[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 250 (Wednesday, December 31, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75570-75571]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-32166]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-04-19]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on (404) 498-1210.
    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 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. Send comments to Anne O'Connor, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-E11, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.
    Proposed Project: HIV/AIDS Prevention and Surveillance Project 
Reports, OMB No. 0920-0208--Extension--National Center for HIV, STD and 
TB Prevention (NCHSTP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC).
    CDC is requesting to extend the use of the currently approved form, 
OMB No. 0920-0208, for collecting HIV counseling, testing, and referral 
(CTR) program data. This current form expires March 30, 2004. This 
request is for an 18-month clearance past this date. Extension of the 
current form will allow grantees to continue to collect CTR data as 
they transition to the new set of CTR variables and the new program 
evaluation and monitoring system (PEMS). Over the next year, grantees 
will either transition to the new variables once they have reprogrammed 
their existing computer systems, or as the CDC-provided PEMS is made 
available. CDC funds cooperative agreements for 65 HIV prevention 
projects (50 states, 6 cities, 7 territories, Washington, DC, and 
Puerto Rico) and approximately 50 community based organizations to 
support HIV counseling, testing, and referral programs.
    HIV counseling, testing, and referral services in STD clinics, 
women's health centers, drug treatment centers, and other health 
facilities have been described as a primary prevention strategy of the 
national HIV prevention program. The funded public health departments 
and community based organizations have increased the provision of HIV 
counseling, testing, and referral activities to those at increased risk 
for acquiring or transmitting HIV, as well as minority communities and 
women of child bearing age.
    CDC is responsible for monitoring and evaluating HIV prevention 
programs conducted under HIV prevention cooperative agreements. HIV 
counseling, testing, and referral services are a vital component of HIV 
prevention programs. Without data to monitor and evaluate the impact of 
HIV counseling, testing, and referral programs, HIV prevention program 
priorities cannot be assessed and improved to prevent further spread of 
the epidemic. CDC needs minimal core data from all grantees describing 
CTR services provided for at-risk persons. Until grantees are prepared 
for collecting the new CTR variables and reporting data electronically 
through PEMS, it is essential that they be allowed to continue to 
collect the current CTR data using the existing forms.
    Completing the initial data submission will take approximately 5 
minutes per form. Approximately two (2) million records annually are 
expected from over 11,000 directly and indirectly funded grantee 
facilities. The total estimated burden is 167,000 hours annually. This 
is the estimated burden if no one transitions to the new system during 
the year, but it is expected that many of the grantees will transition 
to PEMS in phases throughout the year. Following this notice, a 
separate data collection for PEMS will be submitted for public comment 
and will include the revised CTR data variables and associated burden 
estimate. There is no cost to respondents.

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                                                                     Number of    Average burden/
                   Respondents                       Number of      responses/     response (in    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent        hours)        (in hours)
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Directly or Indirectly Funded Facilities........          11,000             182            5/60         167,000
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............         167,000
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[[Page 75571]]

    Dated: December 22, 2003.
Ron Ergle,
Acting Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-32166 Filed 12-30-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P