81 FR 41310 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 122 (June 24, 2016)
Administration for Children and Families
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 122 (June 24, 2016)
| Page Range | 41310-41312 | |
| FR Document | 2016-15010 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 122 (Friday, June 24, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 41310-41312] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-15010] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request Proposed Projects: Regional Partnership Grants To Increase the Well-Being of and To Improve Permanency Outcomes for Children Affected by Substance Abuse Cross-Site Evaluation and Evaluation-Related Technical Assistance and Evaluation-Related Technical Assistance and Data Collection Support for Regional Partnership Grant Program Round Three Sites Title: RPG National Cross-Site Evaluation and Evaluation Technical Assistance OMB No.: 0970-0444 Description: The Children's Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services seeks a renewal of clearance to collect information for the Regional Partnership Grants to Increase the Well-being of and to Improve Permanency Outcomes for Children Affected by Substance Abuse Cross-Site Evaluation and Evaluation-Related Technical Assistance and Evaluation-Related Technical Assistance and Data Collection Support for Regional Partnership Grant Program Round Three Sites or ``RPG'' projects. Under RPG, the Children's Bureau has issued 21 grants to organizations such as child welfare or substance abuse treatment providers or family court systems to develop interagency collaborations and integration of programs, activities, and services designed to increase well-being, improve permanency, and enhance the safety of children who are in an out-of-home placement or are at risk of being placed in out-of-home care as a result of a parent's or caretaker's substance use dependence. The Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (Pub. L. 112-34) includes a targeted grants program (section 437(f) of the Social Security Act) that directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to reserve a specified portion of the appropriation for these Regional Partnership Grants, to be used to improve the well-being of children affected by substance abuse. The overall objective of the Cross-Site Evaluation and Technical Assistance projects (the RPG Cross-Site Evaluation) is to plan, develop, and implement a rigorous national cross-site evaluation of the RPG Grant Program, provide legislatively-mandated performance measurement, furnish evaluation-related technical assistance to the grantees in order to improve the quality and rigor of their local evaluations, and support their participation in the cross-site evaluation. The project will evaluate the programs and activities conducted through the RPG Program. The evaluation is being undertaken by the Children's Bureau and its contractor Mathematica Policy Research. The evaluation is being implemented by Mathematica Policy Research and its subcontractors, WRMA, Inc., and Synergy Enterprises. The RPG Cross-Site Evaluation includes the following components: 1. Implementation and Partnership Study. The RPG cross-site implementation and partnership study will contribute to building the knowledge base about effective implementation strategies by examining the process of implementation in the 21 RPG projects, with a focus on factors shown in the research literature to be associated with quality implementation of evidence-based programs. This component of the study describes the RPG projects' target populations, selected interventions and their fit with the target populations, inputs to implementation, and actual services provided (including dosage, duration, content, adherence to curricula, and participant responsiveness). It examines the key attributes of the regional partnerships that grantees develop (for example, partnerships among child welfare and substance abuse treatment providers, social services, and family courts). It describes the characteristics and roles of the partner organizations, the extent of coordination and collaboration, and their potential to sustain the partnerships after the grant ends. Key data collection activities of the implementation and partnership study are: (1) Conducting site visits during which researchers interview RPG program directors, managers, supervisors, and frontline staff who work directly with families; (2) administering a survey to frontline staff involved in providing direct services to children, adults, and families; (3) asking grantees to provide information about implementation and their partnerships as part of their federally required semi-annual progress reports; (4) obtaining [[Page 41311]] service use data from grantees, enrollment date and demographics of enrollees, exit date and reason, and service participation, which are entered into a web-based system operated by Mathematica Policy Research and its subcontractors; and (5) administering a survey to representatives of the partner organizations. 2. Outcomes Study. The goal of the outcomes study is to describe the changes that occur in children and families who participate in the RPG programs. This study will describe participant outcomes in five domains: (1) Child well-being, (2) family functioning/stability, (3) adult recovery from substance use disorder, (4) child permanency, and (5) child safety. Two main types of outcome data will be used--both of which are being collected by RPG grantees: (1) Administrative child welfare and adult substance abuse treatment records and (2) standardized instruments administered to the parents and/or caregivers. The Children's Bureau is requiring grantees to obtain and report specified administrative records, and to use a prescribed set of standardized instruments. Grantees will provide these data to the cross-site evaluation team twice a year by uploading them to a data system operated by Mathematica Policy Research and its subcontractors. 