NonSub Change -UC Case Status

To: Kelsi Feltz

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Kristie Ross

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: February 22, 2024

Subject: Non-Substantive Change Request – Services Provided to Unaccompanied Children (OMB #0970-0553)

This memo requests approval of non-substantive changes to the approved information collection, Services Provided to Unaccompanied Children (OMB #0970-0553).

Background

The Services Provided to Unaccompanied Children information collection contains 22 instruments that allow the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to collect information necessary to provide services to unaccompanied children as required by the Homeland Security Act (6 U.S.C. 279), the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (8 U.S.C. 1232), and the Flores Settlement Agreement (No. CV85-4544-RJK (C.D. Cal. 1996)).  The collection was last approved by OMB on April 21, 2022 and expires on April 30, 2025.

ORR is proposing changes to the Family Reunification section of the UC Case Status, as well as the addition of a new “Primary Unification Specialist Information" section.

Overview of Requested Changes

Family Reunification Section

Currently, the Family Reunification Application Sent to Sponsor field contains two subfields, Date Sent and Date Received, which require the user to enter data manually. The proposed revision is to replace the manual entry field for Date Sent with a checkbox. This checkbox, when clicked, will automatically populate a date/time stamp. The main reason for this revision is to create a more accurate measurement of completion time for the Family Reunification Application. This revision will help ensure compliance with the Duchitanga v. Huang Settlement Agreement and enable ORR to provide targeted technical assistance.

Primary Unification Specialist Information Section

This new section will allow users to select an "I am the Primary Unification Specialist" checkbox. Once selected, the fields within this section will automatically populate with the user's account data previously entered into the system. This new section will match the Primary Case Manager Information section already in the form. The primary purpose of this proposed revision is to support a full rollout of ORR's sponsor services initiative. Currently, this initiative is being piloted with select providers. Under this initiative, a contractor will provide centralized case management services for sponsor vetting, also known as unification services. The contractor will perform sponsor vetting activities that provider case managers currently perform, allowing case managers to focus on activities related to the direct care of children. Having a centralized location where the child's primary unification specialist's name and contact information are listed is essential, as contractor unification specialists and case managers will need to work together on each child’s case.