Change Request - User Experience Tool

To: Kelsi Feltz

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Tresa Young

Division of State Systems

Children’s Bureau

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: November 16, 2023

Subject: Change Request – Generic Clearance for the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System Technical Assistance and Review Process (OMB #0970-0568)

This memo requests approval of changes to the approved information collection, User Experience CCWIS Self-Assessment Tool, approved under the Generic Clearance for the Comprehensive Child Welfare Information System (CCWIS) Technical Assistance (TA) and Review Process (OMB #0970-0568).

Background

The CCWIS Self-Assessment Tool for User Experience was first approved under this generic clearance on May 18, 2021, and is one of several TA tools used by the Children’s Bureau (CB) to support title IV-E agencies and assess for compliance with regulations describing CCWIS in these ways:

• Document and demonstrate that title IV-E agencies have planned their system’s conformity to federal CCWIS [45 CFR §1355.50-59] and Advance Planning Document [45 CFR part 95, subpart F] requirements;

• Assess how the CCWIS supports continuous improvement in child welfare service delivery, aligns with the agency goals, and reflects the child welfare business processes and workflows of the agency;

• Proactively identify risks, system shortcomings, or deficiencies in system planning, design, and/or implementation;

• Identify gaps and determine strategies for improvement or corrective action, or to allow a title IV-E agency to make a project course change; and

• Identify the need for additional TA or further federal guidance.

Since implementing the tool for User Experience, CB has received feedback from Title IV-E agencies that warranted updates to clarify definitions of key concepts to support the utility of the tool. While making these updates, CB used this opportunity to include new language to support the goals of Executive Order 13985 (Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government) by addressing equity in each section of the tool.

Overview of Requested Changes

• Defined key concepts and added examples in response to state feedback;

• Consolidated sections to improve readability and highlight critical sections of the tool;

• Incorporated language from Executive Order 13985 by now addressing equity in each section of the tool;

• Modified existing definitions and examples with person-first language in consultation with lived experience and accessibility subject matter experts; and

• Embedded external TA resources throughout the revised tool.

None of these proposed updates change the purpose or use of the tool, as originally described. The estimated average time per response also remains unchanged.