[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 200 (Monday, October 16, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61175-61176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-26451]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities Under Emergency Review 
by the Office of Management and Budget

    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
(SAMHSA) has submitted the following request (see below) for emergency 
OMB review under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). 
OMB approval has been requested by November 1, 2000. A copy of the 
information collection plans may be obtained by calling the SAMHSA 
Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-7978.
    Title: 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse Incentive 
Experiment.
    OMB Number: 0930-0110 (Revision).
    Frequency: Single time.
    Affected public: Individuals or households.
    SAMHSA's National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) is a 
survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United 
States 12 years old and older. The data are used to determine the 
prevalence of use of tobacco products, alcohol, illicit substances, and 
illicit use of prescription drugs. The results are used by SAMHSA, 
ONDCP, Federal government agencies, and other organizations and 
researchers to establish policy, direct program activities, and better 
allocate resources.
    As part of the 2001 NHSDA, an incentive experiment is planned for 
the first two quarters of the year (January through June). The goal of 
the experiment is to determine whether response rates for the NHSDA can 
be increased without negatively affecting the quality of the data 
collected or significantly increasing the cost of the data collection. 
Despite utilization of all usual, non-monetary methods to maximize 
response rates, the overall national response rate for the 2000 NHSDA 
remains below the Office of Management and Budget standard of 80 
percent and the response rates for the states vary greatly.
    Improvements in the response rates are expected to generate more 
precise estimates and are expected to reduce bias and mean squared 
error for both the national and state level estimates. Because of the 
importance of achieving the maximum practical response rates across all 
states, and because we have already implemented all known

[[Page 61176]]

alternative methods to increase the response rates, it is critical that 
this incentive experiment be conducted as quickly as possible so that 
the findings can be considered in plans for the 2002 NHSDA (or sooner, 
if possible).
    Households included in this experiment will be selected randomly 
from among the households already selected for the 2001 NHSDA. Once 
assigned to the experiment, households will be assigned to one of three 
treatment groups: a $40 incentive, a $20 incentive, or no incentive.
    Respondents who take part in the incentive experiment will complete 
exactly the same questionnaire as that used for the main 2001 NHSDA. 
The sample size for the incentive experiment will be sufficient to 
assess the effectiveness of the incentive as described above. A sample 
of approximately 2,500 completed interviews is planned. No additional 
burden will be realized for this experiment beyond what was originally 
calculated for the main 2001 NHSDA data collection activities because 
the experiment will be conducted among households selected for the 
national survey.
    Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed 
information collection should be sent within two weeks of this notice 
to: Stuart Shapiro, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: October 10, 2000.
Patricia S. Bransford,
Acting Executive Officer, SAMHSA.
[FR Doc. 00-26451 Filed 10-13-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P