[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48798-48799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20081]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Study of the Effectiveness of Efforts To Increase 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation Among 
Medicare's Extra Help Population Pilot Projects

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 proposed information collection. The proposed collection is a new 
collection for the purpose of conducting the Study of the Effectiveness 
of Efforts to Increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 
Participation Among Medicare's Extra Help Population Pilot Projects.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 11, 2011.

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 has 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 the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    Comments may be sent to: Steven Carlson, Office of Research and 
Analysis, Food and Nutrition Service/USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
1014, 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, 
Alexandria, VA 22302, Room 1014.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 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: Study of the Effectiveness of Efforts to Increase 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participation Among 
Medicare's Extra Help Population Pilot Projects
    Form Number: Not yet assigned.
    OMB Number: 0584-New.
    Expiration Date: Not yet assigned.
    Type of Request: New collection of Information.
    Abstract: The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 
111-80) provides the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) with funds to 
test the effectiveness of pilot projects designed to increase elderly 
participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; 
formerly known as the Food Stamp Program). Historically, elderly 
individuals who are eligible for SNAP have the lowest participation 
rates among all demographic groups. The pilot projects will attempt to 
increase participation in SNAP among beneficiaries of Medicare's Extra 
Help by using data from Extra Help applications that are forwarded to 
State Medicaid offices. Because Extra Help and SNAP eligibility 
requirements do not directly correspond, these pilot projects will 
evaluate methods of using these Medicaid data to increase SNAP 
participation among Extra Help beneficiaries.
    FNS invited State agencies to submit grant applications to use data 
from the Extra Help program to reduce the barriers to SNAP 
participation experienced by Extra Help applicants. FNS is funding 
three pilot projects to address some of these challenges through three 
approaches: (1) Targeted outreach in Washington, (2) simplified 
eligibility criteria in Pennsylvania, and (3) standardized SNAP 
benefits in New Mexico.
    The overarching goal of the evaluation is to understand how the 
pilot programs operated, who they served, and the extent to which they 
generated any measurable effects on participation, cost, and SNAP 
benefits. As part of the evaluation, FNS will (1) Obtain a detailed 
description of each pilot project; (2) obtain a detailed description of 
the implementation process of each pilot project; (3) assess the effect 
of each pilot project on SNAP participation among the target 
population; (4) assess the effect of each pilot project on SNAP 
benefits; (5) assess the federal, State, and local administrative costs 
of each pilot project, including both implementation costs and 
operational costs; (6) assess the overall pilot experience among SNAP 
participants and non-participants within the target group; (7) assess 
the effect of each pilot project on SNAP case and payment errors; (8) 
assess the sustainability of each pilot project and the prerequisites 
for statewide expansion, including describing administrative barriers 
that may hinder replication of the pilot projects, and (9) assess and 
compare the relative promise of alternative models.
    The information collection being requested for this project is to 
address the assessment of overall pilot experience among SNAP 
participants and eligible non-participants (objective 6 above). In 
order to accomplish this, the evaluation will solicit feedback from

[[Page 48799]]

participants and non-participants through a 20-minute telephone survey 
and through 60-minute focus groups in order to better understand the 
client experience with SNAP in general and the pilot project more 
specifically. In pilot locations, the evaluation will also ask about 
respondents' impressions of the pilot initiative.
    Affected Public: Individuals/Households.
    Respondent Type: SNAP participants and eligible non-participants in 
States with a pilot project.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
sample members to the survey is 6,000. This includes 1,000 individuals 
in New Mexico, 2,000 in Washington, and 3,000 in Pennsylvania. The 
total estimated number of respondents to the survey is 4,803, or 80% of 
the sample in each State (85% of the participant sample and 75% of the 
nonparticipant sample). The total estimated number of sample members to 
the focus group is 138. The total number of focus group participants is 
110, or 80% of the focus group sample in each State. This includes two 
groups with 10 people each in Pennsylvania, five groups with 10 people 
each in Washington, and four groups with 10 people each in New Mexico.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: For the survey, there 
will be one interview per SNAP participant or nonparticipant. 
Participants in the focus groups will only participate once. The focus 
group participants in each State will be recruited from the survey 
sample in that State.
    Estimated Time per Response: The estimated average response time is 
20 minutes for the survey and 60 minutes to participate in the focus 
group.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The total estimated 
response time is 1,659.25 hours for the survey and 111.40 hours for the 
focus groups, for a total of 1,770.65 hours. See the table below for 
estimated total annual burden.

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                                                                                                                       Estimated
                                                           Type of                            Estimated    Frequency     total     Time per     Annual
             State                 Respondent type       instrument                           number of       of        annual    respondent    burden
                                                                                             respondents   responses   responses    (hours)      hours
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WA.............................  SNAP participants   Survey              Completed.........        1,606           1       1,606       0.333      534.80
                                  and eligible non-   questionnaire.
                                  participants.
                                                                         Attempted.........          394           1         394       0.050       19.70
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WA.............................  Eligible non-       Focus group.......  Completed.........           50           1          50           1       50.00
                                  participants.
                                                                         Attempted.........           13           1          13       0.050        0.65
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NM.............................  SNAP participants   Survey              Completed.........          798           1         798       0.333      265.73
                                  and eligible non-   questionnaire.
                                  participants.
                                                                         Attempted.........          202           1         202       0.050       10.10
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NM.............................  Eligible non-       Focus group.......  Completed.........           40           1          40           1       40.00
                                  participants.
                                                                         Attempted.........           10           1          10       0.050        0.50
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PA.............................  SNAP participants   Survey              Completed.........        2,399           1       2,399       0.333      798.87
                                  and eligible non-   questionnaire.
                                  participants.
                                                                         Attempted.........          601           1         601       0.050       30.05
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PA.............................  Eligible non-       Focus group.......  Completed.........           20           1          20           1       20.00
                                  participants.
                                                                         Attempted.........            5           1           5       0.050        0.25
                                                                                            ------------------------------------------------------------
    Total......................  ..................  ..................  ..................        6,138  ..........       6,138  ..........    1,770.65
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    Dated: July 29, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-20081 Filed 8-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P