Information Memorandum --Tribal Data Tracker software

Index: ACYF-IM-CC-01-04 | (Collection available in Word and PDF)

Information Memorandum ACYF-IM-CC-01-04

ACF
Administration
For Children
And Families

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration on Children, Youth and Families

1. Log No: ACYF-IM-CC-01-04

2. Issuance Date: October 23, 2001

3. Originating Office: Child Care Bureau

4. Key Words: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF); ACF-700 Tribal Data Report; Tribal Data Tracker Software

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

This Information Memorandum transmits the following materials that will assist Tribal Lead Agencies with data collection necessary for the required ACF-700 tribal aggregate data report:

1. Tribal Data Tracker Computer Disc (CD);
   
2. Tribal Data Tracker Tutorial CD; and
   
3. Tribal Child Care Data Tracker User's Guide - - Version 1.0 (September 2001)

Last year the Child Care Bureau, in partnership with the Child Care Automation Resource Center (CCARC), established a Tribal Data Software Technical Assistance Group to assist the Bureau in developing a software package that would help Tribes with Federal reporting (i.e., ACF-700 report form) and some case-management functions. This workgroup was comprised of tribal CCDF directors and technology/data specialists from across the country. Workgroup members provided important contributions related to the overall design and data fields necessary to accommodate differing tribal child care program sizes and services provided by tribal CCDF grantees nationwide.

The Child Care Bureau introduced this new software package, the "Tribal Data Tracker" at the Opening Plenary Session of the 2001 National American Indian/Alaska Native Child Care Conference in April 2001 in Kansas City, Missouri. Workshop sessions were repeated throughout the Conference to provide an overview of this new data tool. Since these workshop sessions only provided a cursory view of the Tribal Data Tracker, a full day training session "Using the Tribal Data Tracker" has been offered at the 2001 Tribal Cluster Trainings at locations across the country.

Completion of the ACF-700 Report Form

By entering basic information in required data fields during the course of the federal fiscal year, the Tribal Data Tracker will produce a completed ACF-700 tribal CCDF aggregate program data report (ACF-700 report form) for that fiscal year. Therefore, if a Tribal Lead Agency enters the requested information on each child and family that it serves with CCDF funds, a completed ACF-700 report can be printed simply by pressing a button from the appropriate Tribal Data Tracker screen.

Case Management/Client Information Functions

The Tribal Data Tracker has a number of useful features that will assist Tribal Lead Agencies with case management functions. For example, by entering requested information, the Tribal Data Tracker will conduct the following functions:

• Record provider and client eligibility information;
  
• Authorize services and payments; and
  
• Generate approval letters and certificates (or vouchers).
  

Who Should use the Tribal Data Tracker?

The Tribal Data Tracker was developed particularly for those Tribal Lead Agencies that still record case management information on paper and for those Tribal Lead Agencies that would like to have their casemanagement software tailored to the CCDF program data reporting requirements.

Based on input from the Tribal Data Software Technical Assistance Group, and several field-testers, we believe the Tribal Data Tracker will be useful to most Tribal Lead Agencies, especially those with small CCDF grant awards. We recommend that all Tribal Lead Agencies examine this software closely to determine if it will assist them with CCDF program data collection functions.

The Tribal Data Tracker was developed under a government contract (Contract GS-35F-4357D/SA-00-0568) and, therefore, is in the public domain. It is available at no charge to CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies.

PLEASE NOTE: Tribal Lead Agencies are not required to use the Tribal Data Tracker software for their child care reporting and case management functions. We recognize that a number of Tribal Lead Agencies already use commercial software packages, or have developed their own databases to track family and provider information.

The attached Tribal Data Tracker CD and Tutorial CD are identical to the versions that you may have previously received. We are distributing CDs again at this time to ensure that all Tribal Lead Agencies have copies, regardless of whether they attended the meetings where copies were previously distributed. Attendees at the meetings referenced above may have received an earlier version of the User's Guide (dated April 2001).

Please note, however, that the attached Tribal Child Care Data Tracker User's Guide (i.e., the hard copy manual/handbook) has been updated as of September 2001. Therefore, please discard any prior copy you may have and replace it with the attached Tribal Child Care Data Tracker User's Guide - - Version 1.0 (September 2001).

The Tribal Data Tracker was designed to be installed on personal computers and requires minimal hardware and software support. The minimum and recommended system requirements are explained on page 1 of the attached Tribal Child Care Data Tracker User's Guide - -Version 1.0 (September 2001).

The Child Care Bureau has established a Child Care Automation Resource Center (CCARC) to provide information systems technical assistance. CCARC has liaisons with information systems background who can answer questions and provide technical assistance in using the Tribal Data Tracker. CCARC can be reached toll-free at 1-877-249-9117 weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Tribal data reports help us to document the work that our tribal child care grantees do everyday and is essential for demonstrating the accomplishments of tribal child care programs in reports to the Secretary and to the Congress. Please assist us in presenting an accurate portrayal of the tribal child care story across the country by collecting and submitting the ACF-700 Report Form each year.

1. Tribal Data Tracker (Computer Disc)
   
2. Tribal Data Tracker Tutorial (Computer Disc)
   
3. Tribal Child Care Data Tracker User's Guide - Version 1.0 (September 2001)
   
4. ACF Regional Administrators

Index: ACYF-IM-CC-01-04 | (Collection available in Word and PDF)