Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)

Forms and Documents

Document Name	Status
NonSub Change Request AFCARS_August 2021.docx Justification for No Material/Nonsubstantive Change	2021-08-04
Supporting Statement A_AFCARS_NonSub to reinstate AFCARS 1993_8.4.21.docx Supporting Statement A	2021-08-04
CFR-45 part1355.pdf Supplementary Document	2014-12-17

IC Document Collections

IC ID	Document Title	Status
10229	Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System	Unchanged

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 0970-0422	ICR Reference No: 202108-0970-003
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No: 202005-0970-002
Agency/Subagency: HHS/ACF	Agency Tracking No: ACYF
Title: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)
Type of Information Collection: No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 08/04/2021

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	05/31/2023	05/31/2023
Responses	138	138
Time Burden (Hours)	1,180,650	1,180,650
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

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Abstract: Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued a final rule that results in revisions to the existing collection under 0970-0422. Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) is mandated by 42 U.S.C. 679. The regulation at 45 CFR 1355 sets forth the requirements of section 479 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 679) (the Act) for the collection of uniform, reliable information on children who are under the responsibility of the state or tribal title IV-B/IV-E agency for placement, care, and adoption. States have been required to submit the AFCARS data since 1993. Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and tribal consortia that operate a title IV-E program per section 479B of the Act have been required to submit AFCARS data since 2012. On December 14, 2016, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) published a final rule revising the AFCARS requirements (81 FR 9054). In response to Executive Order 13777 Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda, ACF published in the Federal Register an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on March 15, 2018 (83 FR 11449) soliciting specific feedback on the 2016 AFCARS final rule data elements and associated burden. Based on the ANPRM comments, ACF published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on April 19, 2019 (84 FR 16572) that proposed to amend the AFCARS data elements in 45 CFR 1355.44 and make conforming edits in other sections of the AFCARS regulation. The amendments to section 1355.44 streamlines the data that title IV-E agencies must report to ACF, thus reducing the burden imposed by the 2016 final rule.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 42 USC 679 Name of Law: Children and Child Welfare Services
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: EO: EO 13777 Name/Subject of EO: Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
0970-AC72	Final or interim final rulemaking	85 FR 28410	05/12/2020

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	138	138	0	0	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,180,650	1,180,650	0	0	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This request is to implement changes based on the final rule, which proposes to reduce the burden by 588,094 to bring the estimated burden for AFCARS under this final rule to 1,180,650 hours. The estimated burden previously approved under OMB # 0970-0422 was the for the 2016 final rule, which was 1,768,744 hours.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $43,093,725

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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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:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(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;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

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.

Certification Date: 08/04/2021

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