[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 86 (Thursday, May 4, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26382-26383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6735]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

    In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 concerning opportunity for public comment on proposed 
collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration (SAMHSA) will publish periodic summaries of 
proposed projects. To request more information on the proposed projects 
or to obtain a copy of the information collection plans, call the 
SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer on (240) 276-1243.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collections of 
information are 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.

Proposed Project: Co-Occurring Infrastructure Measures--NEW

    SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services and Center for Substance 
Abuse Treatment will implement provider-level performance measures 
about the screening, assessment, and treatment of co-occurring 
disorders. Implementation will be limited to the 15 current States with 
Co-occurring State Incentive Grants (COSIG), and States receiving COSIG 
grants in 2006 and future years. SAMHSA anticipates awarding two COSIG 
grants in 2006. COSIG grants enable States to develop or enhance their 
infrastructure and capacity to provide accessible, effective, 
comprehensive, coordinated/integrated, and evidence-based treatment 
services to persons with co-occurring substance abuse and mental 
disorders. Only the immediate Office of the Governor of States may 
receive COSIG grants, because SAMHSA considers the Office of the 
Governor to have the greatest potential to provide the multi-agency 
leadership needed to accomplish COSIG goals. COSIG grantees may use 
COSIG grants to improve service systems in one or more of five areas: 
Standardized Screening and Assessment, Licensure and Credentialing, 
Service Coordination and Network Building, Financial Planning, and 
Information Sharing. The COSIG program is part of SAMHSA plan to 
achieve certain goals regarding services for persons with co-occurring 
substance use and mental disorders:
     Increase percentage of treatment programs that screen for 
co-occurring disorders;
     Increase percentage of treatment programs that assess for 
co-occurring disorders;
     Increase percentage of treatment programs that treat co-
occurring disorders through collaborative, consultative, and integrated 
models of care;
     Increase the number of persons with co-occurring disorders 
served.
    The proposed measures will enable SAMHSA to benchmark and track 
progress toward these goals within COSIG states.
    Information will be collected annually about providers' policies 
regarding screening, assessing and treatment services for persons with 
co-occurring disorders; the number and percentage of programs that 
offer screening, assessment, and treatment services for co-occurring 
disorders; and the number of clients actually screened, assessed, and 
treated through these programs.
    A questionnaire, to be completed by providers, contains 47 items, 
answered either by checking a box or entering a number in a blank. The 
questionnaire is available both in printed form and electronically. 
Obtaining the information to enter on the questionnaire will require 
respondent

[[Page 26383]]

providers to track screening, assessment, and treatment services for 
clients.
    COSIG States will be required to report aggregated information to 
SAMHSA for all providers directly participating in their COSIG 
projects. Samhsa will consider sampling strategies for states with 
large numbers of participating providers and for providers serving 
large numbers of clients.
    Annual burden for the activities is shown below:

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                                                 Number of      Responses per      Hours per       Total burden
                Questionnaire                   respondents       respondent        response          hours
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Provider sites..............................             400                1             22.2             8880
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    Send comments to Summer King, SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 
Room 7-1044, One Choke Cherry Road, Rockville, MD 20857. Written 
comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

    Dated: April 28, 2006.
Anna Marsh,
Director, Office of Program Services.
 [FR Doc. E6-6735 Filed 5-3-06; 8:45 am]
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