83 FR 55719 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 216 (November 7, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 7, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55719-55720]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24347]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Title: Information Collection for HHS Certification of Foreign 
Adult Victims of Human Trafficking.
    OMB No.: 0970-0454.
    Description: The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Public Law 
106-386 (TVPA) requires the Department of Health and Human Services 
(HHS) to certify adult alien (``foreign'') victims of severe forms of 
trafficking in persons (``human trafficking'') who are willing to 
assist law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of human 
trafficking, unless unable to cooperate due to physical or 
psychological trauma, and who have either made a bona fide application 
for T nonimmigrant status that has not been denied or been granted 
Continued Presence (CP) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS). The Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) within the HHS 
Administration for Children and Families issues HHS Adult Certification 
Letters that grant adult foreign victims of human trafficking 
eligibility for federal and state benefits and services to the same 
extent as refugees.
    In general, OTIP initiates the certification process when it 
receives a notice from DHS that DHS has granted a foreign victim of 
trafficking CP or T nonimmigrant status, or has determined an 
application for T nonimmigrant status is bona fide. To issue HHS Adult 
Certification Letters, it is necessary for OTIP to collect information 
from a victim, or a victim's representative, such as an attorney, case 
manager, or law enforcement victim specialist, including an address to 
send the HHS Certification Letter.
    OTIP will ask if the victim is in need of a case management 
services and the current location (city, state) of the victim, and 
refer the victim to an appropriate service provider in his or her area, 
if requested. OTIP will also ask about the victim's primary language 
and urgent concerns, such as medical care or housing, and transmit this 
information to the service provider with the victim's consent.
    Finally, OTIP reports information on victim certification to 
provide to Congress in an annual report on U.S. Government activities 
to combat trafficking that is prepared by the U.S. Department of 
Justice. Congress requires HHS and other appropriate Federal agencies 
to report information on the number of persons who received benefits or 
other services under subsections (b) and (f) of section 7105 of Title 
22 of the U.S. Code in connection with programs or activities funded or 
administered by HHS. HHS may include in these annual reports additional 
aggregate information that it collects about the victims when assisting 
each victim to obtain HHS Certification.
    OTIP developed the form to facilitate the submission of consistent 
information and improve program reporting. The trafficking victim or 
his or her representative may submit the completed form, which we 
recommend be done via password-protected email or encryption, to OTIP 
for the purpose of issuing a Certification Letter. OTIP will store this 
information in OTIP's secure database for no longer than 10 years, at

[[Page 55720]]

which time it will be destroyed, unless required for business use by 
HHS. Other details maintained in the victim's file may include OTIP 
staff actions, referrals, and notes regarding the victim's interest in 
receiving services. Maintaining victim records within OTIP's database 
will ensure efficient service delivery for victims, allow OTIP staff to 
track victims' progress toward certification, verify eligibility for 
benefits, and organize information for reporting aggregate data to 
Congress.
    Respondents: Nongovernmental entities providing social or legal 
services, or victim/survivors of trafficking may use this form to 
submit a request for certification. The use of this form is optional; 
the victim or his/her representative has the option to make a request 
for certification via telephone or email.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Number of      Average burden
                 Instrument                      Number of      responses per      hours per       Total burden
                                                respondents       respondent        response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HHS Certification Instrument................             800                1               .5              400
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 400.

Additional Information

    Copies of the proposed collection may be obtained by writing to the 
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research 
and Evaluation, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201. Attention 
Reports Clearance Officer. All requests should be identified by the 
title of the information collection. Email address: 
[email protected].

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, Email: 
[email protected], Attn: Desk Officer for the Administration 
for Children and Families.

Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-24347 Filed 11-6-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-01-P