3. Impact Study. The goal of the impact study is to assess the impact of the RPG interventions on child, adult, and family outcomes by comparing outcomes for people enrolled in RPG services to those in comparison groups, such as people who do not receive RPG services or receive only a subset of the services. The impact study will use demographic and outcome data on both program (treatment) and comparison groups from a subset of grantees with appropriate local evaluation designs such as randomized controlled trials or strong quasi- experimental designs; 5 of the 21 grantees have such designs. Site- specific impacts will be estimated for these five grantees. Aggregated impact estimates will be created by pooling impact estimates across appropriate sites to obtain a more powerful summary of the effectiveness of RPG interventions. In addition to conducting local evaluations and participating in the RPG Cross-Site Evaluation, the RPG grantees are legislatively required to report performance indicators aligned with their proposed program strategies and activities. A key strategy of the RPG Cross-Site Evaluation is to minimize burden on the grantees by ensuring that the cross-site evaluation, which includes all grantees in a study that collects data to report on implementation, the partnerships, and participant characteristics and outcomes, fully meets the need for performance reporting. Thus, rather than collecting separate evaluation and performance indicator data, the grantees need only participate in the cross-site evaluation. In addition, using the standardized instruments that the Children's Bureau has specified will ensure that grantees have valid and reliable data on child and family outcomes for their local evaluations. The inclusion of an impact study conducted on a subset of grantees with rigorous designs will also provide the Children's Bureau, Congress, grantees, providers, and researchers with information about the effectiveness of RPG programs. This 60-Day Notice covers the following data collection activities: (1) The site visits with grantees; (2) the web-based survey of frontline staff who provide direct services to children, adults, and families, and their supervisors; (3) the semi-annual progress reports; (4) enrollment and service data provided by grantees; (5) the web-based survey of grantee partners; and (6) outcome data provided by grantees. Respondents. Respondents include grantee staff or contractors (such as local evaluators) and partner staff. Specific types of respondents and the expected number per data collection effort are noted in the burden table below. Annual Burden Estimates ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Number of responses per Average burden Total annual Instrument respondents respondent hours per burden hours each year response ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Program director individual interview........... 4 0.33 2 2.67 Program manager/supervisor group interview...... 36 0.33 2 24 Program manager/supervisor individual interviews 24 0.33 1 8 Frontline staff individual interviews........... 24 0.33 1 8 Semi-annual progress reports.................... 21 2.67 16.5 924 Case enrollment data............................ 63 30 0.25 472.5 Service log entries............................. 126 780 0.05 4,914 Staff survey.................................... 80 0.33 0.42 11.2 Partner survey.................................. 80 0.33 0.33 8.8 Obtain access to administrative data............ 21 1 42.7 896.7 Report administrative data...................... 21 2.67 144 8,064 Enter data into local database.................. 21 2.67 112.5 6,300 Review records and submit electronically........ 21 2.67 100 5,600 Data entry for comparison study sites (5 5 0.33 .25 361.6 grantees)...................................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Estimated Total Burden Hours: 27,595. In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Children's Bureau within 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 Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, 330 C Street SW., Washington DC 20416, 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 [[Page 41312]] 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. 2016-15010 Filed 6-23-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
![41310 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 122 / Friday, June 24, 2016 / Notices
Administration in fulfilling ACF’s Chief Dated: June 20, 2016. improve the well-being of children
Financial Officer (CFO) and Federal Mark H. Greenberg, affected by substance abuse. The overall
Manager’s Financial (FMFIA) Management Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and objective of the Cross-Site Evaluation
Control Officer responsibilities, including Families. and Technical Assistance projects (the
preparation of the CFO 5-Year Plan; performs [FR Doc. 2016–14981 Filed 6–23–16; 8:45 am] RPG Cross-Site Evaluation) is to plan,
audit oversight and liaison activities, develop, and implement a rigorous
BILLING CODE 4184–34–P
including preparing reports to Congress, national cross-site evaluation of the RPG
Office of the General Counsel, and the Office Grant Program, provide legislatively-
of the Inspector General. OFS writes/ DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND mandated performance measurement,
interprets financial policy and researches furnish evaluation-related technical
HUMAN SERVICES
appropriation law issues; oversees and assistance to the grantees in order to
coordinates ACF’s FMFIA activities; Administration for Children and improve the quality and rigor of their
performs debt management functions; Families local evaluations, and support their
develops and administers quality assurance, participation in the cross-site
training, and certification programs for grants Proposed Information Collection evaluation. The project will evaluate the
management; and is responsible for the Activity; Comment Request programs and activities conducted
annual preparation and audit of ACF’s
Proposed Projects: Regional through the RPG Program. The
financial statement requirements.
