Notice2021-21281
Submission for OMB Review; Release of Unaccompanied Children From ORR Custody (OMB #0970-0552)
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 30, 2021
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentChildren and Families Administration
Abstract
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is inviting public comments on revisions to an approved information collection. The request consists of several forms that allow the Unaccompanied Children (UC) Program to process release of UC from ORR custody and provide services after release.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 187 (Thursday, September 30, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 187 (Thursday, September 30, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54200-54202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21281]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Submission for OMB Review; Release of Unaccompanied Children From
ORR Custody (OMB #0970-0552)
AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and
Families, Department of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Request for public comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for
Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), is inviting public comments on revisions to an approved
information collection. The request consists of several forms that
allow the Unaccompanied Children (UC) Program to process release of UC
from ORR custody and provide services after release.
DATES: Comments due within 30 days of publication. OMB must make a
decision about the collection of information between 30 and 60 days
after publication of this document in the Federal Register. Therefore,
a comment is best assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it
within 30 days of publication.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Description: ORR received several comments
on this information collection in response to the Federal Register
Notice published on February 25, 2021, (86 FR 11536) and has provided
responses to those comments in its final submission to OMB. UC Path is
critical to program operations, and it
[[Page 54201]]
is important that rollout of the new system not be delayed. Therefore,
the below description details what will be included in the initial
launch of the UC Path case management system, and revisions based on
public comments will be made after initial launch. ORR plans to conduct
a deliberative review of commenters' suggestions and concerns and
submit a request for revisions to this information collection request
in January 2022. The upcoming information collection request will also
include revisions based on feedback from UC Path system users (i.e.,
ORR grantee, contractor, and federal staff).
A. ORR plans to revise all four instruments currently approved
under OMB #0970-0552 and reinstate one instrument previously approved
under OMB #0970-0498 and add it to this collection. All instruments
will be incorporated into ORR's new case management system, UC Path. In
addition, ORR plans to replace the term ``unaccompanied alien child
(UAC)'' with ``unaccompanied child (UC)'' throughout the instruments in
this collection.
1. Verification of Release (Form R-1): This instrument is an
official document provided to UC and their sponsors by care provider
facilities showing that ORR released the UC into the sponsor's care and
custody. This form was previously approved under OMB #0970-0498 and is
being reinstated with formatting changes under this new OMB number. No
changes were made to the content. The average burden minutes per
response was increased from 3 to 10 minutes.
2. Discharge Notification (Form R-2): This instrument is used by
care provider facilities to notify stakeholders of the transfer of a UC
to another care provider facility or the release of a UC from ORR
custody. ORR made the following revisions:
a. The ``Proof of Relationship'' field was removed because that
information is found elsewhere in UC Path and does not need to be
displayed in this instrument.
b. The following fields were added: ``Returning UC, Entry #,''
``Type of Age Out,'' ``Sponsor Category,'' ``Next Immigration
Hearing,'' ``Granted Voluntary Discharge Date,'' ``Parent/Legal
Guardian Separation,'' ``Is this a MPP Case,'' ``UC Parent Name,''
``Program Type.''
c. The ``Local Law Enforcement'' and ``DHS Family Shelter'' fields
were replaced with the ``Governmental Agency'' and ``Name of Government
Agency'' fields.
d. The following fields were added, but are not visible on version
of the instrument sent to stakeholders:
i. ``Discharge Delay,'' ``DHS Age Out Plan,'' ``Referral to
Services in COO,'' ``Completed Referral Services COO?,'' ``Date Travel
Document Requested,'' ``Date of Issuance of Travel Document''; and
ii. All fields in the ``Transportation Details'' section.
3. ORR Release Notification--Notice to Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) Chief Counsel--Release of Unaccompanied Child to
Sponsor and Request to Change Address (Form R-3): This instrument is
used by care provider facilities to notify ICE Chief Counsel of the
release of a UC and request a change of address. The instrument was
reformatted. No changes were made to the content.
