[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 58 (Wednesday, March 26, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14431-14432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7618]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Request for Comments on the Development of Minimum Tribal Child 
Care Standards

AGENCY: Administration on Children, Youth and Families, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Request for comments on the development of minimum child care 
standards applicable to Indian Tribes and tribal organizations 
receiving Federal assistance under the Child Care and Development Fund.

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SUMMARY: the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-193) requires the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services to develop minimum child care standards for 
Tribes and tribal organizations receiving funds under the Child Care 
and Development Fund. The Act requires that the standards be developed 
in consultation with Indian Tribes and tribal organizations and 
appropriately reflect the Tribes needs and available resources.
    The Child Care Bureau has the responsibility to implement this 
legislation. As part of the consultation process, the Child Care Bureau 
is requesting comments on the development of minimum tribal child care 
standards.
    This process provides an opportunity for Tribes to provide comment 
on areas that reflect the unique situations relevant to Tribes and 
tribal organizations. Tribal input will enable the Department to 
identify resources or standards that may be helpful to consider in 
developing tribal standards; identify challenges that Tribes face in 
meeting the existing health and safety requirements and to identify 
procedures for Tribes to assure that children are properly immunized. 
In addition, Tribes can be a source of information regarding tribal 
child care licensing processes and identifying any barriers that Tribes 
encounter in implementing and/or enforcing child care standards.

DATES: The Department invites comments from Indian Tribes and tribal 
organizations on the development of minimum Tribal child care 
standards. Written comments must be received on or before May 27, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed (facsimile transmissions will not 
be accepted) to the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, 
Attention: Child Care Bureau, Hubert Humphrey Building, Room 320-F, 200 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201 or delivered to that 
address between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on regular business days. Comments 
received may be inspected during the same hours by making arrangements 
with the contact person shown below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Moniquin Huggins, Child Care Bureau, Hubert Humphrey Building, Room 
320F, 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201, telephone 
(202) 690-8490.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act 
(the Act) of 1996 made major changes to the Federal child care 
assistance program. The Act repealed three title IV-A programs of the 
Social Security Act: AFDC Child Care, Transitional Child Care and At-
Risk Child Care and amended the Child Care and Development Block Grant. 
In addition, the Act amended section 418 of the Social Security Act to 
provide new Federal child care funds and transfers these funds to the 
Lead Agency under the amended Child Care and Development Block Grant 
Act. The combined funds under the CCDBG have been renamed the Child 
Care and Development Fund.
    The Child Care and Development Fund assists States, Territories and 
Tribes in providing child care services to children from low-income 
families who need child care either because a parent is working or 
attending a training or educational program.
    The Act amended the CCDBG to require Grantees to certify that they 
have in effect licensing requirements applicable to child care services 
provided within the State, and to provide a detailed description of 
those requirements and of how they are effectively enforced.
    Grantee must certify that there are in effect within the State, 
under State or local law, requirements designed to protect the health 
and safety of children that are applicable to child care providers that 
provide services for which assistance is made available under the Child 
Care and Development Fund. Such requirements shall include:
    (1) The prevention and control of infectious disease (including 
immunizations);
    (2) Building and physical premises safety; and
    (3) Minimum health and safety training appropriate to the provider 
setting.

[[Page 14432]]

    In addition, for Indian Tribes and tribal organizations the Act 
requires that ``in lieu of any licensing and regulatory requirements 
applicable under State and local law, the Secretary, in consultation 
with Indian Tribes and tribal organizations, shall develop minimum 
child care standards (that appropriately reflect tribal needs and 
available resources) that shall be applicable to Indian Tribes and 
tribal organizations receiving assistance under the Child Care and 
Development Fund''.

Purpose

    The purpose of this Federal Register Notice is to seek input on the 
development of minimum tribal child care standards. This Federal 
Register Notice will serve as one means of consulting with the Tribes 
and tribal organizations on the development of such standards.
    Tribes for the most part have been faced with the challenge of 
using a variety of methods to address the health and safety of children 
in their child care programs. These methods have including adopting 
State standards and/or using a combination of State and Tribal 
standards. With the number of children in tribal child care programs 
expected to increase as more parents enter the workforce, the need for 
minimum standards that reflect the particular needs and situations of 
Tribes is vital.
    The development of minimum Tribal child care standards will enhance 
the Tribes' ability to implement standards that address the varying 
needs and available resources of tribal communities and to assure that 
children are healthy and safe.

    Dated: March 20, 1997.
Bob Sargis,
Acting Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-7618 Filed 3-25-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M