[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 11 (Thursday, January 16, 1997)] [Notices] [Pages 2374-2375] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-1060] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects (section 3506(c)(2)(A) of Title 35, United States Code, as amended by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects being developed for submission to OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and draft instruments, call the HRSA Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-1129. Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed 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 proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (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. Proposed Projects 1. Project To Assess Bi/Multilingual Services Offered At Selected Community And Migrant Health Centers--NEW--Recognizing the importance of language-appropriate services to full and effective health care provision, the Office of Minority and Women's Health in the Bureau of Primary Health Care [BPHC], Health Resources and Services Administration [HRSA], proposes to conduct a voluntary survey to assess the composition and provision of bi/multilingual services at 150 Community and Migrant Health Centers [C/MHCs] identified as likely to be serving such populations. This effort was developed so that information could be gathered to assist the field, funding agency staff, and policy makers in better understanding what works, what does not, and barriers and facilitators to effective health service provision for speakers of languages other than English. The information gathered will provide HRSA with an information base upon which to build in making future program decisions regarding C/MHC resource and staffing needs in order to reduce or eliminate the barriers to health care often faced by non- or limited-English-speaking populations. The end result of the program will be to assist the funding agency to help C/MHCs and by extension, other providers of health care for non- or limited-English speaking populations, to provide appropriate services. An estimate of the hour burden anticipated for the 150 C/MHC Directors to whom the survey will be mailed is shown below. [[Page 2375]] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Responses per Hours per Total hour Form No. of respondents respondent response burden ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bi/Multilingual Services Survey... 150 C/MHC Directors...... 1 2.5 hours 375 hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Study on Ethnicity/Race of Subpopulations: User/Clients and Providers in Bureau-Supported Programs--NEW--National health statistics show that there are disproportionately high numbers of individuals from ethnic minority groups who have low incomes and limited access to health care. In addition, recent published studies indicate that cultural and linguistic barriers discourage many minority group members from seeking medical attention from certain service providers. For these reasons, and given the fact that certain diseases and disorders have a higher prevalence within particular ethnic groups, it is important for the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) to have full understanding of the ethnicity of clients and providers at health centers supported through the Community Health Center Program, Migrant Health Center Program, Health Care for the Homeless, Primary Health Care in Public Housing, and the HIV Health Center Program. The ultimate purpose of this study is to examine subpopulation data on the service providers and users of these health care agencies supported by BPHC. In the first stage of the study, emphasis will be on gathering, organizing, analyzing, and reporting on ethnicity/race data that are currently available. This stage will be in preparation for a mail survey of health centers who receive BPHC support (through the programs listed above) to obtain detailed data on the ethnic/racial composition of users and providers. The mail survey will also request information on their data collection processes for ethnicity and race, which will be used to guide future BPHC efforts to collect race/ethnicity subpopulation data, making maximum use of the data collection and storage methods already employed by BPHC grantees. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Responses per Average hours Total burden Type of respondent No. of respondents respondent per response hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BPHC Grantees..................... 800...................... 1 1 800 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Send comments to Patricia Royston, HRSA Reports Clearance Officer, Room 14-36, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice. Dated: January 10, 1997. J. Henry Montes, Director, Office of Policy and Information Coordination. [FR Doc. 97-1060 Filed 1-15-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-15-P