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Notice

Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; National Communication System for Runaway and Homeless Youth, Currently Operated by the National Runaway Safeline Data Collection

A Notice by the Children and Families Administration on 08/07/2026

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Published Document: 2026-16187 (91 FR 51174)

This document has been published in the Federal Register. Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format.

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Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Children and Families
  1. [Office of Management and Budget #: 0970-0610]

AGENCY:

Family and Youth Services Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION:

Request for Public Comments.

SUMMARY:

The Family and Youth Services Bureau's (FYSB) Runaway and Homeless Youth Division has a legislative requirement to fund a National Communication System, which is currently operated by the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). The NRS provides information, referral services, crisis intervention, and prevention resources to vulnerable youth at risk of running away and/or becoming homeless and their families or legal guardians at no cost. When necessary, the NRS refers runaway and homeless youth to shelters, counseling, medical assistance, and other vital services. The NRS collects information from all contacts with youth and adults connecting with the NRS ( i.e., parents, family members, legal guardians, service providers) on a voluntary basis to inform crisis services and develop an annual report on the information collected during calls, chats, emails, and forum posts from young people who reached out to the NRS's crisis services. This information collection is approved under Office of Management and Budget (OMB)#: 0970-0610. FYSB plans to submit a request to OMB to extend ( printed page 51175) approval of these activities beyond the current expiration date of May 31, 2026.

DATES:

Comments due September 8, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

The public may view and comment on this information collection request at: https://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAViewICR?​ref_​nbr=​202608-0970-001. You can also obtain copies of the proposed collection of information by emailing . Identify all emailed requests by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description: The NRS is required to have a system for collecting and analyzing data to report on calls, emails, chat, texts, and online messages received as well as other information, such as prevention resources, referrals, demographics, and visitors to the NRS website. The NRS must submit to FYSB monthly and semi-annual reports that include the following:

  • Number of calls received, answered, and missed.
  • Number of chats, emails, and texts received; number of chats, emails, and texts answered; and number of chats, emails, and texts that were missed and did not receive a response, in which the users are youth in crisis, runaway youth, and youth experiencing homelessness.
  • Number of parents, legal guardians, and service providers contacting the NRS and the type of resources, interventions, and technical support/assistance requested and provided.
  • Number and type of prevention materials disseminated to communities, especially to underserved populations.
  • Number and type of unique visitors to the NRS' website.
  • Information on referrals provided and where youth were referred for services.
  • Information on the callers' or users' demographics and where they were located when contacting the NRS.
  • Information on the prevention materials developed and disseminated by the NRS.
  • Information and analysis of the latest trends and their impact on runaway prevention.

The NRS will continue to use two online forms, one form to collect relevant information disclosed during calls, emails, and forum posts and a second online form to collect information from chats. All data will be provided to FYSB in the aggregate and no personally identifiable data are collected.

The information collected will allow FYSB to better understand the types of services needed by youth contacting the NRS, as well as to identify outreach and prevention strategies to increase the visibility of the NRS services among youth experiencing housing instability, homelessness, youth who run away, and youth in crisis. Additionally, The findings from this data collection will be included in a required report to Congress to provide accurate information on the status of youth in crisis and runaway and homeless youth nationwide.

Respondents: Youth and adults who contact the NRS during calls, chats, emails, and forum posts.

Annual Burden Estimates
Instrument Total number of respondents Total number of responses per respondent Average burden hours per response Total burden hours Annual burden hours
Youth in Crisis Form 47,175 1 .23 10,850 3,617
NRS Live Chat Form 29,679 1 .65 19,291 6,430
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours 10,047

Authority: Section 331 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act authorize the award of grants for the National Communication System for Runaway and Homeless Youth (34 U.S.C. 11231).

Mary C. Jones,

ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.

[FR Doc. 2026-16187 Filed 8-6-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4182-04-P

Published Document: 2026-16187 (91 FR 51174)