CCDF Report Submission by States and Territories

Program Instruction (ACYF-PI-CC-99-08)

The State-level aggregate report (ACF-800) and ACF-700 (page two only) for FFY 1999 are due December 30, 1999. However, States and Territories are encouraged to submit earlier than December 30 due to year end activities related to Y2K. Forms (ACF-800 and ACF-700 page two) and instructions (ACF-800 and ACF-700 page two) for the completion of these reports are attached.

The OMB-approved form and instructions are enclosed for the third State-level aggregate data collection. The third State-level aggregate report will cover the period of October 1, 1998 to September 30, 1999.

Comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden, should be sent to: the Child Care Bureau, Switzer Building, 330 C Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20447; and to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 20503.

In addition to the report, explanatory information will need to be provided by States and Territories so that data analysis can proceed in a timely manner. Explanatory information helps to ensure accurate and timely analysis of the State and Territorial reports.

Four basic areas need explanation: a) Information on Pooling (if applicable), b) Consumer Education Methodology, c) "Other" Consumer Education (if applicable), and d) Footnotes. If you are submitting the ACF-800 form over the internet, space is available on the internet form to include this additional information. If you are submitting the ACF-800 in the mail, please include this information in an attachment.

a) Information on Pooling (if applicable):
For reporting purposes, the Child Care Bureau wants to know only about the number of children and families served through the Child Care and Development Fund. The CCDF is comprised of the following: discretionary, mandatory, Federal matching funds, State matching funds (from any allowable source under section 98.53), MOE (from any allowable source under section 98.53), transfer from TANF into discretionary fund, Child Care Development Block Grant from previous years, and funds for quality and administration.

Many Lead Agencies, however, combine non-CCDF monies to serve the child care needs of their State and do not serve children exclusively with CCDF funds (this is called "pooling"). Examples of funds that States and Territories often include in their pool are: Title XX, Title IV-E funds for children in foster care, Welfare to Work (WTW) funds, non-compulsory education programs, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) child care, State-only funds not used for MOE or match, or other funds not used for match. If your State or Territory pools non-CCDF funds in your Child Care and Development Fund, and you are not able to identify which family receives only CCDF funds, you need to report the percentage of your program funds that are CCDF funds in this section. The Bureau will automatically calculate the percentage of each data element which is provided by CCDF funding and report the resulting calculation to Congress.

For information on how to calculate the pooling ratio, please review Section III of Technical Bulletin #8: ACF-801 Clarifications, final April 1, 1998.

b) Consumer Education Methodology:
All States and Territories must indicate the methodology used to determine the number of families receiving consumer education.

c) "Other" Consumer Education (if applicable):
Additionally, if you indicate "yes" in the "other" question under consumer education, you must describe the "other" type of consumer education.

d) Footnotes:
Often States and Territories need to provide special or specific information concerning certain data elements. Please feel free to provide explanatory information in footnotes that will help the Bureau and other readers to understand the data being presented.

Additionally, States and Territories often have information of interest to other States and Territories. If you have material developed with CCDF funds which you would like to share, please forward this information to the National Child Care Information Center, 243 Church Street NW, 2nd Floor, Vienna, VA 22180. Electronic information can be sent to : info@nccic.org.

The State-level aggregate report should be submitted through the internet. If your State or Territory does not have access to the internet, please submit your form on paper through the mail. Please note: it has been the Bureau's experience that ACF-800 data submitted through the internet provides much more reliable data in a timely manner due to the built in edit checks of the internet form.

Internet: The Child Care Bureau has a web-based form available for the submission of the ACF-800. The web-based form has intelligence built in to make submission easier. The form can be revised through the internet as well. To ensure the validity of the data submitted, the web site is secured and requires a login and password for submission. To ensure appropriate authorization for this submission method, please submit the attached ACF-800 internet registration form either by mail or fax by November 30, 1999 to:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Child Care Bureau
Switzer Building
330 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20447
attn: Reports Manager

fax: 202-690-5600

The Child Care Automation Resource Center (CCARC) will contact the staff identified on the form to provide further instructions and guidance on this mechanism.

Upon receipt of the completed ACF-800 form on the internet, the Child Care Bureau will automatically notify the State Lead Agency Administrator and the Regional Office.

Mail: States and Territories without access to the internet should mail a paper copy of the report and the additional required information to both the Regional and Central ACF Offices (faxes may be accepted if followed by the paper copy through the mail). A List of Regional Office addresses has been attached. Please mail the Central Office copy to the address identified above.

The Child Care Bureau awarded a new contract for Information Systems Technical Assistance and Development to Anteon/Vector Research/Center for Technology in the Human Services. The services of the Child Care Automation Resource Center are provided as a part of that contract. Technical Assistance related to the submission of the ACF-800 is available at the CCARC web site.

The Resource Center also has liaisons with information systems backgrounds who are ready to assist you with your information systems questions and concerns. You may contact the Center at 1-877-249-9117 weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) for assistance in completing the State-level report. Assistance is also available through email at:: CCARC@childcaredata.org.

Reporting Deadlines/Problems: ACF Regional Office (see Attachment)

State-level Report Requirements: Reports Manager, 202-690-6782, ccb@acf.dhhs.gov

Information Systems: Child Care Automation Resource Center, 1-877-249-9117, CCARC@childcaredata.org