Request for Assistance for
Child Victims of Human Trafficking
Revision of a currently approved collection
No
Regular
07/18/2024
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
09/30/2024
3,500
1,200
3,500
1,200
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
(Request for Assistance (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 information provided through the completion of
the RFA form is essential for OTIP to make prompt determinations
regarding a foreign national minor’s eligibility for assistance, to
facilitate the required consultation process should the minor
receive interim assistance, and to assess and address potential
child protection issues. 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
re-traumatize the child. Furthermore, the absence of a form to
collect information necessary to process a request for assistance
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. There are no
changes proposed to the RFA form, but burden estimates have been
updated to reflect an increase in the estimated number of
respondents based on most recent trends. See sections A12 and A15
of the Supporting Statement for additional information.
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, as
well as OTIP’s efforts to engage case managers, attorneys, law
enforcement officers, child welfare workers, and other
representatives who serve foreign national children and youth
regarding reporting requirements under the TVPA of 2000, as
amended. OTIP may receive one or multiple requests for assistance
on behalf of any one child. The estimated number of respondents
provided at the time of the most recent approval (September 2021)
was based on prior year’s data. In the following years, OTIP
experienced a marked increase in the requests for assistance
received each year. OTIP continued to monitor case volume to assess
whether observed increases were anomalous, given ongoing COVID-19
pandemic-related disruptions, or if the elevated volume of
referrals would be a consistent trend. Monitoring of referral data
has shown a consistent trend with requests for assistance
continuing at a much higher rate than pre-2021. Therefore, OTIP has
increased the estimated number of respondents. The form and
estimated time per response remains the same.
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_7.15.24_clean.docx
Request for Assistance for Child Victims of Human Trafficking