Partnership Grants To Increase the Well- evaluation is being undertaken by the
The Office develops/interprets internal
Being of and To Improve Permanency Children’s Bureau and its contractor
policies and procedures for ACF components
Outcomes for Children Affected by Mathematica Policy Research. The
and coordinates the management of ACF’s
Substance Abuse Cross-Site Evaluation evaluation is being implemented by
interagency agreement activities. The Office
provides agency-wide guidance to program and Evaluation-Related Technical Mathematica Policy Research and its
and regional office staff on grant-related Assistance and Evaluation-Related subcontractors, WRMA, Inc., and
Synergy Enterprises.
issues, including developing and interpreting Technical Assistance and Data
The RPG Cross-Site Evaluation
financial and grants policy, coordinating Collection Support for Regional
strategic grants planning, facilitating policy
includes the following components:
Partnership Grant Program Round Three 1. Implementation and Partnership
advisory groups, and assuring consistent Sites Study. The RPG cross-site
grant program announcements. The Office Title: RPG National Cross-Site
prepares, coordinates, and disseminates
implementation and partnership study
Evaluation and Evaluation Technical will contribute to building the
action transmittals, information memoranda, Assistance
and other policy guidance on financial and knowledge base about effective
OMB No.: 0970–0444 implementation strategies by examining
grants management issues; provides financial Description: The Children’s Bureau
and grants administration technical the process of implementation in the 21
within the Administration for Children RPG projects, with a focus on factors
assistance to ACF staff; directs and/or and Families of the U.S. Department of
coordinates management initiatives to shown in the research literature to be
Health and Human Services seeks a associated with quality implementation
improve financial administration of ACF
renewal of clearance to collect of evidence-based programs. This
mandatory and discretionary grant programs.
information for the Regional Partnership component of the study describes the
OFS develops and administers grants
management training for ACF program and
Grants to Increase the Well-being of and RPG projects’ target populations,
grants staff and administers grants to Improve Permanency Outcomes for selected interventions and their fit with
management certification for ACF grants Children Affected by Substance Abuse the target populations, inputs to
staff. Cross-Site Evaluation and Evaluation- implementation, and actual services
Related Technical Assistance and provided (including dosage, duration,
III. Continuation of Policy. Except as Evaluation-Related Technical content, adherence to curricula, and
inconsistent with this reorganization, all Assistance and Data Collection Support participant responsiveness). It examines
statements of policy and interpretations for Regional Partnership Grant Program the key attributes of the regional
with respect to organizational Round Three Sites or ‘‘RPG’’ projects. partnerships that grantees develop (for
components affected by this notice Under RPG, the Children’s Bureau has example, partnerships among child
within ACF, heretofore issued and in issued 21 grants to organizations such as welfare and substance abuse treatment
effect on this date of this reorganization child welfare or substance abuse providers, social services, and family
are continued in full force and effect. treatment providers or family court courts). It describes the characteristics
IV. Delegation of Authority. All systems to develop interagency and roles of the partner organizations,
delegations and redelegations of collaborations and integration of the extent of coordination and
authority made to officials and programs, activities, and services collaboration, and their potential to
employees of affected organizational designed to increase well-being, sustain the partnerships after the grant
components will continue in them or improve permanency, and enhance the ends. Key data collection activities of
their successors pending further safety of children who are in an out-of- the implementation and partnership
redelegations, provided they are home placement or are at risk of being study are: (1) Conducting site visits
consistent with this reorganization. placed in out-of-home care as a result of during which researchers interview RPG
a parent’s or caretaker’s substance use program directors, managers,
V. Funds, Personnel, and Equipment. dependence. The Child and Family supervisors, and frontline staff who
Transfer of organizations and functions Services Improvement and Innovation work directly with families; (2)
sradovich on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES
affected by this reorganization shall be Act (Pub. L. 112–34) includes a targeted administering a survey to frontline staff
accompanied in each instance by direct grants program (section 437(f) of the involved in providing direct services to
and support funds, positions, personnel, Social Security Act) that directs the children, adults, and families; (3) asking
records, equipment, supplies, and other Secretary of Health and Human Services grantees to provide information about
resources. to reserve a specified portion of the implementation and their partnerships
This reorganization will be effective appropriation for these Regional as part of their federally required semi-
upon date of signature. Partnership Grants, to be used to annual progress reports; (4) obtaining
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![41312 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 122 / Friday, June 24, 2016 / Notices
agency’s estimate of the burden of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On and training guidelines for caregivers
proposed collection of information; (c) September 29, 2014, President Obama serving children and youth outside the
the quality, utility, and clarity of the signed the Preventing Sex Trafficking home.
information to be collected; and (d) and Strengthening Families Act (Pub. L. The Committee will share best
ways to minimize the burden of the 113–183). The Act established a practices and recommendations with
collection of information on National Advisory Committee on the State Governors and child welfare
respondents, including through the use Sex Trafficking of Children and Youth agencies on a quarterly basis.
of automated collection techniques or in the United States to advise the The Committee shall submit an
other forms of information technology. Secretary and the Attorney General on interim report to the Secretary, Attorney
Consideration will be given to practical and general policies General, and Congress within 3 years
comments and suggestions submitted concerning the cooperation of Federal, after the establishment of the Committee
within 60 days of this publication. State, local, and tribal governments; and a final report within 4 years after
child welfare agencies; social service the establishment of the Committee.
