Notice2024-28428
Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority
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Published
December 4, 2024
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentChildren and Families Administration
Abstract
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has reorganized the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE). This reorganization creates a new Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) and an Office of the Chief Data Officer (OCDO). This notice provides the Statement of Organizations, Functions, and Delegations of Authority for the new office of officer.
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 233 (Wednesday, December 4, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 96256-96259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-28428]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation Statement of
Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority
AGENCY: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration
for Children and Families, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has
reorganized the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE).
This reorganization creates a new Office of Research and Evaluation
(ORE) and an Office of the Chief Data Officer (OCDO). This notice
provides the Statement of Organizations, Functions, and Delegations of
Authority for the new office of officer.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lauren Supplee, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Planning, Research, and Evaluation, 330 C Street SW,
Washington, DC 20201.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice amends Part K of the Statement
of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority of the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for
Children and Families (ACF), as follows: Chapter KM, Office of
Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), as last amended 87 FR 67693-
67696 (November 2022).
I. Under Chapter KM, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation,
[[Page 96257]]
delete in its entirety and replace with the following:
KM.00 Mission
OPRE is the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary for
Children and Families on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of
programs designed to make measurable improvements in the economic and
social well-being of children and families. OPRE provides guidance,
analysis, technical assistance, and oversight to ACF programs and
across programs in the agency on strategic planning aimed at measurable
results; performance measurement and management; research and
evaluation methodologies; demonstration testing and model development;
statistical policy and program analysis; synthesis and dissemination of
research, evaluation, and demonstration findings; data science; data
governance; data use, re-use, and integration; data ethics; data
sharing, privacy, and confidentiality; data talent; interoperability;
and application of emerging technologies to improve the effectiveness
of programs and service delivery.
KM.10 Organization
OPRE is headed by a Deputy Assistant Secretary, who reports to the
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families. The Office is organized
as follows:
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary (KMA)
Office of Research and Evaluation (KMF)
Division of Economic Independence (KMB)
Division of Child and Family Development (KMC)
Division of Family Strengthening (KMD)
Office of the Chief Data Officer (KMG)
Division of Data Governance (KMH)
Division of Data Capacity (KMI)
Division of Data Privacy (KMJ)
KM.20 Functions
A. The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary provides day-to-day
direction and executive leadership to OPRE in administering its
responsibilities. It serves as principal advisor to the Assistant
Secretary for Children and Families on all matters and directs and
coordinates all activities pertaining to improving the effectiveness
and efficiency of ACF programs. It represents the Assistant Secretary
for Children and Families at various planning, research, evaluation,
data, and improvement forums and carries out special Departmental and
Administration initiatives.
The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary manages the
formulation and execution of budgets for OPRE programs; manages
correspondence; coordinates the provision of OPRE staff development and
training; provides support for OPRE's personnel administration,
including staffing, employee and labor relations, and employee
recognition; manages OPRE space, facilities, and supplies; and oversees
travel, time and attendance, and other administrative functions for
OPRE. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Research, and
Evaluation currently serves as ACF's Chief Evaluation Officer and
Scientific Integrity Officer and provides support for and oversight of
the ACF Evaluation Policy and ACF's implementation of the Foundations
for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. The Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Planning, Research and Evaluation provides day-to-day
executive leadership and direction to the Office of Research and
Evaluation and the Office of the Chief Data Officer.
F. The Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) is directed by ACF's
Chief Evaluation Officer, who serves as the principal advisor to the
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning, Research and Evaluation on all
matters related to ACF's evaluation and learning agenda activities. The
ORE provides coordination and leadership in implementing Titles I and
III of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 and
oversees and manages the research and evaluation programs under
sections 403, 413, 418, 429, 510, 511, 513, 1110, and 2008 of the
Social Security Act and section 640 and 649 of the Head Start Act, as
well as other research, evaluation, and evidence-building activities
authorized by Congress and related to ACF programs and the populations
they serve. These activities include priority setting and analysis;
developing learning agendas; managing and coordinating major cross-
cutting, leading-edge studies and special initiatives; improving ACF
capacity to support the development and use of evaluation; and
collaborating with federal partners, states, communities, foundations,
professional organizations, and others to promote the safety, well-
being, and development of children, families, and communities.
