Notice2024-04931
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Request for Assistance for Child Victims of Human Trafficking
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
March 8, 2024
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentChildren and Families Administration
Abstract
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) is requesting a three-year extension of the form: Request for Assistance (RFA) for Child Victims of Human Trafficking (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0362, expiration 09/30/2024). Burden estimates have been updated based on observed increases in the volume of requests received. The RFA form and estimated time per response remains the same.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 47 (Friday, March 8, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 47 (Friday, March 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16773-16774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04931]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Request for Assistance
for Child Victims of Human Trafficking
AGENCY: Office on Trafficking in Persons, Administration for Children
and Families, Department of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office on
Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) is requesting a three-year extension of
the form: Request for Assistance (RFA) for Child Victims of Human
Trafficking (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #0970-0362,
expiration 09/30/2024). Burden estimates have been updated based on
observed increases in the volume of requests received. The RFA form and
estimated time per response remains the same.
DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with
the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is
soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information
collection described above.
ADDRESSES: You can obtain copies of the proposed collection of
information and submit comments by emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dfb6b1b9b0bcb0b3b3babcabb6b0b19fbebcb9f1b7b7acf1b8b0a9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="452c2b232a262a29292026312c2a2b052426236b2d2d366b222a33">[email protected]</span></a>.
Identify all requests by the title of the information collection.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description: 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. HHS delegated
this authority to OTIP.
OTIP developed a RFA form for case managers, attorneys, law
enforcement
[[Page 16774]]
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.
Specifically, the RFA form asks the requester for their identifying
information, identifying information for the child, and information
describing the potential trafficking concerns. The RFA form takes into
consideration the need to compile information regarding a child's
experiences in a trauma-informed and child-centered manner and assists
the requester in assessing whether the child may have been subjected to
a severe form of trafficking in persons.
The information provided through the completion of a RFA form
enables OTIP to make prompt determinations regarding a foreign national
minor's eligibility for assistance, facilitate the required
consultation process should the minor receive interim assistance, and
enable OTIP to assess and address potential child protection issues.
OTIP also uses the information provided to respond to congressional
inquiries, fulfill federal reporting requirements, and inform policy
and program development that is responsive to the needs of victims.
In 2019, OTIP launched Shepherd, an online case management system,
to process requests for assistance and certification on behalf of
foreign national minor and adult victims of trafficking. If a requester
encounters issues submitting a request through Shepherd, they may
submit the RFA form to OTIP as a password protected PDF to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1d7e75747179696f7c7b7b747e7674737a5d7c7e7b3375756e337a726b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6e0d0607020a1a1c0f0808070d050700092e0f0d084006061d40090118">[email protected]</span></a>.
Respondents: Representatives of governmental entities, members of
the community, and nongovernmental entities providing social, legal, or
protective services to foreign national minors in the United States who
may have been subjected to severe forms of trafficking in persons.
Furthermore, representatives within the community with a concern that a
foreign national minor may have been subjected to severe forms of
trafficking in persons may also use the RFA form.
Annual Burden Estimates
Increased awareness of reporting requirements under the TVPA of
2000, as amended among providers who serve foreign national children
and youth has resulted in sustained, year-over-year increases in the
number of RFA forms received by OTIP since fiscal year 2021. While the
number of RFA forms received by OTIP each year largely reflects OTIP's
efforts to engage case managers, attorneys, law enforcement officers,
child welfare workers, and other representatives who serve foreign
national children and youth, the number of RFA forms received is also
impacted by a variety of social, political, and environmental factors
that impact migration trends, including natural disasters and other
climate-mediated events, that fluctuate each year. In fiscal year 2021,
a record number of unique individuals (2,178) were referred to OTIP
through 2,650 total RFA forms. In fiscal year 2022, 3,150 unique
individuals were referred to OTIP through 3,709 total RFA forms. In
fiscal year 2023, 3,612 unique individuals were referred to OTIP
through 4,052 total RFA forms. There are no changes proposed to the RFA
form but based on the increased need for trafficking-specific case
management services among foreign national children and youth, as
evidenced through sustained increases in the volume of RFA forms
received by OTIP each year since fiscal year 2021, burden estimates for
this collection have been revised.
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Total number of Average burden
Instrument Total number of responses per hours per Total burden Annual burden
respondents respondent response hours hours
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Request for Assistance for Child Victims of Human Trafficking...... 10,500 1 1 10,500 3,500
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Comments: The Department specifically requests comments on (a)
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether
the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted
within 60 days of this publication.
Authority: 22 U.S.C. 7105(b).
Mary C. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2024-04931 Filed 3-7-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-47-P
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