Supporting Statement for OMB clearance 2011

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND SERVICES PROGRAM

INFORMATION COLLECTION CLEARANCE

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

This request for information collection is submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval of revised program announcements (Appendix A) and progress reporting forms (Appendix B) for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program authorized under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) (42 U.S.C 10401 et seq.) (Appendix C).

States, Tribes and State Domestic Volence Coalitions are required to submit applications for FVPSA formula grant funding (42 U.S.C. 10402(a)(2), (b)(2)) and implementing regulations (45 CFR Part 1370) (Appendix D). The program announcements for the FVPSA formula grants currently approved under OMB Number 0970-0280 will expire in December 2011.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is required to collect and report data on the provision of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence services, including assistance and programs supported by Federal funds (42 USC 10404 (b)(3)(B) and establish reporting requirements (42 U.S.C. 10404 (a)(3).

2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) will use the information collected to: a) make grant awards to eligible applicants who meet the statutory requirements and comply with other applicable regulations; b) collect uniform data on FVPSA funded programs and services from State, Territory and Tribal grantees; and c) assess the progress and impact of programs and services funded through FVPSA. The information requested will allow FVPSA Program staff to monitor grantee compliance with program requirements, to assist grantees, and to collect information on program services and outcomes that will be used to prepare statutorily required biennial reports to Congress on the effectiveness of FVPSA Program funding in preventing and responding to family violence.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

The program announcements for FVPSA grants are available each year on the internet, www.acf.hhs.gov/grants. Additionally, all forms are available to grantees in a fillable Word format. Because recipients of FVPSA State and Tribal grants receive funding from multiple Federal, State and private sources, many have existing databases to collect information on services provided. Therefore, in consultation with grantees, the decision was made not to create an automated reporting system that would be duplicative. Instead, grantees will continue to pull data on program services from existing databases.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

While respecting the need for ensuring the safety of clients who are victims of domestic violence, grantees are required to report an unduplicated count of clients served within the fiscal year within that program. Prior to the first draft of the Performance Progress Report, the FVPSA Program held working groups to consult with State and Tribal grantees on the proposed reporting requirements. Grantees confirmed that no other report provides the requested information on the scope of domestic violence prevention and intervention services offered by FVPSA grantees.

4. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

Recognizing that the domestic violence programs funded by FVPSA are continually reponding to crisis situations and high demand for services, the proposed information collection efforts were kept to the minimum information required to achieve program accountability and oversight.

4. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

ACF would be unable to exercise oversight and stewardship if information collection were not conducted. The Program would be unable to make funding determinations, to assess program effectiveness, or to focus monitoring and technical assistance where needed.

4. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

None are applicable.

4. Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside the Agency

Federal Register: The 60 day notice was published in the Federal Register on March 8, 2011 (Vol.73, No. 73, Page 20304). We received three requests for copies of the draft information collection; those were provided. No further comments were received.

4. Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents

No gifts or payments were made to respondents.

4. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

This instrument only requires the submission of aggregate level data on client services to protect the confidentialtiy of individual level data regarding victims of domestic violence. Protection of privacy and case files is the responsibility of the grantees, but ACF may examine agency diligence in this regard through onsite monitoring or other means.

4. Justification for Sensitive Questions

There are no questions of a sensitive nature in the FVPSA grant program announcements or reporting forms.

4. Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs

Specific estimates for the hour burden for each information collection are shown in the table below:

Instrument	Number of Respondents	Responses Per Respondent	Burden Hours Per Response	Total Burden Hours	Wage Rate	Total Hour Cost
FVPSA State Grant Program Announcement	53	1	10	530	$25	$13,250
FVPSA Tribal Program Announcement	200	1	5	1,000	$25	$25,000
FVPSA State Domestic Violence Coalition Program Announcement	56	1	10	560	$25	$14,000
FVPSA State and Territory Grant Performance Report	57	1	10	570	$25	$14,250
FVPSA Tribal Grant Performance Report	200	1	15	3,000	$25	$75,000
Total	566			5,660		$141,500

13. Estimates of Annualized Cost Burden to Respondents

No additional incremental costs are anticipated. Responses to FVPSA Program Grant Announcements and Progress Reports will, in most cases, be completed by existing staff using data collection and reporting procedures currently in place for formula grant recipients. The minor revisions to data callection processes can be accommodated through routine updates and maintenance to existing databases to capture the required Progress Report data elements.

13. Estimates of Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

This information collection process is part of the normal duties and functions for the FVPSA Program and therefore no additional costs are projected to be incurred.

13. Explanation of Program Changes or Adjustments

There is a slight reduction in the total burden. The burden estimates detailed in number 12 of this statement is based on prior respondent burden for information collection. Although the approximate number of respondents has increased, the total burden hours has decreased because systems are already in place to collect the data and the templates for the application process have already been established.

There are a few changes proposed to the State, Territory and Tribal Performance Progress Reports. Many of the elements are more clearly defined. Some elements were removed completely and four elements were added. The labeling system was shortened, so the label for each element changed.

• The Territories currently receiving FVPSA funds are now asked to submit a Performance Progress Report annually.

• #11 asks for a listing of the subgrantees and contracts awarded under this grant

• Added SP-06 which asks for the total number of subgrants to culturally and linguistically specific services programs. This is to gather information for our current Performance Measures.

• FV-SP-101 and FV-SP-102 were removed.

• The narrative questions were put in section H and moved to the end.

• A narrative question was added to gain information on an evaluation of the effectiveness of the programming (H-05).

• An option of not-specified was added to the two elements that asked about gender for the unduplicated count of victims (B-01 and B-02).

• Removed the second element where gender was collected (FV-A-400).

• In sections D-F, the option for reporting hours was removed for each of the elements.

• Age and gender elements were added in section F.

13. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

Grantees will submit applications within 45 days after the announcement. Applicants are subsequently notified of awards approximately 90 days after the due date. Annual Progress Reports are due each year on December 29^th. Aggregation, verification and analysis of Progress Report data will be completed by March of each year. Analysis will include totals and percentages of clients served, demographic data, client outcomes, and services provided, including tracking of trends in program clients and services. Annual data on FVPSA Program grants and services will be reported through regular budget submissions, intra-Departmental updates, biennial Reports to Congress, and other reports for granrtees and the general public.

13. Reason (s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

The expiration date will be displayed.

13. Exceptions to Certification Requirements and Employing Statistical Methods

There are no exceptions to the Certification statements for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions. This information collection does not employ statistical methods as indicated in the Information Collection Request Review and Approval System Jr., item 12.

ATTACHMENTS TO SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Appendix A Fiscal Year 2009 Program Announcements for Family Violence Prevention and Services Program Grants to States; and State Domestic Violence Coalitions

Fiscal Year 2011 Program Announcement for Family Violence Prevention and Services/Grants for Domestic Violence

Shelters/Grants to Native American Tribes (including Alaska Native Villages) and Tribal Organizations

Appendix B Performance Progress Report (PPR) Forms:

Family Violence Prevention and Services Program State and Territory Grant PPR

Family Violence Prevention and Services Program Native American Tribal Grant PPR

Appendix C Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C 10401 et seq.)

Appendix D Family Violence Prevention and Services Act Regulations 45 CFR Part 1370