Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: AmeriCorps VISTA Criminal History Acknowledgement Form

Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; AmeriCorps VISTA Criminal History Acknowledgement Form

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted to the individual and office listed in the ADDRESSES section by September 14, 2026.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title of Collection: AmeriCorps VISTA Criminal History Acknowledgment Form.

OMB Control Number: 3045-NEW.

Type of Review: New.

Respondents/Affected Public: Businesses and Organizations, State, Local or Tribal Governments; Individuals and Households.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 120.

Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 120.

Abstract: The AmeriCorps VISTA Criminal History Acknowledgment Form (CHAF) is part of a new process that increases sponsor autonomy in AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer (member) selection and standardizes data collection for more efficient workflow and prompt adjudication of criminal history issues. The CHAF must be completed by VISTA sponsors when a candidate for VISTA service either fails to report their criminal history on their application or is noted to have a criminal history involving certain violent or serious offenses. In the latter case, a VISTA candidate reports the offense, its date, the final court judgment, and the legal status of each offense in Part A of the CHAF. In Part B, they accept the AmeriCorps VISTA conditions for serving with a criminal history special consideration.

On Part C of the form, the VISTA sponsor or site supervisor provides a recommendation to accept or reject the candidate based on the disclosed criminal history. They must include an explanation of why they consider the candidate to be (or not be) a good fit for their program in light of the disclosed criminal history and, if they recommend acceptance, what measures they will have in place to support a successful service term for the candidate and appropriate supervision.

Part D is a personal narrative that applicants who have noted a criminal history involving violence must complete.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information, to search data sources, to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information. All written comments will be available for public inspection on regulations.gov .