[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 77 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20977-20979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9310]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Evaluation of Reaching the Underserved Elderly and 
Working Poor in SNAP

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on this proposed information collection. This is a new collection for 
the contract Evaluation of Reaching the Underserved Elderly and Working 
Poor in SNAP.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before June 21, 2010.

ADDRESSES: 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, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions that were used; (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 
those who are to respond, including use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological

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collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments may be sent to: Steven Carlson, Director, Office of 
Research and Analysis, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and 
Nutrition Service, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. 
Comments may also be submitted via fax to the attention of Steven 
Carlson at 703-305-2576 or via e-mail to [email protected]. 
Comments will also be accepted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. 
Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions 
for submitting comments electronically.
    All written comments will be open for public inspection at the 
office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours 
(8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Room 1014, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will 
be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Steven 
Carlson at 703-305-2017.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Evaluation of Reaching the Underserved Elderly and Working 
Poor in SNAP: FY 2009 Pilots.
    Form Number: [if applicable, insert number.]
    OMB Number: [Not Yet Assigned.]
    Expiration Date: [Not Yet Determined.]
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: Less than one-third of eligible elderly (age 60 and 
older) persons and less than three-fifths of persons in eligible 
households with someone working participate in the Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to the latest (2007) 
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates. These participation 
rates suggest that many people in these two groups who may need 
nutrition assistance are not receiving SNAP benefits. Without SNAP, 
elderly individuals may not be able to meet their nutritional needs or 
may forgo medicine for food; working people may not be able to 
adequately feed their families, despite their work efforts.
    The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), responding to a Congressional 
request, has funded six State demonstration projects to increase SNAP 
access to eligible households with either persons over age 60 or with 
adult members who are working or looking for work. FNS is conducting an 
evaluation of the demonstration projects. By evaluating these 
demonstrations, FNS will be able to advise Federal policymakers and 
State administrators on the best approaches to increasing SNAP access 
for these two populations.
    The evaluation of the demonstration projects has several 
objectives. The evaluation will describe each demonstration project and 
the implementation process; assess the impact on SNAP participation in 
the target groups, application barriers, client satisfaction, household 
benefits, administrative costs, and payment errors; and assess the 
sustainability and replicability of each demonstration project. To meet 
these objectives, FNS will collect information from the pilot and 
comparison sites before, during, and after the intervention. FNS will 
collect and analyze administrative data in each demonstration State and 
will conduct site visits to each demonstration project and conduct 
focus groups with SNAP applicants. This collection notice pertains only 
to the focus group with SNAP applicants.
    FNS will conduct one focus group with SNAP applicants in each of 
the six demonstration States. Focus group participants will consist of 
individuals within the target population (either elderly or working 
poor) who have applied for SNAP sometime in the three months prior to 
the focus group (regardless of the outcome of their application). Each 
of the six demonstration States will provide FNS with a list of 200 
potential respondents from which FNS will recruit approximately 20 who 
agree to attend the focus group in each State (expecting that 
approximately 10 will actually participate on the day of the group). To 
assist in the recruitment effort, FNS will offer a small financial 
incentive for participation as well as funds for transportation and 
childcare, as needed.
    Each focus group is expected to be approximately 90 minutes in 
length and will take place at a convenient location in the 
demonstration community. The focus groups will ask participants how 
they learned about SNAP, about their experiences completing the 
application process, and about their perceptions of the process.
    Affected Public: 1,200 Individuals. Respondent groups identified 
include: (1) 600 elderly SNAP applicants in 3 demonstration States (200 
per State) and (2) 600 working poor SNAP applicants in 3 other 
demonstration States (200 per State).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents is 1,200.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.05.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1,200 for the screening questions 
and 60 for the focus groups, for a total of 1,260.
    Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time per response varies 
from .0835 hours (5 minutes) to 1.667 hours (100 minutes), depending on 
whether or not the respondent is eligible for and participates in the 
focus group (see table below).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 195.22 hours. This 
includes contacting and screening up to 200 respondents at each of the 
6 sites, for a total of 10 focus group participants at each site. See 
the table below for estimated total annual burden for each type of 
respondent.

                                  Table 1--Reporting Burden by Respondent Type
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                                                                                  Estimated avg.
                                Estimated number     Responses     Total annual      number of       Estimated
          Respondent*              respondents     annually per      responses       hours per     total hours**
                                                    respondent                       response
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                                           Focus Group Nonparticipants
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Working Poor SNAP Applicants..  570.............               1             570          0.0835           47.60
Elderly SNAP Applicants.......  570.............               1             570          0.0835           47.60
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                                            Focus Group Participants
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Working Poor SNAP Applicants..  30..............               2              60           1.667           50.01

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Elderly SNAP Applicants.......  30..............               2              60           1.667           50.01
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    Total Reporting Burden....  1,200...........  ..............           1,260  ..............          195.22
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* Nonparticipants will participate in a brief screening call only. Participants will participate in the focus
  group.
** The total burden for the focus group participants includes an initial screening call for participants and
  nonparticipants, as well as a reminder call and letter and focus group time for the participants.


    Dated: April 15, 2010.
Julia Paradis,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-9310 Filed 4-21-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P