Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Public Comment Request; ACL Generic for Administration on Aging Formula Grant Programs OMB Control Number 0985-New
| Citation | 88 FR 71869 |
| Published date | 18 October 2023 |
| Record Number | 2023-22956 |
| Court | Community Living Administration |
| Section | Notices |
Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71869-71871]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22956]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Community Living
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Public Comment Request; ACL Generic for Administration on Aging Formula
Grant Programs OMB Control Number 0985-New
AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and
Human Services.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an
opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of
information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including
each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and
to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This new
information collection solicits comments on the information collection
requirements relating to the ACL Generic for Administration on Aging
Formula Grant Programs.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information must be submitted
electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by December 18, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information
to: Adam Mosey, [email protected]. Submit written comments on the
collection of information to Administration for Community Living, 330 C
Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Adam Mosey.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Mosey (202) 795-7631 or
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor.
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR
[[Page 71870]]
1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a
third party. The PRA requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day
notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of
information, including each proposed extension of an existing
collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for
approval. To comply with this requirement, ACL is publishing a notice
of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.
With respect to the following collection of information, ACL
invites comments on our burden estimates or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including:
(1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of ACL's functions, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology
and assumptions used to determine burden estimates;
(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
respondents, including using automated collection techniques when
appropriate, and other forms of information technology;
(5) ACL issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to modify the
implementing regulations of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (``the
Act'' or OAA) to add a new subpart (Subpart D) related to Adult
Protective Services (APS) RIN 0985-AA18. 0985-New is referenced in 88
FR 62503 pages 62503-62522 published on September 12, 2023. Comments
associated with this proposed Generic Information Collection (Gen IC)
should be submitted separately to the above listed program contact.
As a unit of the Administration for Community Living, the
Administration on Aging (AoA) provides expertise on program
development, advocacy, and initiatives for older Americans and their
caregivers and families. Working with State agencies, local agencies,
grantees, and community providers, AoA directs programs authorized by
the OAA, Elder Justice Act (EJA), and other legislation that supports
older adults. Through these programs multi-year State Plans and
assurances, and other financial forms are needed to provide approval
and oversight of grant recipients.
ACL is seeking OMB approval to add a new Gen IC to ACL's Paperwork
inventory. This Gen IC will cover AoA formula grant programs for State
Plans on Aging and assurances, State Plans on Adult Protective Services
and assurances, and other financial forms associated with Aging formula
grant management. Adding a Gen IC will allow for the collection of data
across programmatic and financial management of the Aging and APS
formula grants.
Statutory Background
In 1965, Congress originally passed the Older Americans Act (OAA)
in response to concerns by policymakers about a lack of community
social services for older adults. The original legislation established
authority for grants to States for community planning and social
services, research and development projects, and personnel training in
the field of aging. Changes to the OAA were made through the Supporting
Older Americans Act of 2020 (Pub. L. 116-131). This legislation
reauthorized the OAA and its programs from Federal fiscal year (FFY)
2020 through 2024. The OAA provides the foundation for the National
aging Network, which includes the Administration on Aging (AoA), State
Units on Aging (SUA), Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), tribal
organizations, service providers, and volunteers. SUAs are an integral
part of the network responsible for developing and administering a
multi-year State plan that advocates for and aids older residents,
their families, their caregivers, and, in many States, for adults with
disabilities.
The Elder Justice Act, passed in 2010, is the first comprehensive
legislation to address the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older
adults at the Federal level. The law authorized a variety of programs
and initiatives to better coordinate Federal responses to elder abuse,
promote elder justice research and innovation, support Adult Protective
Services systems, and provide additional protections for residents of
long-term care facilities. The importance of these services at the
State-level and local-level is demonstrated by the fact that States
significantly leverage OAA funds to obtain other funding for these
activities.
The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act
of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act provided two years of Federal
funding ($188 million in each year) to support, for the first time, the
nationwide APS formula grant program authorized by the Elder Justice
Act of 2010. That funding was used by States to expand or develop a
variety of capabilities that were necessary to meet increased needs due
to the public health pandemic, and ongoing funding is necessary to
maintain the improved reach and effectiveness of APS systems beyond the
pandemic.
The FY 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill provided, for the first
time, an annual appropriation of $15 million to continue providing
Federal formula grants to State APS programs. This will be the first
time State entities are required to develop and submit State plans on
Adult Protective Services under Section 2042 of the Elder Justice Act,
42 U.S.C. 1397m-1(b). However, States have developed spending plans for
the formula funding received to date, consistent with 45 CFR 75.206(d),
and to update those every three to five years.
This new Gen IC is for programmatic and financial management of the
Aging and APS formula grants. The purpose of the State Plans and
assurances is to document and provide the opportunity for public
comment of achievements and planned activities for the multi-year plan
period. A wide range of constituents use or will use the State Plans to
coordinate, monitor, evaluate, and improve Aging Network and APS
support services by using the State Plans as a blueprint for service
planning and delivery.
Additionally, ACL leverages State Plans to understand the numerous
services older adults use, and to utilize the information for
advocating for the needs of older adults and those who use APS and for
requesting additional funding. The purpose of the other financial forms
that are a part of this Gen IC is to facilitate OAA formula grant
management.
Financial forms provide statutorily required information regarding
each State's contribution to programs to ensure compliance with
legislative requirements, pertinent Federal regulations, and other
applicable instructions and guidelines issued by ACL. This information
will be used for Federal oversight of the Aging Programs. Based on
ACL's extensive experience working with APS systems and OAA grantees on
their State plans, ACL does not anticipate a significantly greater
level of detail for the development of State plans for APS.
Since a new Gen IC does not permit the public to examine the
details of each individual collection, the ACL Generic for
Administration on Aging Formula Grant Programs 0985-New Proposed Gen IC
Plan can be found on the ACL website for review and comment at:
[[Page 71871]]
https://www.acl.gov/about-acl/public-input.
In accordance with the PRA 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 44 U.S.C.
3507(a)(1)(D) ACL details the proposed Gen IC pertaining to:
the method of collection;
the category (or categories) of respondents;
the estimated maximum number of burden hours (per year)
for the specific information collections, and against which burden will
be charged for each collection actually used;
ACL's plans for how it will use the information collected;
and
ACL's internal procedures to ensure that the specific
collections comply with the PRA, applicable regulations, and the terms
of the generic clearance.
Estimated Program Burden: ACL estimates the burden of this
collection of information as follows:
Estimated Annualized Burden Table
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Number of Average burden
Respondent/data collection Form Number of responses per hours per Total burden
activity respondents respondent response hours
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State Unit on Aging (SUA)..... State Plan on 14.7 1 80 1,176
Aging.
State Entity for APS.......... State Plan on 56 1 6 336
APS.
State Entity for APS.......... Required 56 3 10 1,680
Assurances for
APS (4).
State Unit on Aging (SUA)..... Financial Forms. 56 5 1 280
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Total Estimated Burden.... ................ .............. .............. .............. 3,472
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Dated: October 12, 2023.
Alison Barkoff,
Senior official performing the duties of the Administrator and the
Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2023-22956 Filed 10-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P
