Notice2026-09913
Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Case Plan Requirement, Title IV-E of the Social Security Act
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
May 18, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentChildren and Families Administration
Abstract
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting a 3-year extension of the information collection Case Plan Requirement, Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, (Office of Management and Budget (OMB) #: 0970-0428, expiration September 30, 2026). There are no changes to the requirements, but burden estimates have been updated to reflect a reduction in average time to complete a case plan and the current numbers of children in foster care.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 95 (Monday, May 18, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 95 (Monday, May 18, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Page 28597]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09913]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
[Office of Management and Budget #: 0970-0428]
Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Case Plan
Requirement, Title IV-E of the Social Security Act
AGENCY: Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is
requesting a 3-year extension of the information collection Case Plan
Requirement, Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, (Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) #: 0970-0428, expiration September 30,
2026). There are no changes to the requirements, but burden estimates
have been updated to reflect a reduction in average time to complete a
case plan and the current numbers of children in foster care.
DATES: Comments due June 17, 2026.
ADDRESSES: The public may view and comment on this information
collection request at: <a href="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202605-0970-005">https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202605-0970-005</a>. You can also obtain copies of the
proposed collection of information by emailing
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d8b1b6beb7bbb7b4b4bdbbacb1b7b698b9bbbef6b0b0abf6bfb7ae"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a13141c15191516161f190e1315143a1b191c54121209541d150c">[email protected]</span></a>. Identify all emailed requests by the title
of the information collection.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description: The case plan information collection is authorized in
sections 422(b)(8)(A)(ii) and 471(a)(16), and defined in sections 475
and 475A of the Social Security Act (the Act). Statutory requirements
in the Act mandate that states, territories, and tribes with an
approved title IV-E plan develop a case review system and case plan for
each child in the foster care system for whom the state, territory, or
tribe receives title IV-E reimbursement of foster care maintenance
payments. The case review system assures that each child has a case
plan designed to achieve placement in a safe setting that is the least
restrictive, most family-like setting available and near the child's
parental home, consistent with the best interest and special needs of
the child. States, territories, and tribes meeting these requirements
also partly comply with title IV-B, section 422(b), of the Act, which
assures certain protections for children in foster care. The case plan
is a written document that provides a narrative description of the
child-specific program of care. Federal regulations at 45 CFR
1356.21(g) and sections 475 and 475A of the Act delineate the specific
information that must be addressed in the case plan. ACF does not
specify a format for the case plan nor does ACF require submission of
the document to the federal government. Case plan information is
recorded in a format developed and maintained by the state,
territorial, or tribal title IV-E agency.
Respondents: State, territorial, and tribal title IV-E agencies.
Annual Burden Estimates
Burden estimates have been adjusted to reflect one additional title
IV-E agency, a decrease in the number of average hours to complete a
case plan due to technology, fewer children entering foster care and an
increased number of children exiting foster care. Overall, the
estimated annual burden has decreased by about 32 percent.
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Average
Total number Total number of burden hours Total Annual
Instrument of respondents responses per per burden burden
respondent response hours hours
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Case Plan Requirement.............. 67 19,490 3.8 4,962,154 1,654,051
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Authority: 42 U.S.C. 622; 42 U.S.C. 671; 42 U.S.C. 675; 42
U.S.C. 675a.
Mary C. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2026-09913 Filed 5-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
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