2026-16187NoticeWallet

OMB Eyes Runaway Hotline Data Collection Renewal

Published Date: 8/7/2026

Notice

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 approval of these activities beyond the current expiration date of May 31, 2026.

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Free Crisis Help and Referrals

The National Runaway Safeline provides information, referrals, crisis intervention, and prevention resources at no cost to vulnerable youth at risk of running away or becoming homeless and to their families or legal guardians. When needed, the NRS refers youth to shelters, counseling, medical assistance, and other vital services.

OMB Extension Request for Data Collection

The Family and Youth Services Bureau plans to submit a request to the Office of Management and Budget to extend approval of the National Runaway Safeline data collection beyond its current expiration date of May 31, 2026. This extension would allow the National Communication System activities to continue while OMB reviews the request (OMB control number 0970-0610).

Aggregated Data; No PII Collected

The NRS collects information from contacts on a voluntary basis and provides data to FYSB only in the aggregate; the notice states that no personally identifiable data are collected. The aggregated findings will be used in required reporting about youth in crisis nationwide (OMB#: 0970-0610).

Time Burden on Hotline Respondents

The notice provides annual burden estimates for people contacting the NRS: the Youth in Crisis Form expects 47,175 responses at 0.23 hours per response (total 3,617 hours), the NRS Live Chat Form expects 29,679 responses at 0.65 hours per response (total 6,430 hours), and the estimated total annual burden hours are 10,047. These are the estimated time costs for respondents who use NRS call, chat, email, or forum services.

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Key Dates

Published Date
Comments Due
8/7/2026
9/8/2026

Department and Agencies

Department
Independent Agency
Agency
Health and Human Services Department
Children and Families Administration
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