[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 7 (Friday, January 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1473-1474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-489]


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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 summary 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.
    Evaluation of Mentoring and Family Strengthening Youth Substance 
Abuse Prevention Initiatives--New--The basis for the current cross-site 
evaluation originates from two previous efforts funded by SAMHSA's 
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) aimed at providing 
prevention services for high-risk youth: (1) Project Youth Connect--
Mentoring and (2) Parent and Family Strengthening. The Project Youth 
Connect Program, funded in 1998, was designed to determine the 
effectiveness of a paid mentor/advocate model in improving life 
achievement outcomes for youth 9 to 15 years of age and their families. 
The Parent/Family Strengthening Program was designed to present 
science-based program models that would be selected for implementation 
within local communities. Funding for the parent/family strengthening 
program was distributed in two cohorts, with Cohort 1 receiving funding 
in 1998 and Cohort 2 receiving funding in 1999. Both cohorts were 
funded for a period of 24 months to address the gap between effective 
family-based prevention interventions and their availability in States, 
communities and other organizations.
    The goal of the current cross-site evaluation seeks to build upon 
these previous efforts by evaluating the impact of a three-year 
Mentoring and Family Strengthening prevention program targeting high-
risk youth and their caregivers on reducing risk factors related to, 
and enhancing protective factors against, substance abuse. Seven 
mentoring and nine family strengthening study sites were funded by 
SAMHSA/CSAP as of September 2001 to participate in this cross-site 
study. The primary objectives of the cross-site evaluation are to: (1) 
Assess the process of implementing program models with diverse target 
groups, (2) measure the effectiveness of specified intervention 
strategies such as cultural enrichment activities, educational and 
vocational resources, or computer-based curricula, and (3) determine 
the success of the Mentoring and Family Strengthening Programs in 
delaying, preventing, and/or reducing the use of alcohol, tobacco, and 
other drugs (ATOD) among youth and caregivers at risk for such 
behaviors. Conducting this evaluation will assist SAMHSA/CSAP in 
promoting and disseminating optimally effective prevention programs.

[[Page 1474]]

    The CSAP GPRA Adult and Youth questionnaires, which have been 
approved by OMB (OMB No. 0930-0208) for use in all CSAP prevention 
services programs, will be used to measure ATOD use and risk factors 
associated with ATOD abuse among program participants and comparison 
subjects. Scales from the CSAP Core Measures list (OMB No. 0930-0230) 
and the CSAP National Youth Survey (OMB No. 0930-0178) will be used to 
measure other important risk and protective factors. The cross-site 
instrument (containing CSAP GPRA, scales from the CSAP Core Measures 
list, and scales from the CSAP National Youth Survey) is augmented with 
additional scales in order to measure other important risk factors such 
as family conflict and parental stress. Protective factors that serve 
to guard against ATOD abuse include educational aspirations, school 
connectedness, and family cohesion. Data will also be gathered from 
program reports using a ``dosage form'' that will document services 
provided to youth and their adult caregivers.
    The evaluation data will be collected through self-report 
questionnaires administered to program and comparison youth and adults, 
and to Mentors at the Mentoring Study Sites. Each youth and adult in 
the intervention and comparison group will complete questionnaires at 
three different times: (1) Baseline, (2) program exit and (3) 6-month 
follow up. Each Mentor will complete a background information form at 
baseline; mentees will complete a questionnaire about their mentor at 
program exit and at 6-month follow up. The dosage form will be 
completed by Mentors and Family Strengthening program staff on a weekly 
basis for program youth and adults.
    Sample size, respondent burden, and intrusiveness have been 
minimized to be consistent with the cross-site evaluation objectives. 
Procedures are employed to safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of 
participants. Every effort has been made to coordinate cross-site data 
collection with local data collection efforts in order to minimize 
respondent burden. Pilot tests assisted in controlling burden and 
ensuring the user-relevance of questions.
    Evaluation results will have significant implications for the 
substance abuse prevention field, the allocation of grant funds, and 
evaluation activities conducted by multiple Federal, state, and local 
government agencies. Results will be used to develop federal policy in 
support of SAMHSA/CSAP program initiatives, inform the public of 
lessons learned and findings, improve existing programs, and promote 
replication and dissemination of effective prevention strategies.
    The following table shows the estimated annualized burden for data 
collection.

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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of      Responses/        burden/      Total burden
                  Response type                     respondents     respondent       response          hours
                                                                                      (hrs.)
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*Youth (intervention and comparison)............           2,500               3            .50            3,750
*Adult Family Strengthening (intervention and              1,250               3            .50            1,875
 comparison)....................................
**Adult Mentoring...............................           1,250               3            .667           2,501
Mentor Information Form.........................             121               1            .167              20
Mentee Measure Form.............................             692               2            .250             346
Weekly Dosage Form--Family Strengthening Staff..              46           4,000            .083          15,272
Weekly Dosage Form--paid mentors................              21          18,900            .083          32,943
Weekly Dosage Form--volunteer mentors...........             100             200            .083           1,660
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................           5,167  ..............  ..............          58,367
                                                 -----------------
3-Yr. Average Annual............................           1,722  ..............  ..............         19,456
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* Average response burden does not include the 20 minutes for completing the CSAP GPRA Tool (OMB No. 0930-0208)
  or 10 minutes for completing questions that are part of the Core Measures (OMB No. 0930-0230) for the Youth
  Questionnaires and the Adult Family Strengthening Questionnaire.
** The Adult Mentoring Questionnaire does not include CSAP GPRA Tool.

    Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of this notice to: 
Allison Herron Eydt, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: January 2, 2003.
Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, SAMHSA.
[FR Doc. 03-489 Filed 1-9-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P