Revised ACF-800 Child Care Annual Aggregate Report and Instructions

1. Log No: CCDF-ACF-PI-2010-01
2. Issuance Date: February 12, 2010
3. Originating Office: Child Care Bureau, Office of Family Assistance
4. Key Words: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF); Revised ACF-800 Child Care Annual Aggregate Report and Instructions

To

State and Territorial Lead Agencies administering child care programs under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990, as amended (the CCDBG Act), and other interested parties.

Subject

CCDF Child Care Annual Aggregate Report and Instructions (ACF-800 Report) for State and Territorial Lead Agencies.

References

CCDBG Act, 42 USC § 9858 et seq.; CCDF regulations at 45 CFR §§ 98.70(b) and 98.71(b). Relevant Technical Bulletins are located on the Child Care Bureau Web site at the following address: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccb/report/formhelp/techbull/index.htm.

Purpose

To inform States and Territories of the reauthorized and modified collection of the ACF-800 Report. The form and instructions are attached.

Background

Annual aggregate child care program information for the CCDF is required by Section 658K of the CCDBG Act, 42 USC § 9858i. The annual aggregate administrative information received through this collection provides the means to analyze and evaluate the CCDF program and the extent to which States are assisting families in addressing child care needs. This collection will provide the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) with the information necessary to make its biennial report to Congress, address national child care needs, offer technical assistance to grantees, meet performance measures, and conduct research.

Revised Report and Instructions

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has extended approval for the ACF-800 Report through November 30, 2012 (OMB Control Number 0970-0150).

The reauthorized report includes the following changes that become effective with the FFY2010 report (due December 31, 2010):

1. adds a data element for the estimated number of CCDF-eligible children receiving pre-K child care services (previously required on the ACF-801 report);
2. refines the consumer education data elements by distinguishing “content” (e.g., information on quality) from “methods” (written materials);
3. streamlines the answer categories associated with non-CCDF pooled funds from 10 to six choices; and,
4. clarifies the ACF-800 instructions, including the instructions regarding the pooling factor (item 12). The instructions clarify that, while ACF allows States to report data on all children and families served by pooled funds in order to ease administrative burden, all children and families served by pooled funds must meet CCDF eligibility requirements. States that use non-CCDF funding sources to serve populations of children and families who are not eligible for CCDF services should not report administrative data on those children and families on the ACF-800 or ACF-801 reports.

Although the data elements on the proposed form remain in nearly the same order as the existing form, the numbering has changed.

Due Dates

Annual aggregate reports are due December 31 (three months after the end of the reporting period). A CCDF reporting overview for States and Territories is available at: /programs/ccb/report/st_ovrvw.htm

Who Must Report

All Lead Agencies in the United States, the District of Columbia (DC), and Territories (including Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) are responsible for completing the ACF-800 Report.

Penalties for Non-Reporting

Section 658I(b) of the CCDBG Act provides that the Secretary of Health and Human Services may impose sanctions on a Lead Agency for non-compliance with any requirement of the CCDF program. 42 USC § 9858g(b). CCDF regulations provide that the Secretary may impose a penalty of not more than four percent of the discretionary funds for a fiscal year, if a determination is made that a Lead Agency has failed to implement a provision of the CCDBG Act, the CCDF regulations, or the Lead Agency's biennial Plan. 45 CFR § 98.92(b)(2). Lead Agencies failing to provide reports may be subject to this penalty.

Electronic File Transfer Method

ACF-800 reports must be submitted through the ACF-800 Data Submission Center on the Child Care Bureau website (https://extranet.acf.hhs.gov/acf800/login/login800.jsp ). This page contains a password-protected web-based form that checks the data for compliance with data standards at the time of submission. These built-in edit-checking features make it easier for grantees to identify and correct errors.

The submission web page requires a login and password. Grantees should have designated individuals to access the ACF-800 Data Submission Center. The login and password carry over to each new reporting period, so there is no need to register each year to use the submission site. To register new staff or otherwise modify registration information, submit the ACF-800 Internet Registration form available at: www.acf.hhs.gov/occ/resource/registration-for-acf-800-internet-submissions (also attached to this Program Instruction) and mail or fax to:

Child Care Automation Resource Center
2600 Tower Oaks Boulevard, Suite 600
Rockville, Maryland 20852
Fax: 301-692-0700

The Child Care Automation Resource Center (CCARC) will contact the staff identified on the form to provide further instructions and guidance. To renew the login or password, grantees may contact CCARC at their toll-free number: 1-877-249-9117, weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), or by email at ccarc@childcaredata.org.

Technical Assistance

CCARC was established by the Child Care Bureau to provide technical assistance for grantee reporting requirements. Assistance related to the submission of the ACF-800 Report is available on the internet at: /programs/ccb/report/formhelp/acf800/index.htm
CCARC Technical Assistance Specialists can answer questions and provide guidance in preparation of the program information and submission of the ACF-800 Report. CCARC can be reached toll-free at 1-877-249-9117 weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) or at ccarc@childcaredata.org.

Reporting Problems or Policy Questions

Lead agencies that have problems complying with the statutory reporting requirements should contact ACF for technical assistance. Questions should be directed to the appropriate ACF Regional Child Care Program Manager (see attached list).

Paperwork Reduction Act

Collection of the information for the ACF-800 Report is expected to average 40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. 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. The information collection required under this Program Instruction is approved under OMB Control Number 0970-0150, which expires November 30, 2012.  

/s/
__________________________
Ann H. Barbagallo
Acting Director
Office of Family Assistance

Attachments

List of ACF Regional Child Care Program Managers
ACF-800 Report Form (XLSX)
ACF-800 Instructions/Definitions (PDF)
ACF-800 Internet Registration Form