[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 171 (Tuesday, September 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 46285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-22108]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

    Periodically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration (SAMHSA) will publish a list of information collection 
requests under OMB review, in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these documents, call 
the SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-7978.

Mexican Border Youth Survey (BYS)--New

    Violence and substance abuse are a serious concern at places along 
the U.S.-Mexico border. Young people ages 18-25 are attracted to Mexico 
because alcohol is inexpensive and the drinking age is 18 rather than 
21. SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention is planning to 
conduct surveys at five sites along the Texas-Mexico border to support 
development, implementation and assessment of enforcement and education 
programs to address underage and binge drinking related problems. This 
program replicates a project targeting underage and binge drinking that 
has been implemented in San Diego, California (``Operation Safe 
Crossing''), which has yielded successful outcomes, including a 26% 
reduction in youth crossing the border to drink alcohol.
    The purpose of replicating the model in Texas is to test local 
adaptations of the program which includes surveys of youth crossing the 
U.S.-Mexico border. This effort uses the survey data to inform the 
public of problem behaviors specific to their local community and 
serves to develop community awareness and inform community 
interventions, such as underage curfews and enforcing bar closing 
hours. The data collected will be made available to local groups to 
assist in raising community awareness of youth drinking issues. It is 
expected that communities will use the information to tailor 
interventions to reduce youth drinking-associated problems.
    The BYS is comprised of two surveys, which are conducted on Friday 
and Saturday of one randomly selected weekend each month in each site. 
All information is collected in an anonymous and confidential manner. 
One survey, the Mexican Entry Survey, interviews a sample of youths on 
their way into Mexico between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. The other survey, the 
Mexican Exit Survey, includes those same youths returning from Mexico 
between midnight and 6 a.m. the next day and an independent sample of 
pedestrians and drivers (where many young drinkers drive rather than 
walk across the border). The Exit Survey includes a breath test. In 
addition, there will be a 1-time test of saliva to test reliability and 
validity of the collection and analysis process.
    The total annual burden associated with this project across all 
sites is summarized in the table below.

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                                                     Number of      Responses/        Hours/       Total burden
                     Sample                         respondents     respondent       response         (hours)
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Mexican Entry Survey:
    --Entry Survey..............................           6,000               1             .25             498
    --Exit Survey...............................         (6,000)               1            .083             498
Mexican Exit Survey, with breath or saliva test           15,000               1            .083           1,245
 and pedestrians or drivers.....................
One-time Pilot Saliva Test in one location only.           (100)               2            .050              10
    Total.......................................          21,000  ..............  ..............           3,253
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    Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of this notice to: 
Lauren Wittenberg, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: August 23, 2001.
Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, SAMHSA.
[FR Doc. 01-22108 Filed 8-31-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P