The Office of Child Care (OCC) would like to call your attention to a Federal Register notice posted today that relates to Tribal data collection efforts.
The draft Tribal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Plan Preprint can also be found below. Note: This CCDF Plan Preprint is subject to change following the public comment period, but you can use it to begin planning discussions for the submission of the next Tribal CCDF Plan in July 2022. OCC will share any revised CCDF Plan Preprints and the final approved Tribal CCDF Plan Preprint and instructions in the future through separate OCC announcements.
This document is a revised collection of the Tribal CCDF Plan Preprint, which is required from each Tribal CCDF lead agency. OCC made the following changes based on feedback from Tribes, including focus groups and requests for clarification on how to respond to questions over the last Plan period:
- Revised questions to make a distinction between Health and Safety Trainings and Standards (Section 2.1)
- Revised Comprehensive Background Check questions to request information specific to Tribes’ legislative authority to clearly identify the implementation of the requirements for different providers and to specify alternative approaches (Section 2.3)
- Revised language throughout for clarity and ease of understanding
- Revised the abridged Plan for Tribes with smaller allocations to guide them through the optional reporting of their subsidy program
- Revised the introduction to solicit comments on the revision of the allocation size threshold that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) uses to relieve Tribes with small allocations of the full range of CCDF requirements
The Tribal CCDF Plan, submitted on the ACF-118a Tribal CCDF Plan Preprint (“preprinted form”), is required triennially and remains in effect for 3 years. The Plan is the application for funds and provides ACF and the public with a description of, and assurance about, Tribes’ child care programs. ACF is also requesting public comment on revising the thresholds used to determine Tribes with small, medium, and large allocations.
In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment for these data collection efforts until December 14, 2021. In addition to the Federal Register notice linked above, the proposed collection of information is also posted below. Alternatively, a copy can be obtained by sending an email to infocollection@acf.hhs.gov; all requests should be identified by the title of the information collection. Comments are due within 60 days of publication and should be submitted by sending an email to infocollection@acf.hhs.gov.