TANF-ACF-PI-1998-02 (Interim Tribal TANF Data Report, Form ACF-343)
Approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Through 12/31/1998 (Control No. 0970-0176)
To:
Indian Tribes with an Approved Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF) Plan and Other Interested Parties
Subject:
Interim Tribal TANF Data Report , Form ACF-343, Approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Through 12/31/1998 (Control No. 0970-0176)
References:
Section 411 of the Social Security Act (the Act); Policy Announcement TANF-ACF-PA-97-4; "Tribal TANF Data Collection and Reporting"; and "Program Instruction TANF-ACF-PI-97-6, Form ACF-198, Emergency TANF Data Report approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) through 01/31/1998 (Control Number 0970-0164)"
Background:
PA-97-4 specifies the effective dates for the reporting required under section 411 of the Act for Tribes with an approved TANF plan (Tribal TANF grantees). We plan to issue a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) that includes ongoing reporting requirements for Tribal TANF grantees. However, a final rule will not be issued until later this year. Prior to the publication of final rules, Tribal TANF grantees may define their data elements based on a reasonable interpretation of the statute.
In order to help the Tribal TANF grantees meet the reporting requirements established by the Act, we have obtained OMB approval to collect on an interim basis from the Tribal TANF grantees, a streamlined set of data elements. This streamlined set of elements represent the self-implementing portion of the TANF data collection requirements of the Act. The system and data elements for the Tribal grantees are the same as those established under the emergency TANF date report issued to States under PI-97-6. However, the approval from OMB for that report did not apply to Tribal TANF grantees.
Purpose:
The purpose of this Program Instruction is to provide Tribal grantees the uniform reporting procedures, generic sampling specifications, and file formats for the databases and transmission files for the Interim Tribal TANF Data Report.
Action Required:
The interim Tribal data system will allow Tribes to transmit their data electronically in a fixed-file format directly to a computer at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Alternatively, if Tribal TANF grantees do not have the capacity to transmit the data directly, they may send a copy of the files created by copying them to a floppy disk and sending the floppy disk to the Director, Division of Tribal Services, Office of Community Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, Fifth Floor, Washington, DC 20447.
The data system which has been developed is a Windows©-based tool (developed using PowerBuilder© and its associated database, SQL Anywhere©). It will be sent as a separate item. It has the following features:
- Data entry and simple editing capability;
- Ability to create fixed format transmission files (see attachment for formats) for electronic transfer; and
- Generic printing capability.
Tribal TANF grantees will be required to submit data for their entire caseload. However, Tribal TANF grantees with approved sampling plans may submit a statistical sample using the attached generic sampling specifications
If Tribal grantees do not have the PC capacity to utilize the Windows©-based data entry system, they may use any system they wish to create the transmission files in the format shown for electronic transfer.
Effective Date:
Date Tribal TANF grantee is required to begin collecting data.
Attachments:
- Generic Sampling Specifications
- Copies of the paper form of ACF-343 with: associated coding instructions; edits of the records that will be done by the Windows©-based data entry system (these edits should be implemented if any other data entry system is used); and the transmission file formats that the system will create. Data transmitted to the Administration for Children and Families must be in those formats.
The material is presented by section: Sec. 1 - Interim Tribal Data Report, TANF Disaggregated Data Collection for Families Receiving Assistance Under The TANF Program (Such families are referred to as actives); Sec. 2 - Interim Tribal Data Report, TANF Disaggregated Data Collection for Families No Longer Receiving Assistance Under a Tribal TANF Program (Such families are referred to as negatives or closures); and Sec. 3 - Interim Tribal Data Report, TANF Aggregated Data Collection for Families Receiving Assistance Under The TANF Program.
Inquiries:
Inquiries should be directed to the Division of Tribal Services, Office of Community Services
Donald Sykes
Director
Office of Community Services