[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 211 (Thursday, October 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64622-64623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25900]


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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 (240) 276-1243.

Project: Cross-Site Evaluation of the Minority Substance Abuse/HIV/
Hepatitis Prevention Program--NEW

    The cross-site evaluation builds on five previous grant programs 
funded by SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) to 
provide HIV prevention services for minority populations The first two 
were planning grant programs and the last three were service grant 
programs. HIV Cohort 1 and HIV Cohort 2 funded 2-year planning grants 
in FY 2000 and FY 2001 respectively. HIV Cohort 3 funded 48 3-year 
grants in FY 2002, HIV Cohort 4 funded 22 5-year grants in FY 2003, and 
HIV Cohort 5 funded 46 4-year grants in FY 2004. The goals for the 
Cohort 3-5 grants were to add, increase, or enhance integrated 
substance abuse (SA) and HIV prevention services by providing 
supportive services and strengthening linkages between service 
providers for at-risk minority populations. The HIV Cohort 1-3 grants 
previously received OMB clearance No. 0930-0208.
    The current HIV Cohort 6 Minority SA/HIV/Hepatitis Prevention 
Program funded 81 5-year grants in FY 2005 to community based 
organizations that are required to address the SAMHSA Strategic 
Prevention Framework (SPF) and participate in this cross-site 
evaluation. The grantees are expected to provide leadership and 
coordination on the planning and implementation of the SPF that targets 
minority populations and the minority reentry population in communities 
of color with high prevalence of SA, HIV/AIDS, and hepatitis. The 
primary objectives of the cross-site evaluation are to: (1) Assess the 
process of adopting and implementing the SPF with the target 
populations; (2) measure the

[[Page 64623]]

effectiveness of specified intervention strategies such as cultural 
enrichment activities, educational and vocational services, and/or 
computer-based curricula; and (3) determine the success of the program 
in delaying, preventing, and/or reducing the use of alcohol, tobacco, 
and other drugs (ATOD) among the target populations. The grantees are 
expected to provide an effective prevention process, direction, and a 
common set of goals, expectations, and accountabilities to be adapted 
and integrated at the community level. While the grantees have 
substantial flexibility in choosing their individual evidence-based 
programs, they are all required to base them on the five steps of the 
SPF to build service capacity specific to SA, HIV, and hepatitis 
prevention services. In FY 2006, all the grantees initiated Steps 1-3 
of the SPF, namely conducting a needs assessment, building capacity, 
and planning how to implement their projects. Once their plans have 
been approved by their Government Project Officers they can precede 
onto Step 4 (implementation) and Step 5 (evaluation). Conducting this 
cross-site evaluation will assist SAMHSA/CSAP in promoting and 
disseminating optimally effective prevention programs.
    Grantees must also conduct ongoing monitoring and evaluation of 
their projects to assess program effectiveness including Federal 
reporting of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, 
the Performance Assessment Rating Tool (PART), SAMHSA/CSAP National 
Outcome Measures (NOMs), and HIV counseling and testing. All of this 
information will be collected through self-report questionnaires 
administered to program participants. All grantees will use two 
instruments, one for youth between the ages of 12 and 17, and one for 
adults 18 and older. These instruments include baseline, exit and 3-6 
month follow-up (post-exit) questionnaires related to GPRA and NOMs 
augmented by questions pertaining to HIV and hepatitis. While the GPRA 
and NOMs measures have already been approved by OMB (OMB No. 0930-
0230), the remaining HIV and hepatitis-related questions have not, 
hence this data collection. Each questionnaire contains 135 questions, 
of which 102 relate to HIV and hepatitis.
    Sample size, respondent burden, and intrusiveness have been 
minimized to be consistent with the cross-site 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 an attempt to minimize 
respondent burden.
    The cross-site evaluation results will have significant 
implications for the substance abuse, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis prevention 
fields, the allocation of grant funds, and other evaluation activities 
conducted by multiple Federal, State, and local government agencies. 
They 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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                                                                        Number of        Number of        Number of     Average  burden/
                                                                     respondents  at  respondents  at  respondents  at       response      Total burden
                                                                         baseline           exit          follow-up          (hrs.)           hours
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Total of Adults and Youth..........................................           9,000            6,750            4,455             0.83           16,770
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    Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed 
information collection should be sent by December 1, 2008 to: SAMHSA 
Desk Officer, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of Management 
and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 
20503. Due to potential delays in OMB's receipt and processing of mail 
sent through the U.S. Postal Service, respondents are encouraged to 
submit comments by fax to: 202-395-6974.

    Dated; October 23, 2008.
Elaine Parry,
Acting Director, Office of Program Services.
[FR Doc. E8-25900 Filed 10-29-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P