[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7389-7390]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3719]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Consumer Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Coordination Best Practices Project

AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Food and Consumer Service's intention to request 
Office of Management and Budget approval of the Coordination Best 
Practices Project.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by April 14, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Barbara Hallman, Acting Director, 
Supplemental Food Programs Division, Food and Consumer Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, VA 
22302.
    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 will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c)

[[Page 7390]]

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 those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technology.
    All comments to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All 
comments will also become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the proposed information collection forms should be directed 
to Barbara Hallman, (703) 305-2730.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Coordination Best Practices Project.
    OMB Number: Not yet assigned.
    Expiration Date: Three years from approval date.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: Participation in continuous and comprehensive health 
care, coupled with good nutrition, has been shown to improve pregnancy 
outcomes and the health status of infants, children, and breastfeeding 
mothers. In recognition of the positive organizational and clinical 
outcomes that can result from improved coordination between the Special 
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) 
and Community/Migrant Health Centers (C/MHCs), and between the WIC 
Program and Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, Section 17(j) of 
the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(j)), as amended by the 
Healthy Meals for Healthy Americans Act of 1994, calls for WIC services 
to be provided at substantially more C/MHCs and for improved 
coordination of WIC services with those offered by IHS facilities. The 
purpose of the Coordination Best Practices Project is to identify 30-40 
successful model coordination/collaboration efforts between the WIC 
Program and the C/MHCs funded by the Department of Health and Human 
Services' Bureau of Primary Health Care, and between the WIC Program 
and IHS programs and to showcase these in a ``Best Practices 
Handbook.'' The handbook will be designed to provide information and to 
stimulate interaction and discussion between WIC, C/MHCs, and IHS 
programs. The handbook will also contain a tool for local sites to use 
in conducting an assessment of their current coordination efforts and 
in developing a plan to increase coordination/collaboration efforts.
    Information for this study will be collected in two stages of 
telephone interviews with staff from WIC clinics, C/MHCs and IHS 
facilities across the country. First, descriptive information will be 
collected through telephone interviews from 100-150 sites, each 
consisting of a C/MHC or IHS facility and the WIC clinic with which 
they coordinate or collaborate. These sites will be identified from 
recommendations provided by a variety of agencies and organizations 
with knowledge of WIC and health care programs. Information from this 
first stage of data collection will be used to identify 60 potential 
model sites. These 60 sites will be contacted again by telephone to 
collect more in-depth information on the collaboration and coordination 
of the WIC and primary health care services at the local level. 
Finally, these data will be analyzed to identify 30-40 ``best 
practice'' models, which will be described in the Best Practices 
Handbook. Ten sites will be profiled in greater detail.
    Affected Public: Federal, State and local governments, local 
nonprofit organizations including local WIC agencies, C/MHCs, and IHS 
facilities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: One staff member from each of the 
100-150 sites in the first round of interviews. In the second round of 
interviews, one staff member from the C/MHC or IHS facility and one 
staff member of the coordinating/collaborating WIC clinic will be 
interviewed for each of the 60 sites.
    Estimated Time Per Response: Phone interviews will average 30 
minutes per site for the first round of 100-150 sites. Interviews will 
average 60 minutes for the second round of 60 sites with two interviews 
per site.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 195 hours.

    Dated: February 2, 1998.
Yvette S. Jackson,
Acting Administrator, Food and Consumer Service.
[FR Doc. 98-3719 Filed 2-12-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P