4. Release Request (Form R-4): This instrument is used by care
provider facilities, ORR contractor staff, and ORR federal staff to
process recommendations and decisions for release of a UC from ORR
custody. ORR made the following revisions:
a. The instrument was reformatted and the titles of some fields
were reworded.
b. Several fields containing biographical information for the UC
were removed from the top of the instrument.
c. The ``Provide details on relationship including official
documentation'' text box was removed because that information is easily
accessible elsewhere in UC Path.
d. Several fields related to release dates and immigration court
appearance were removed because they are easily accessible elsewhere in
UC Path.
e. A new section called ``Release Request Routing'' was added to
facilitate automated notification of pending releases within UC Path.
Some fields in this section are auto-populated.
f. A new ``Child Advocates'' section was added, containing two
fields.
g. A new ``Medical'' section was added to facilitate automated
notification to the ORR medical coordinator, when applicable. The
section contains two fields.
h. A new ``Legal'' section was added. All fields in this section
are auto-populated with the exception of the comments field.
i. A new ``Program Information'' section was added to capture
relevant details when a UC is being release to a program/entity.
j. In the ``Case Manager Recommendation'' section, a couple of
auto-populated date fields were added.
5. Safety and Well-Being Call (Form R-6): This instrument is used
by care provider facilities to document the outcome of calls made to UC
and their sponsors after release to ensure the child is safe and refer
the sponsor to additional resources as needed. Currently, case managers
document responses from the sponsor and UC interview questions
(required per ORR procedures) in their case management notes. ORR
expanded this instrument to include the information currently captured
in case management notes, in addition to the information captured in
the current version of the Safety and Well-Being Follow-Up Call Report.
The average burden minutes per response was increased from 30 to 45
minutes.
B. ORR plans to remove the term ``alien'' from the title of this
information collection and revise it to read ``Release of Unaccompanied
Children from ORR Custody.''
C. ORR intends to conduct a phased rollout of the UC Path system.
Beginning fall 2021, ORR plans to roll the UC Path system out to a
small group of care provider programs. ORR will gradually expand use of
the system to other programs and expects all care provider programs
will be using UC Path by spring 2022. To ensure continuity of
operations, care provider programs will need the ability to continue
using instruments in the UC Portal system and in other formats (e.g.,
PDF, Excel) while they are waiting to transition over to the UC Path
system. Therefore, ORR proposes continued use of the following
instruments, concurrently with the UC Path versions of the same
instruments, until all care provider programs are using UC Path.
1. Verification of Release (Form R-1)
2. Discharge Notification (Form R-2)
3. Notice to Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Chief
Counsel--Release of Unaccompanied Child to Sponsor and Request to
Change Address (Form R-3)
4. Release Request (Form R-4)
5. Safety and Well-Being Follow-Up Call Report (Form R-6)
Respondents: ORR grantee and contractor staff and released children
and sponsors.
[[Page 54202]]
Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number Average burden
Instrument Annual number of responses minutes per Annual total
of respondents per respondent response burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Verification of Release (Form R-1).............. 216 253 10 9,108
Discharge Notification (Form R-2)............... 216 290 10 10,440
ORR Release Notification--ORR Notification to 216 270 5 4,860
ICE Chief Counsel Release of UC to Sponsor and
Request to Change Address (Form R-3)...........
Release Request (Form R-4)--Grantee Case 216 254 25 22,860
Managers.......................................
Release Request (Form R-4)--Contractor Case 170 321 20 18,190
Coordinators...................................
Safety and Well-Being Call (R-6)................ 216 253 45 40,986
---------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Annual Burden Hours Total......... .............. .............. .............. 106,444
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authority: 6 U.S.C. 279; 8 U.S.C. 1232; Flores v. Reno Settlement
Agreement, No. CV85-4544-RJK (C.D. Cal. 1996).
Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-21281 Filed 9-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-45-P
</pre></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 30, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.