NOTICE TO
RESPONDENTS
Federal regulations implementing
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [5 CFR Part 1320.8] require
that potential respondents to Federal information requests be
notified of: i) the reasons for the information collection; ii) the
ways in which information will be used; iii) the estimated average
burden to respondents of the information collection; iv) whether
response is voluntary, mandatory or required to obtain benefits; v)
the nature and extent of confidentiality to be provided, if any;
and vi) the need for a currently valid OMB control number to be
displayed. The following information is provided in response to
these OMB requirements.
The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) is
designed to fulfill the mandate of the Child Abuse Prevention and
Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5104) that the Department of Health and
Human Services establish a national data collection program on
child abuse and neglect. These data now serve as the major source
of information on reported child maltreatment in the United States
and are proving useful for national, State and local program
planning, design and implementation.
The Summary Data Component (SDC) of NCANDS collects aggregate data
on reports and investigations of child abuse and neglect and on the
victims and perpetrators of substantiated or indicated
investigations. Data are collected from State agencies and are
disseminated to policy makers, practitioners and the general
public. The latest report on SDC data has been published as
Child Maltreatment 1995: Reports From the States to the National
Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. The report is available
from the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect
Information. The Clearinghouse can be contacted by calling
1-800-394-3366.
State child protective services agencies participate in all stages
of the NCANDS program, including design, data collection and
analysis, on a voluntary basis. It is estimated that the
preparation and submission of the data by State agencies will
average 30 hours. Respondents may direct comments concerning this
estimate to NCCAN, P.O. Box 1182, Washington, D.C. 20013.
All data requested from the States are in aggregate form and
contain no identifiable information on persons or specific cases of
child abuse and neglect that would be affected by laws or
regulations pertaining to confidentiality.
Respondents are notified that an agency may not conduct or sponsor,
and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Instructions for filling out the SDC Form
1. Please refer to the glossary that accompanies these forms and
instructions for definitions of terms.
2. State data should reflect information collected about child
maltreatment for the period of January through December, 1996, or
for the past fiscal year (i.e. Fiscal Year 1996).
3. If you consolidate data across codes or categories within an SDC
item, please provide clarification. If you cannot provide all of
the information requested according to the NCANDS definitions,
please provide your most relevant data and explain your
response.
4. If you have questions regarding the SDC or need clarification
of these instruction, please call the National Child Abuse and
Neglect Data System Technical Assistance Program at
301-881-2590.
5. In the package you received, you will find a self-addressed,
stamped envelope. Please mail of fax the completed forms by July 1,
1997 to:
National
Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS)
c/o Walter R. McDonald & Associates, Inc.
12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 310
Rockville, MD 20852-1606
Fax: 301-881-0096
We would also appreciate your enclosing or sending under separate cover a copy of your most recent State report on child abuse and neglect.
