Study of the Title IV-E Child Welfare 
Waiver Demonstrations is sponsored by the Children's Bureau, 
Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of 
Health and Human Services and involves the conduct of a cross-site 
study of jurisdictions (referred to as waiver jurisdictions) approved 
to operate demonstrations authorized by section 1130 of the Social 
Security Act, as amended by the Child and Family Services Improvement 
and Innovation Act, Public Law 112-34. The demonstrations involve 
waivers of certain provisions of the foster care program authorized by 
title IV-E of the Social Security Act. Child welfare agencies in waiver 
jurisdictions are operating demonstrations to implement a variety of 
programs and interventions that serve children and families in an 
effort to improve their safety, permanency, and well-being. Each waiver 
jurisdiction is required to conduct a third-party evaluation of its 
demonstration.
    The National Study will examine the extent to which safety, 
permanency, and well-being outcomes have improved for children and 
families; the characteristics of waiver jurisdictions where 
improvements in outcomes have occurred; expenditure patterns and the 
types of activities for which waiver jurisdictions have increased 
funding; and the extent to which waiver jurisdictions have experienced 
practice and systems-level changes. The National Study uses a mixed-
method approach to examine 25 waiver jurisdictions (including 23 
states, the District of Columbia and one tribal government) with Terms 
and Conditions approved in Federal Fiscal years 2012, 2013, and 2014. 
Proposed data collection methods are two topically-focused telephone 
surveys: (a) A telephone survey of waiver jurisdiction representatives 
and evaluators who are focused on measuring well-being, and (b) a 
second telephone survey of waiver jurisdiction representatives and 
evaluators that is focused on understanding practice and systems-level 
changes within child welfare service systems. Also proposed is a Web-
based survey of waiver jurisdiction representatives and evaluators that 
will look more broadly at the implementation of waiver demonstrations 
and corresponding changes in child welfare policy, practice, and 
financing. Data collected through these instruments will be used by the 
Children's Bureau to gain an understanding of the jurisdictions' 
collective experience with implementing their demonstrations.
    Respondents: The respondents to the Web-based survey will be a 
purposive sample of an estimated 250 waiver jurisdiction 
representatives and evaluators drawn from the 25 waiver jurisdictions 
with waiver demonstration

[[Page 38710]]

projects (Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, 
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, 
Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, Rhode 
Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Washington DC, West 
Virginia, Wisconsin). The Web-based survey will be administered once 
during the National Study. The respondents to the Well-Being telephone 
survey will be a purposive sample of 60 respondents identified from up 
to 12 waiver jurisdictions who are involved with the assessment of 
child and family well-being in their waiver jurisdictions. The Well-
Being telephone survey will be administered once during the National 
Study. The respondents to the Practice and Systems-Level Change 
telephone survey will be a purposive sample of 60 respondents 
identified from up to 12 waiver jurisdictions who are knowledgeable 
about practice, policy, and organizational changes in their respective 
waiver jurisdictions. The Practice and Systems-Level Change telephone 
survey will be administered once during the National Study.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of        Average
                   Instrument                        Number of     responses per   burden hours    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent     per response        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Web-Based Survey................................             250               1            0.33            82.5
Telephone Survey: Well-Being....................              60               1               1              60
Telephone Survey: Practice and Systems-Level                  60               1               1              60
 Change.........................................
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours.........  ..............  ..............  ..............           202.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In compliance with the requirements of section 506(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 collected 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, 330 C St. SW., Washington, DC 20447, 
Attn: ACF 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.

Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-13999 Filed 6-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-01-P