Proposed Information Collection Activity; Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Form 1: Demographic and Service Utilization Data (OMB #0970-0389)

AGENCY:

Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION:

Request for public comment.

SUMMARY:

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Child Care (OCC) is requesting a 3-year extension of the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program's Form 1: Demographic and Service Utilization Data (OMB #0970-0389; expiration 6/30/2022). There are minor updates to the existing Form 1.

DATES:

Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described above.

ADDRESSES:

Copies of the proposed collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by emailing infocollection@acf.hhs.gov. Identify all requests by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description: Section 511(h)(2)(A) of Title V of the Social Security Act created the MIECHV Program and authorizes the Secretary of HHS to award grants to Indian tribes (or a consortium of Indian tribes), tribal organizations, or urban Indian organizations to conduct an early childhood home visiting program. The legislation set aside 3 percent of the total MIECHV program appropriation for grants to tribal entities. Tribal MIECHV grants, to the greatest extent practicable, are to be consistent with the requirements of the MIECHV grants to states and jurisdictions and include conducting a needs assessment and establishing quantifiable, measurable benchmarks.

ACF's OCC, in collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, awards grants for the Tribal MIECHV Program. The Tribal MIECHV grant awards support 5-year cooperative agreements to conduct community needs assessments; plan for and implement high-quality, culturally relevant, evidence-based home visiting programs in at-risk tribal communities; and participate in research and evaluation activities to build the knowledge base on home visiting among Native populations.

In Year 1 of the cooperative agreement, grantees must (1) conduct a comprehensive community needs and readiness assessment, and (2) develop a plan to respond to identified needs. Following each year that Tribal MIECHV grantees implement home visiting services, they must submit Form 1: Demographic and Service Utilization Data. The Form 1 data are used to help ACF better understand the population receiving services from Tribal MIECHV grantees and the degree to which they are using services, as well as better understand the Tribal MIECHV workforce. Overall, this information collection will provide valuable information to HHS that will guide understanding of the Tribal MIECHV Program and the provision of technical assistance to Tribal MIECHV Program grantees. Changes from the previous form are minor, including adding a virtual home visit field and revising certain terms and definitions to make reporting on the areas more concise and easier for grantees to report.

Respondents: Tribal MIECHV Program Grantees.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 11,500.

Comments: 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.

Authority: Title V of the Social Security Act, sections 511(e)(8)(A) and 511(h)(2)(A).