10/16/01
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ACF Functional Statements
Administration for Children and Families
Chapter KA
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
66 FR 52627,
10/16/01
63 FR 81-87, 01/02/98
62 FR 4295-4300, 01/29/97
60 FR 40586-94, 08/09/95
KA.00 Mission
KA.10 Organization
KA.20 Functions
KA.00 Mission [60 FR 40586-94, 08/09/95]. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families provides executive direction, leadership, and guidance for all ACF programs. The Office provides national leadership to develop and coordinate public and private initiatives for carrying out programs which promote permanency placement planning, family stability and self-sufficiency. The Office advises the Secretary on issues affecting America's children and families, including Native Americans, persons with developmental disabilities, refugees and legalized aliens.
KA.10 Organization [66 FR 52627, 10/16/01]. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families is headed by the Assistant Secretary who reports directly to the Secretary and consists of:
The Office of the Assistant
Secretary (KA)
President's Committee on Mental Retardation Staff (KAD)
The Executive Secretariat Office (KAF)
KA.20 Functions A. The Office of the Assistant Secretary [63 FR 81-87, 01/02/98] is responsible to the Secretary for carrying out ACF's mission and provides executive supervision to the major components of ACF. These responsibilities include providing executive leadership and direction to plan and coordinate ACF program activities to assure their effectiveness, approving instructions, policies, publications, and grant awards issued by ACF, and representing ACF in relationships with governmental and non-governmental organizations. The Assistant Secretary for Children and Families also serves as the Director of the Office of Child Support Enforcement, and signs official Child Support Enforcement documents as the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families. The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary serves as alter ego to the Assistant Secretary on program matters and acts in the absence of the Assistant Secretary.
B. The President's Committee on Mental Retardation Staff (PCMR) [60 FR 40586-40594, 08/09/95] provides general staff support for a Presidential-level advisory body, the President's Committee on Mental Retardation. It coordinates all meetings and congressional hearing arrangements; provides such advice and assistance in the areas of mental retardation as the President or Secretary may request; prepares and issues an annual report to the President concerning mental retardation and such additional reports or recommendations as the President may require or as PCMR may deem appropriate; and evaluates the national effort to prevent and ameliorate mental retardation. It works with other federal, state, and local governments and private sector organizations to achieve Presidential goals in mental retardation; develops and disseminates information to increase public awareness of mental retardation, to reduce its incidence, and to alleviate its effects. The Staff that supports the Committee reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs.
C. The Executive Secretariat Office (ExecSec) [66 FR 52627, 10/16/01] ensures that issues requiring the attention of the Assistant Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretaries and/or executive staff are addressed on a timely and coordinated basis and facilitates decisions on matters requiring immediate action including White House, Congressional and Secretarial assignments. The Office serves as the ACF liaison with the HHS Executive Secretariat. It receives, assesses and controls incoming correspondence and assignments to the appropriate ACF component(s) for response and action and provides assistance and advice to ACF staff on the development of responses to correspondence. The Office provides assistance to ACF staff on the use of the controlled correspondence system. The Office coordinates and/or prepares congressional correspondence; and tracks development of periodic reports and facilitates departmental clearances. The Director of the Executive Secretariat Office serves as the Freedom of Information Act Officer for ACF and coordinates hot line calls received by the Office of Inspector General and the General Accounting Office relating to ACF operations and personnel.