The ORE provides strategic direction, focus, and support to the
research and evaluation activities that occur within OPRE's three
research and evaluation divisions: Division of Economic Independence,
Division of Child and Family Development, and Division of Family
Strengthening. It serves as principal advisor to the Assistant
Secretary for Children and Families on all matters pertaining to
improving the effectiveness and efficiency of ACF programs; strategic
planning; research, evaluation, statistical, and analysis methods;
program and policy evaluation; research and demonstrations; state and
local innovations and progress; and synthesis and dissemination of
research and evaluation findings.
B. The Division of Economic Independence, in cooperation with ACF
income support programs and others, works with federal counterparts,
states, community agencies, and the private sector to understand and
overcome barriers to economic independence; promote parental
responsibility; and assist in improving the effectiveness of programs
that further economic independence. The Division provides guidance,
analysis, technical assistance, and oversight in ACF on strategic
planning and performance measurement for economic independence;
statistical, policy, and program analysis; surveys, research, and
evaluation methodologies; demonstration testing and model development;
synthesis and dissemination of research and evaluation findings; and
application of emerging technologies to programs that promote
employment, parental responsibility, and economic independence. The
Division develops learning agendas and policy-relevant research
priorities; conducts, manages, and coordinates major cross-program,
leading-edge research, demonstrations, and evaluation studies; manages
and conducts statistical, policy, and program analyses on trends in
employment, child support payments, and other income supports; and
works in partnership with states, communities, and the private sector
to promote employment, parental responsibility, and family economic
independence. Division staff also provides consultation, coordination,
direction, and support for research and evaluation activities related
to employment, parental responsibility, and family economic
independence across ACF programs.
C. The Division of Child and Family Development, in cooperation
with ACF programs and others, works with federal counterparts, states,
community agencies, and the private sector to improve the effectiveness
and efficiency of programs, and foster safety and sound growth and
development of children and their families. The Division provides
guidance, analysis, technical assistance, and oversight in ACF on
strategic planning and performance measurement for child and family
development; statistical, policy, and
[[Page 96258]]
program analysis; surveys, research, and evaluation methodologies;
demonstration testing and model development; synthesis and
dissemination of research and evaluation findings; and application of
emerging technologies to improve the effectiveness of programs and
service delivery. The Division conducts, manages, and coordinates major
cross-programs, leading-edge research, demonstration and evaluation
studies; develops learning agendas and policy-relevant research
priorities; and manages and conducts statistical, policy, and program
analyses related to children and families. Division staff also provides
consultation, coordination, direction, and support for research and
evaluation activities related to children and families across ACF
programs.
D. The Division of Family Strengthening, in cooperation with ACF
programs and others, works with federal counterparts, states, community
agencies, and the private sector to improve the effectiveness and
efficiency of programs; foster the safety, positive growth and
development of children, youth, parents, and vulnerable populations;
and strengthen families. The Division provides guidance, analysis,
technical assistance, and oversight in ACF on parent, child, youth, and
family development and dynamics; child safety; statistical, policy, and
program analysis; surveys, research, and evaluation methodologies;
demonstration testing and model development; synthesis and
dissemination of research and evaluation findings; and application of
emerging technologies to improve the effectiveness of programs and
service delivery. The Division conducts, manages, and coordinates major
cross-program, leading-edge research, demonstration, and evaluation
studies; develops learning agendas and policy-relevant research
priorities; and manages and conducts statistical, policy, and program
analyses related to strengthening families. Division staff also
provides consultation, coordination, direction, and support for
research and evaluation activities related to strengthening families
across ACF programs.
G. The Office of the Chief Data Officer (OCDO) is directed by the
Chief Data Officer (CDO). The responsibilities of the CDO are to
oversee data governance and facilitate the use of data to create
evidence to support decision-making. OCDO supports ACF programs in
responsibly managing and using data to improve the effectiveness,
equity, and efficiency of human services programs; provides
coordination, oversight, and leadership in ACF's implementation of the
Government Performance and Results Act Modernization Act, the Paperwork
Reduction Act, the Information Quality Act, and the Title II of the
Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018; and provides
expert advice on matters related to data use and reuse, privacy and
confidentiality, and the sharing of information. The office coordinates
mandated Office of Management and Budget (OMB) information collection
approvals and plans and includes ACF's Information Collection Clearance
Officer. OCDO works with ACF programs and, in cooperation with ACF
programs and others, works with federal counterparts, states, community
agencies, and the private sector to improve the effectiveness,
efficiency, and equity of programs through improved management and use
of data.
