NonSub Change Request - Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare: Descriptive Study of Child Welfare Courts

To: Jordan Cohen

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Alysia Blandon

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: April 14, 2021

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare: Descriptive Study of Child Welfare Courts
Generic Information Collection under the Formative Data Collections for ACF Research (OMB #0970-0356)

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to the approved generic information collection (GenIC), Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare: Descriptive Study of Child Welfare Courts (OMB #0970-0356).

Background

On October 26, 2020, OMB approved this GenIC to collect information as part of the Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare: Descriptive Study of Child Welfare Courts.

As part of the OMB package, approval was received to conduct interviews with up to 20 Court Improvement Program (CIP) Administrators. The study team is currently scheduling and conducting interviews. While scheduling interviews, several CIP Administrators have requested to have another staff person join the interview, therefore increasing our projected sample size. As of April 12, 2021, 14 interviews representing 18 respondents have been scheduled.

Overview of Requested Changes

This memo requests approval for an increase in the number of CIP Administrator Follow-Up Interview respondents from 20 to 45 people. Relevant changes have been made to Supporting Statements A and B (attached) to reflect the increase in interview respondents. Edits include updates to the burden estimates in section A12 and references to the number of respondents throughout both documents.

Time Sensitivities

Interviews are currently being scheduled. Per the project timeline, we would like to complete all of the interviews by May 15, 2021.