[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 7, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41201-41202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-19678]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Survey of Program Dynamics--2002

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 9, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Madeleine Clayton, 
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
6086, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via 
the Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Michael McMahon, Census Bureau, FOB 3, Room 3375, 
Washington, DC 20233-0001, (301) 457-1616.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. Abstract

    The Survey of Program Dynamics (SPD) is a household-based survey 
designed as a data collection vehicle that can provide the basis for an 
overall evaluation of how well welfare reforms are achieving the aims 
of the Administration and the Congress and meeting the needs of the 
American people.
    The SPD is a large, longitudinal, nationally-representative study 
that measures participation in welfare programs, including both 
programs that are being reformed and those that remain unchanged. The 
SPD measures other important social, economic, demographic, and family 
changes that will allow analysis of the effectiveness of the welfare 
reforms.
    With the August 22, 1996, signing of the Personal Responsibility 
and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-193), the 
Census Bureau is required to conduct the SPD, using as the sample the 
households from the 1992 and 1993 Survey of Income and Program 
Participation (SIPP). The information we obtain will be used to 
evaluate the impact of this law on a sample of previous welfare 
recipients and future recipients of assistance under new state programs 
funded under this law as well as assess the impact on other low-income 
families. Issues of particular attention include welfare dependency, 
the length of welfare spells, the causes of repeat welfare spells, 
educational enrollment and work training, health care utilization, out-
of-wedlock births, and the status of children.

[[Page 41202]]

    The 2002 SPD is the fifth year of data collection using the same 
SPD core questions. The effect of welfare changes on children's 
behaviors and outcomes is a great concern to those evaluating welfare 
reform. Therefore, the 2002 data collection will include additional 
questions on the extended measures of child well-being, last asked 
during the 1999 data collection. The extended measures of child well-
being questions cover parent/child interactions; frequency of specific 
cognitively-stimulating children activities; establishment of family 
routines; family conflict; behavior problems; and school engagement and 
attendance.
    The history of SPD is as follows:
     During the 1997 SPD, we collected data using the Current 
Population Survey (CPS) March questionnaire. The CPS March 
questionnaire provided baseline income, work experience, and program 
participation (``core data'') data for the period prior to the 
implementation of welfare reforms in1996.
     During the 1998 and 2001 SPD, we collected the core data 
plus data from adolescents on their homelife, school, peers, and 
potential risk behaviors.
     During the 1999 SPD, we collected core data plus extended 
measures of child well-being. We will collect extended measures of 
child well-being data again in 2002.
     During the 2000 SPD, we collected core data plus a one-
time topical module which collected the residential histories of 
children.

II. Method of Collection

    The SPD is a longitudinal study of welfare-related activities with 
the sample respondents originally selected from 1992 and 1993 SIPP 
panels. We conducted interviews in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001. We 
collect data from a nationally representative sample of the 
noninstitutionalized resident population living in the United States 
for all individuals, families, and households using a computer-assisted 
interviewing (CAI) instrument. Individuals who are at least 15 years of 
age at the time of the interview will be eligible to be in the survey.
    We have scheduled a small sample of households for reinterview. The 
reinterview process assures that all households were properly contacted 
and that the data are valid.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0838.
    Form Number: CAI Automated Instrument.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 52,000 respondents, 1,500 
reinterview respondents.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 36 minutes per respondent, 10 minutes 
per reinterview.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 31,450.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: No costs to the respondents other than 
their time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182; and 
Title 42, United States Code, Section 614 (Public Law 104-193, 
Section 414, signed August 22, 1996).

IV. Request for Comments

    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 
(including hours and cost) 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.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice are summarized or 
included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 2, 2001.
Madeleine Clayton,
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-19678 Filed 8-6-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P