Notice2026-08107
Proposed Information Collection Activity; National Communication System for Runaway and Homeless Youth, Currently Operated by the National Runaway Safeline Data Collection
Primary source
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Published
April 27, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentChildren and Families Administration
Abstract
The Family and Youth Services Bureau's (FYSB) Runaway and Homeless Youth Division has a legislative requirement to fund a National Communication System, which is currently operated by the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). The NRS provides information, referral services, crisis intervention, and prevention resources to vulnerable youth at risk of running away and/or becoming homeless and their families or legal guardians at no cost. When necessary, the NRS refers runaway and homeless youth to shelters, counseling, medical assistance, and other vital services. The NRS collects information from all contacts with youth and adults connecting with the NRS (i.e., parents, family members, legal guardians, service providers) on a voluntary basis to inform crisis services and develop an annual report on the information collected during calls, chats, emails, and forum posts from young people who reached out to the NRS's crisis services. This information collection is approved under Office of Management and Budget (OMB)#: 0970-0610. FYSB plans to submit a request to OMB to extend approval of these activities beyond the current expiration date of May 31, 2026.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 80 (Monday, April 27, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 80 (Monday, April 27, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22538-22539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08107]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
[Office of Management and Budget #: 0970-0610]
Proposed Information Collection Activity; National Communication
System for Runaway and Homeless Youth, Currently Operated by the
National Runaway Safeline Data Collection
AGENCY: Family and Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children
and Families, Department of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Family and Youth Services Bureau's (FYSB) Runaway and
Homeless Youth Division has a legislative requirement to fund a
National Communication System, which is currently operated by the
National Runaway Safeline (NRS). The NRS provides information, referral
services, crisis intervention, and prevention resources to vulnerable
youth at risk of running away and/or becoming homeless and their
families or legal guardians at no cost. When necessary,
[[Page 22539]]
the NRS refers runaway and homeless youth to shelters, counseling,
medical assistance, and other vital services. The NRS collects
information from all contacts with youth and adults connecting with the
NRS (i.e., parents, family members, legal guardians, service providers)
on a voluntary basis to inform crisis services and develop an annual
report on the information collected during calls, chats, emails, and
forum posts from young people who reached out to the NRS's crisis
services. This information collection is approved under Office of
Management and Budget (OMB)#: 0970-0610. FYSB plans to submit a request
to OMB to extend approval of these activities beyond the current
expiration date of May 31, 2026.
DATES: Comments due June 26, 2026.
ADDRESSES: 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. You can obtain
copies of the proposed collection of information and submit comments by
emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d7beb9b1b8b4b8bbbbb2b4a3beb8b997b6b4b1f9bfbfa4f9b0b8a1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4b22252d24282427272e283f2224250b2a282d65232338652c243d">[email protected]</span></a>. Identify all requests by the title
of the information collection.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description: The NRS is required to have a system for collecting
and analyzing data to report on calls, emails, chat, texts, and online
messages received as well as other information, such as prevention
resources, referrals, demographics, and visitors to the NRS website.
The NRS must submit to FYSB monthly and semi-annual reports that
include the following:
<bullet> Number of calls received, answered, and missed.
<bullet> Number of chats, emails, and texts received; number of
chats, emails, and texts answered; and number of chats, emails, and
texts that were missed and did not receive a response, in which the
users are youth in crisis, runaway youth, and youth experiencing
homelessness.
<bullet> Number of parents, legal guardians, and service providers
contacting the NRS and the type of resources, interventions, and
technical support/assistance requested and provided.
<bullet> Number and type of prevention materials disseminated to
communities, especially to underserved populations.
<bullet> Number and type of unique visitors to the NRS' website.
<bullet> Information on referrals provided and where youth were
referred for services.
<bullet> Information on the callers' or users' demographics and
where they were located when contacting the NRS.
<bullet> Information on the prevention materials developed and
disseminated by the NRS.
<bullet> Information and analysis of the latest trends and their
impact on runaway prevention.
The NRS will continue to use two online forms, one form to collect
relevant information disclosed during calls, emails, and forum posts
and a second online form to collect information from chats. All data
will be provided to FYSB in the aggregate and no personally
identifiable data are collected.
The information collected will allow FYSB to better understand the
types of services needed by youth contacting the NRS, as well as to
identify outreach and prevention strategies to increase the visibility
of the NRS services among youth experiencing housing instability,
homelessness, youth who run away, and youth in crisis. Additionally,
the findings from this data collection will be included in a required
report to Congress to provide accurate information on the status of
youth in crisis and runaway and homeless youth nationwide.
Respondents: Youth and adults who contact the NRS during calls,
chats, emails, and forum posts.
Annual Burden Estimates
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Total number Average burden
Instrument Total number of responses hours per Total burden Annual burden
of respondents per respondent response hours hours
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Youth in Crisis Form............ 47,175 1 .23 10,850 3,617
NRS Live Chat Form.............. 29,679 1 .65 19,291 6,430
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Estimated Total Annual .............. .............. .............. .............. 10,047
Burden Hours...............
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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: Section 331 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
authorize the award of grants for the National Communication System for
Runaway and Homeless Youth (34 U.S.C. 11231).
Mary C. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-08107 Filed 4-24-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4182-04-P
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