NonSub Change Request - Update w/ AFCARS 1993 IC Burden

To: Jordan Cohen

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Rebecca Odor

Children’s Bureau (CB)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: August 4, 2021

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (OMB #0970-0422)

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to the approved information collection, Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) (OMB #0970-0422).

Background

There is one regulation (45 CFR 1355) that dictates the data to be collected for AFCARS. There has been one dataset with no changes dating back to its inception in 1993. In May 2020, a new final rule was published that revised the dataset (referred to as AFCARS 2020).

The AFCARS 1993 Information Collection (IC) was most recently approved on May 29, 2019. The same OMB # was then approved for the revised AFCARS 2020 IC that aligned with the May 2020 Final Rule published on May 12, 2020 (85 FR 28410). The information from the AFCARS 1993 data collection was not included in that revised request, but states and tribes must submit data to ACF until the effective date of the new AFCARS regulation (AFCARS 2020) (October 1, 2022). Thus, this revision request is to update OMB #0970-0422 to cover both the information collections that remain for AFCARS 1993 (through September 2022) in addition to the currently approved data collection associated with AFCARS 2020 which begins in October 2022.

Overview of Requested Changes

The burden associated the AFCARS 1993 IC through September 2022 has been added into the burden estimates included in the Supporting Statement. The burden associated with the AFCARS 2020 IC has been updated to reflect burden estimates for data collection between October 1, 2022 and the current expiration date of May 31, 2023. The estimated reporting time for AFCARS 1993 is less than the estimate for AFCARS 2020 and as a result the overall burden estimate under this OMB # decreased. Labor rates were also updated to reflect current data available. Finally, minor updates were made to the Supporting Statement to clarify all aspects of the data collections approved under this OMB number.

Time Sensitivities

Approval is needed to ensure ACF is in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act.