[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6126-6127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2656]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

    Title: Impact Studies of the Health Professions Opportunity Grants.
    OMB No.: New Collection.

Description

    The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS) is proposing data collection 
activities as part of the Impact Studies of the Health Professions 
Opportunity Grants (HPOG-Impact). The goal of HPOG-Impact is to 
evaluate the effectiveness of approaches HPOG grantees use to provide 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients and other 
low-income individuals with opportunities for education, training and 
advancement within the health care field. HPOG-Impact also is intended 
to evaluate variation in participant impact that may be attributable to 
different HPOG program components and models. The impact study design 
is a classic experiment in which eligible applicants for HPOG program 
services will be randomly assigned to a treatment group offered 
participation in HPOG and a control group not offered the opportunity 
to enroll in HPOG.
    To achieve these goals, it is necessary to collect data about both 
treatment group and control group sample members. It also is necessary 
to collect data about implementation from program operators (site 
managers and staff) and from employers involved in programs. This 60-
day notice describes the universe of data collection efforts for this 
study. However, this information request is limited to the baseline 
surveys and the program implementation data collection activities, 
which are described under 1, 2, 3, and 4 below. As part of this 
submission, we are also requesting permission to waive 60-day notices 
necessary for the follow-up surveys (described under 5 and 6 below).
    The universe of information collection proposed for HPOG-Impact 
includes:
    1. Brief baseline survey of eligible applicants to HPOG programs. 
This survey will augment data already collected about eligible program 
applicants through the Performance Reporting System (PRS) that 
currently is being used in the Implementation, Systems and Outcome 
Evaluation of the Tribal and Low-Income Health Profession Opportunity 
Grants (OMB Control No. 0970-0394). To reduce burden to the extent 
possible, HPOG-Impact will use data from the PRS. The 15-minute 
``supplemental survey'' will collect any additional information 
necessary for HPOG-Impact and will be administered prior to random 
assignment.
    2. In-person interviews with HPOG site managers. The site manager 
protocol will collect data about program design and content and will 
provide information about the grantees' rationale for applying for HPOG 
funding, about administrative challenges and about challenges 
implementing programs as planned.
    3. In-person interviews with HPOG site staff. The protocol for site 
staff will include questions about staff roles and responsibilities and 
perceptions of the program.
    4. In-person interviews with partnering employer(s). The protocol 
for employers will include questions about employers' rationale for 
participating in the effort, their perceptions of program strengths and 
challenges, and their role in program design and implementation. At 
each site, evaluators will conduct one meeting with an average of two 
employers.
    5. A follow-up survey of both treatment and control group members. 
This survey will be administered approximately 12 months after 
baseline. It will be administered by phone with field back-up. It will 
collect data about program experiences and outcomes of interest, 
including certifications and educational achievements, job placement, 
wages, and benefits. It also will collect some information about 
participants' tenure and experience in HPOG programming.
    6. A second follow-up survey of both treatment and control group 
members. This survey will be administered approximately 30 months after 
baseline and will be administered by phone with field back-up. It will 
collect updated information about outcomes of interest, including 
certifications and educational achievements, job placement, wages, and 
benefits.

Respondents

    Individuals enrolled in HPOG interventions; control group members; 
HPOG program managers; HPOG program staff, including program designers, 
instructors, case managers; employers.

                                        Annual Response Burden Estimates
                      [These data collection activities will occur over a two-year period]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Annual  number     Number of    Average burden
                   Instrument                           of         responses per     hours per     Annual burden
                                                    respondents     respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Brief baseline survey of eligible applicants             4000               1             .25            1000
 to HPOG programs...............................
2. In-person interviews with HPOG site managers.              50               1            3                150
3. In-person interviews with HPOG site staff....             200               1            1                200
4. In-person interviews with partnering                       25               1            1                 25
 employer(s)....................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Annual Response Burden Hours: 1,375.
    In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and 
Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services, is soliciting 
public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection 
described above. Copies of the proposed collection of information can 
be obtained and comments may be forwarded in writing to the 
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research 
and Evaluation, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, 
Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer. Email address: 
[email protected]. All requests should be identified by 
the title of the information collection.
    The Department specifically requests comments 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

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proposed collection of information; (c) the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and 
suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication.

    Dated: January 30, 2012.
Steven M. Hanmer,
Reports Clearance, Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-2656 Filed 2-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-09-M