The OCDO provides strategic direction, focus, and support to the
data activities that occur within OPRE's three data divisions: Division
of Data Governance, Division of Data Capacity, and Division of Data
Privacy. The OCDO serves as principal advisor to the Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Planning, Research, and Evaluation on all matters
pertaining to performance measurement and management; supporting ACF
programs in responsibly managing and using data to improve the
effectiveness, equity, and efficiency of human services programs; data
governance; data management, collection, analysis, and use; data
sharing, privacy, and confidentiality; data talent; interoperability;
and application of emerging technologies to improve the effectiveness
of programs and service delivery.
H. The Division of Data Governance provides coordination,
consultation, direction, oversight, and technical assistance to ACF on
data governance activities, policy, and operational issues. This
includes work related to data standards setting, including
interoperability and ACF-wide Paperwork Reduction Act policy,
coordination, and support; open data initiative work, including ACF
data asset cataloging and management; implementation and oversight of
the Information Quality Act within ACF; advising on existing and
emerging data governance policy issues, such as artificial
intelligence; and coordination and support of the ACF Data Governance
Council. The Division develops policy-relevant priorities for data
collection and analysis and conducts demonstrations and develops tools,
policies, and procedures that support the increased accessibility and
reuse of administrative and survey data for statistical purposes.
I. The Division of Data Capacity supports ACF leadership and ACF
offices by providing ``surge support'' and leadership on high-priority
campaigns to analyze and use data, including the associated capacity
improvements necessary to maintain those activities going forward.
Division staff provide guidance, analysis, technical assistance, and
oversight on strategic planning and performance measurement and
management; statistical policy and program analysis; continuous
improvement; surveys, data collection, and analysis methodologies;
application of data analyses to program operations and decision-making;
and data skill development. Support includes both quantitative and
qualitative data efforts. The Division conducts, manages, and
coordinates major cross-program, leading-edge research, demonstration,
and evaluation activities related to responsible data management and
use, and provides consultation, coordination, direction, and support
for ACF research and evaluation activities related to responsible data
management and use.
J. The Division of Data Privacy provides guidance, technical
assistance, and oversight on data ethics, data sharing, data privacy,
and data confidentiality. This includes provision of policy analysis to
ACF programs on improving program coordination, enhancing information
sharing and collaboration, and identifying statutory, regulatory, or
policy limitations. Division staff interpret and analyze statutes,
bills, reports, and policies relating to data sharing and privacy to
determine their effect on ACF and its programs; design, schedule, and
execute major projects and studies to analyze interrelated issues of
legality, policymaking, and operational need; coordinate and
collaborate with the Office of the Chief Technology Officer to evaluate
data sharing for potential privacy risks and recommend solutions,
coordinate responsibility to ensure implementation of information
privacy protections and adherence to federal laws, and support in ACF
incident identification, notification, and response activities;
develop, oversee, and implement privacy policies, procedures, and
compliance across the full range of ACF activities; and advise ACF on
data privacy, data confidentiality, and data sharing throughout the
full life cycle of information from design, collection, maintenance,
disclosure, and archiving or disposition.
[[Page 96259]]
IV. Continuation of Policy. Except as inconsistent with this
reorganization, all statements of policy and interpretations with
respect to organizational components affected by this notice within
ACF, heretofore issued and in effect on this date of this
reorganization, are continued in full force and effect.
V. Delegation of Authority. All delegations and redelegations of
authority made to officials and employees of affected organizational
components will continue in them or their successors pending further
redelegations, provided they are consistent with this reorganization.
VI. Funds, Personnel, and Equipment. Transfer of organizations and
functions affected by this reorganization shall be accompanied in each
instance by direct and support funds, positions, personnel, records,
equipment, supplies, and other resources.
Xavier Becerra,
Secretary, Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2024-28428 Filed 12-3-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-79-P
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