[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 120 (Thursday, June 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35909-35910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5605]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Title: Evaluation to Determine the Effectiveness of the Public 
Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS).
    OMB No. New Collection.
    Description: The PARIS program is a voluntary information exchange 
system that allows States and other entities (counties or jurisdictions 
like the District of Columbia) to submit Medical Assistance, Medicaid, 
Food Stamp, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 
participant data to the

[[Page 35910]]

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to be matched with 
Federal and participating States' databases to detect potential dual 
participation and improper payments. Launched by ACF in 1997, the PARIS 
project was developed to provide States with usable data by which they 
could identify and correct erroneous payments and to promote State 
partnerships and matching of cross-state data to improve program 
integrity. There are currently 36 entities participating in the PARIS 
project. (Member States). ACF is encouraging the expansion of PARIS via 
a grantee program by providing funds to Member States to partner with 
nonparticipating States to develop the internal organization and 
mechanisms needed for PARIS participation. An implementation and 
outcome evaluation of the PARIS program will determine the 
effectiveness of the program and the resulting impact on reducing 
improper payments. Data collected will determine factors affecting 
program participation, relevant PARIS administrative and implementation 
information, challenges in implementation, cost of program 
participation and estimated savings through identified and resolved 
participant matches.
    Respondents: Fifteen States and one county will comprise the 
sample, with a maximum of six respondents from each State or County.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of        Average
                   Instrument                        Number of     responses per   burden hours    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent     per response        hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State-level PARIS Admistrator Survey............              16               1             1.5              24
Medicaid, Food Stamp and TANF Program Officials               32               1               1              32
 Key-Informant Interviews.......................
State Cost-Accounting Forms.....................              13               1             1.5              20
Field Follow-up Staff...........................              32               1               1              32
State PARIS Technical Staff.....................              16               1              .5               8
Fiscal Administrator Telephone Interviews.......              26               1             1.5              39
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 155.
    Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collection of 
information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by writing to 
the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Administration, 
Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., 
Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. E-mail 
address: [email protected]. All requests should be identified 
by the title of the information collection.
    OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning the 
collection of information between 30 and 60 days after publication of 
this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best 
assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent directly to the following: Office 
of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Attn: Desk 
Officer for ACF, E-mail address: [email protected].

    Dated: June 15, 2006.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 06-5605 Filed 6-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M