§ 9917 — Accountability And Reporting Requirements

(A) By October 1, 2001, each State that receives funds under this chapter shall participate, and shall ensure that all eligible entities in the State participate, in a performance measurement system, which may be a performance measurement system for which the Secretary facilitated development pursuant to subsection (b), or an alternative system that the Secretary is satisfied meets the requirements of subsection (b). (B) The State may elect to have local agencies that are subcontractors of the eligible entities under this chapter participate in the performance measurement system. If the State makes that election, references in this section to eligible entities shall be considered to include the local agencies. (2) Each State shall annually prepare and submit to the Secretary a report on the measured performance of the State and the eligible entities in the State. Prior to the participation of the State in the performance measurement system, the State shall include in the report any information collected by the State relating to such performance. Each State shall also include in the report an accounting of the expenditure of funds received by the State through the community services block grant program, including an accounting of funds spent on administrative costs by the State and the eligible entities, and funds spent by eligible entities on the direct delivery of local services, and shall include information on the number of and characteristics of clients served under this chapter in the State, based on data collected from the eligible entities. The State shall also include in the report a summary describing the training and technical assistance offered by the State under section 9915(a)(3) of this title during the year covered by the report. (1) The Secretary, in collaboration with the States and with eligible entities throughout the Nation, shall facilitate the development of one or more model performance measurement systems, which may be used by the States and by eligible entities to measure their performance in carrying out the requirements of this chapter and in achieving the goals of their community action plans. The Secretary shall provide technical assistance, including support for the enhancement of electronic data systems, to States and to eligible entities to enhance their capability to collect and report data for such a system and to aid in their participation in such a system. (2) At the end of each fiscal year beginning after September 30, 1999, the Secretary shall, directly or by grant or contract, prepare a report containing— (A) a summary of the planned use of funds by each State, and the eligible entities in the State, under the community services block grant program, as contained in each State plan submitted pursuant to section 9908 of this title; (B) a description of how funds were actually spent by the State and eligible entities in the State, including a breakdown of funds spent on administrative costs and on the direct delivery of local services by eligible entities; (C) information on the number of entities eligible for funds under this chapter, the number of low-income persons served under this chapter, and such demographic data on the low-income populations served by eligible entities as is determined by the Secretary to be feasible; (D) a comparison of the planned uses of funds for each State and the actual uses of the funds; (E) a summary of each State’s performance results, and the results for the eligible entities, as collected and submitted by the States in accordance with subsection (a)(2); and (F) any additional information that the Secretary considers to be appropriate to carry out this chapter, if the Secretary informs the States of the need for such additional information and allows a reasonable period of time for the States to collect and provide the information. (3) The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate the report described in paragraph (2), and any comments the Secretary may have with respect to such report. The report shall include definitions of direct and administrative costs used by the Department of Health and Human Services for programs funded under this chapter. (4) Of the funds reserved under section 9903(b)(3) of this title, not more than $350,000 shall be available to carry out the reporting requirements contained in paragraph (2).