Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals

Federal Register: May 4, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 84)

Notices

Page 20486-20487

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr04my09-60

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Projects

Title: ORR Financial Status Report for the Cash and Medical

Assistance Program.

OMB No.: New Collection.

Description: The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) reimburses, to the extent of available appropriations, certain non-Federal costs for the provision of cash and medical assistance to refugees, along with allowable expenses for the administration the refugee resettlement program at the State level. States (and Wilson/Fish projects; i.e., alternative projects for the administration of the refugee resettlement program) currently submit SF-269 Financial Status data in accordance with 45 CFR part 92 and 45 CFR part 74. This proposed new data collection would replace the current requirement for the SF-269 with a financial status report form that would collect similar financial status data (i.e., amounts of outlays and obligations) by the four program components: refugee cash assistance, refugee medical assistance, cash and medical assistance administration, and services for unaccompanied refugee minors. This breakdown of financial status data would allow ORR to track program expenditures in greater detail to anticipate any funding issues and to meet the requirements of ORR regulations at CFR 400.211 to collect these data for use in estimating future costs of the refugee resettlement program. ORR must implement the methodology at CFR 400.211 each year after receipt of its annual appropriation to ensure that appropriated funds will be adequate for assistance to entering refugees. The estimating methodology prescribed in the regulations requires the use of actual past costs by program component. In the event that the methodology indicates that appropriated funds are inadequate, ORR must take steps to reduce federal expenses, such as by limiting the number of months of eligibility for Refugee Cash Assistance and Refugee Medical Assistance.

This proposed single-page financial status report will allow ORR to collect the necessary data to ensure that funds are adequate for the projected need and thereby meet the requirements of both the Refugee

Act and ORR regulations.

Respondents: State governments.

Wilson/Fish Alternative Projects

Annual Burden Estimates

Number of

Average burden

Instrument

Number of

responses per

hours per

Total burden respondents

respondent

response

hours

ORR Financial Status Report.................

58

4

0.50

116

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 116.

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 collection 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

Administration, Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade,

SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. E-mail address: infocollection@acf.hhs.gov. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection.

The Department specifically requests comments on: (a) Whether the proposed

Page 20487

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.

Dated: April 29, 2009.

Janean Chambers,

Reports Clearance Officer.

FR Doc. E9-10133 Filed 5-1-09; 8:45 am

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