Proposed Revision to AFCARS Data Collection: 62 New Data Elements Added Under December 2024 Final Rule
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The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is seeking public comment on a proposed revision to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), the federal data collection system used to track children in foster care and adoption. The current OMB approval (control number 0970-0422) is set to expire on June 30, 2026, prompting this renewal request. The proposed revision reflects a significant expansion of AFCARS reporting requirements stemming from a December 2024 final rule. Under this rule, 62 new data elements have been added to the system, substantially increasing the scope and complexity of data that must be submitted by state child welfare agencies. These additions are designed to improve the federal government's ability to monitor child welfare outcomes, track placement stability, and assess systemic trends in foster care and adoption across states. The burden increase applies exclusively to state child welfare agencies, which are the primary reporters to AFCARS. These agencies will need to update their data systems, train staff, and adjust internal workflows to capture and report the 62 additional data elements. The federal government is required under the Paperwork Reduction Act to notify the public and solicit feedback before finalizing changes to information collection activities. Stakeholders including state child welfare administrators, advocacy organizations, and technology vendors supporting state systems are encouraged to submit comments on the accuracy of the burden estimate, ways to minimize reporting burden, and the practical utility of the expanded data collection.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- 62 new data elements added to AFCARS under a December 2024 final rule, expanding the scope of required state reporting
- OMB information collection approval (control number 0970-0422) up for renewal — current expiration date is June 30, 2026
- Reporting burden increase applies exclusively to state child welfare agencies (no impact on other entity types)
+ 2 more changes with Pro
Obligations
What this law requires
State child welfare agencies must collect and report 62 new data elements to the AFCARS system as defined in the December 2024 final rule
State child welfare agencies must update their data systems to capture the 62 additional AFCARS data elements
State child welfare agencies must train staff on the collection and reporting of 62 new AFCARS data elements
State child welfare agencies must adjust internal workflows to accommodate the expanded AFCARS data collection requirements
The ACF must solicit and accept public comment on the accuracy of burden estimates for the expanded AFCARS data collection before finalizing changes