[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 111 (Monday, June 11, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32081-32083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11149]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

[[Page 32082]]


ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service 
(hereinafter the ``Corporation''), as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirement on respondents can be properly assessed.
    Currently, the Corporation is soliciting comments concerning the 
proposed information collection project: ``Determining the Prevalence 
of Disability Among Current Members in the Corporation for National and 
Community Service AmeriCorps Programs.''
    Copies of the information collection requests can be obtained by 
contacting the office listed in the address section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the individual and office 
listed in the ADDRESSES section by August 10, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by the title of the 
information collection activity, by any of the following methods:
    (1) By mail sent to: Corporation for National and Community 
Service; Office of Leadership Development and Training, 9th Floor, 
Attn: Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde, Sr. Training and Disability Inclusion 
Officer, 1201 New York Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20525.
    (2) By hand delivery or by courier to the Corporation's mailroom at 
Room 8102C at the mail address given in paragraph (1) above, between 9 
a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    (3) By fax to: 202-606-3477, attn: Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde, Sr. 
Training & Disability Inclusion Officer, Corporation for National and 
Community Service.
    (4) Electronically through the Corporation's e-mail address system: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jewel Bazilio-Bellegarde, (202) 606-
6839, or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Corporation is particularly interested 
in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Corporation, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are expected to respond, including the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses).

Background

    The proposed project will pilot test a survey which seeks to 
determine the prevalence of disability among current AmeriCorps members 
serving in Corporation programs. By conducting this pilot test, the 
Corporation seeks to refine an instrument which can be used in future 
research to track the prevalence rate of persons with disabilities 
serving as members. The goals of the study are to: (1) Test and refine 
a questionnaire which measures the prevalence of disability; (2) 
produce statistically reliable estimates for the prevalence of 
disability among current members in the Corporation's three AmeriCorps 
programs (AmeriCorps National Civilian Conservation Corps (NCCC); 
AmeriCorps State and National; and AmeriCorps VISTA); (3) produce a 
report for the Corporation on study methodology and findings and for 
peer-reviewed manuscripts, as appropriate.
    The project involves a survey administered under four experimental 
conditions, to test response rates and disability disclosure rates 
under different modes of survey administration. These conditions will 
include: (1) Mail questionnaire only; (2) e-mail only, with link to 
complete web survey; (3) mailed letter with web option only; and (4) 
both a mail questionnaire and web option provided in mailing.
    Data collection for this effort will be conducted in accordance 
with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) 
Privacy rule with the Protection of Human Research Subjects 
regulations, 45 CFR part 46. In addition, data collected will only be 
used for the above stated purposes and identifiable data collected from 
individuals in the study will be kept confidential, using only 
aggregate level-data in products or reports.

Current Action

    This is an application for a new data collection in support of a 
pilot study. The pilot study will be conducted via four experimental 
conditions to test the impact of mode of survey administration on both 
response rates and rates of disability among the Corporation's three 
AmeriCorps service programs. The sample will be drawn from the 
Corporation's master list of 74,689 current AmeriCorps members, 
stratified by program, to include NCCC, Americorps State and National, 
and VISTA. We will draw a sample of 2,400 members, with an anticipated 
response rate of 80 percent across all four experimental conditions. 
Participation in the survey will be voluntary and there will be no 
monetary incentives provided for participants.
    The quantitative data collected through the questionnaire will 
gather information about members' disability status as it pertains to: 
learning disabilities; ADD/ADHD; developmental disabilities, cognitive 
limitations; sensory; mobility; disabling chronic health conditions; 
psychiatric/mental health; communications; substance abuse; traumatic 
brain injury; short stature/little person; and perceptions of 
disability from self or others. The categorical response options will 
be used to analyze these data and determine how many respondents report 
a disability of any kind, by service program.
    Type of Review: New Information Collection.
    Agency: Corporation for National and Community Service.
    Title: Determining the Prevalence of Disability Among Current 
Members in the Corporation for National and Community Service 
AmeriCorps Programs.
    OMB Number: Not yet available--application being submitted.
    Agency Number: None.
    Affected Public: Members in AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps State and 
National, and AmeriCorps Vista.
    Total Respondents: 2400.
    Frequency: One time.
    Average Time per Response: Averages 8 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 320 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): None.
    Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance): None.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or

[[Page 32083]]

included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of 
the information collection request; they will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Dated: June 1, 2007.
Gretchen Van der Veer,
Director, Office of Leadership Development and Training.
 [FR Doc. E7-11149 Filed 6-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-$$-P