Request for Assistance for Child Victims of Human Trafficking
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
07/07/2021
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
07/31/2021
1,200
800
1,200
800
0
0
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, as amended, directs the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), upon receipt of credible information that a foreign national minor may have been subjected to a severe form of trafficking in persons and is seeking assistance available to victims of trafficking, to promptly determine if the child is eligible for benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. In 2015 HHS delegated this authority to the Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP). OTIP developed a form (RFA, OMB Control Number 0970-0362) for case managers, attorneys, law enforcement officers, child welfare workers, and other representatives to report these trafficking concerns to HHS in accordance with the TVPA of 2000, as amended, and allow for OTIP to review the concerns and determine eligibility for benefits.
The form asks the requester for their identifying information, identifying information for the foreign national minor, and information describing the potential trafficking concerns. The information provided through the completion of the RFA form enables OTIP to make prompt determinations regarding a foreign national minor’s eligibility for assistance, facilitate the required consultation process should the minor receive interim assistance, and enables OTIP to assess and address potential child protection issues. The form takes into consideration the need to compile information regarding a child’s circumstances and experiences in a non-directive, child-friendly way, and assists the potential requester in assessing whether the child may have been subjected to a severe form of trafficking in persons. Finally, the form allows OTIP to provide uniform and consistent guidance to those representing potential victims about how to request assistance for a child with potential trafficking concerns.
Without a form, OTIP would be limited to notifying potential requesters about the assistance the law permits and providing a phone number or email address at OTIP for further information. An OTIP Child Protection Specialist would then have to describe to each potential requester the information sought in the form, which would likely require multiple follow-up calls, and possibly multiple interviews with the child, which could cause retraumatization. Furthermore, the absence of a form to collect information necessary to process an RFA could result in errors in the information collection causing a child that should be eligible for benefits and services as a victim of trafficking to be denied access to assistance.
US Code:
22 USC 7105 (b)
Name of Law: Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), as amended
The number of requests for assistance received by OTIP is impacted by a variety of social, political, and environmental factors that fluctuate each year. When the RFA form was originally submitted for clearance in FY18, OTIP based its estimated number of respondents by averaging the number of requests received over the previous three fiscal years Based on experience since approval in FY18, OTIP has increased the estimated number of respondents to 1200.
The estimated time per response remains the same. The minor revisions made to the form, as described below, do not impact the overall time required to respond but do enable OTIP to better fulfill its mandate in accordance with the TVPA of 2000, as amended. These revisions allow OTIP to be more responsive to congressional inquiries, federal reporting requirements, and the needs of victims, as the information provided is factored into policy and program development efforts.
$209,400
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Molly Buck 202 205-4724 mary.buck@acf.hhs.gov
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Form 1 Request for Assistance for Child Victims of Human Trafficking
RFA Supporting Statement B_7.1.21.docx
Request for Assistance for Child Victims of Human Trafficking