Robert Sargis, providers; physical health and mental The Committee shall convene at least
Reports Clearance Officer. health providers; victim service twice a year. This is an unpaid position
[FR Doc. 2016–15010 Filed 6–23–16; 8:45 am] providers; State or local courts with and Committee members will not be
BILLING CODE 4184–01–P responsibility for conducting or considered employees of the Federal
supervising proceedings relating to Government other than reimbursement
child welfare or social services for of travel expenses and a per diem
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND children and their families; Federal, allowance in accordance with Federal
HUMAN SERVICES State, and local police; juvenile Government regulations.
detention centers and runaway and
Administration for Children and Dated: June 17, 2016.
homeless youth programs; schools; the
Families gaming and entertainment industry; and Mark H. Greenberg,
businesses and organizations that Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
Request for Statements of Interest
provide services to youth, on [FR Doc. 2016–14980 Filed 6–23–16; 8:45 am]
AGENCY:Administration for Children responding to sex trafficking. BILLING CODE 4184–47–P
and Families. The Secretary shall appoint members
of the Committee in consultation with
ACTION: Request for Statements of the Attorney General and National DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
Interest for the National Advisory Governors Association. At least one HUMAN SERVICES
Committee on the Trafficking of Committee member shall be a former
Children and Youth in the United sex trafficking victim and two Administration for Children and
States. Committee members shall be Governors Families
of States. Each member of the
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Preventing Committee shall be appointed for the 5- Proposed Information Collection
Sex Trafficking and Strengthening year life of the Committee. The Activity; Comment Request
Families Act of 2014, Public Law 113– Committee will advise on the Proposed Projects
183, notice is hereby given of an development and implementation of
opportunity to submit a Statement of successful interventions with children Title: TANF Quarterly Financial
Interest for the National Advisory and youth who are exposed to Report, ACF–196.
Committee on Trafficking of Children conditions that make them vulnerable OMB No.: 0970–0247.
and Youth in the United States to, or victims of, sex trafficking; and Description: This information
(Committee). The purpose of the recommendations for administrative or collection is authorized under Section
Committee is to advise the Secretary legislative changes necessary to use 411(a)(3) of the Social Security Act. This
and the Attorney General on practical programs, properties, or other resources request is for renewal of approval to use
and general policies concerning owned, operated, or funded by the the Administration for Children and
improvements to the Nation’s response Federal Government to provide safe Families’ (ACF) 196 form for periodic
to the sex trafficking of children and housing for children and youth who are financial reporting under the Temporary
youth in the United States. The sex trafficking victims. Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Committee will be composed of not The Committee shall develop two program. States participating in the
more than 21 members whose diverse tiers of recommended best practices for TANF program are required by statute to
experience and background enable them States to follow in combating the sex report financial data on a quarterly
to provide balanced points of view with trafficking of children and youth based basis. This form meets the legal
regard to carrying out the duties of the on multidisciplinary research and standard and provides essential data on
Committee. promising, evidence-based models and the use of Federal funds. Failure to
programs, including sample training collect the data would seriously
DATES: Statements of Interest must be materials, protocols, and screening tools compromise ACF’s ability to monitor
received by 5 p.m. EST, July 20, 2016. to identify victims of trafficking and program expenditures, estimate funding
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: those at risk for trafficking; needs, and to prepare budget
Contact Kate Cooper, ACF Office on multidisciplinary strategies to identify submissions required by Congress.
Trafficking in Persons, phone (202) 205– victims, manage cases, and improve Financial reporting under the TANF
sradovich on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES
4554 or email EndTrafficking@ services; sample protocols and program is governed by 45 CFR part
acf.hhs.gov. Additional information and recommendations for cross-system 265. This renewal restores columns for
the Statement of Interest Form are collaborations; criteria and guidelines reporting Emergency Contingency Fund
available at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ for safe residential placements for foster Grant expenditures.
endtrafficking/forms. children who have been sex trafficked; Respondents: TANF Agencies.
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Document Created: 2016-06-24 00:53:08
Document Modified: 2016-06-24 00:53:08
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 41310 |
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