[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27071-27072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-10848]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Title: Permanency Innovations Initiative (PII) Evaluation: Phase 1.
    OMB No.: New Collection.
    Description: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) intends to collect 
data for an evaluation of the Permanency Innovations Initiative (PII). 
This 5-year initiative, funded by the Children's Bureau (CB) within 
ACF, is intended to build the evidence base for innovative 
interventions that enhance well-being and improve permanency outcomes 
for particular groups of children and youth who are at risk for long-
term foster care and who experience the most serious barriers to timely 
permanency.
    The CB has funded six grantees to identify local barriers to 
permanent placement and implement innovative strategies that mitigate 
or eliminate those barriers and reduce the likelihood that children 
will remain in foster care for three years or longer. The first year of 
the initiative focused on clarifying grantees' target populations and 
intervention programs. In addition, evaluation plans were developed to 
support rigorous site-specific and cross-site studies to document the 
implementation and effectiveness of the grantees' projects and the 
initiative overall.
    Data collection for the PII evaluation includes a number of 
components being launched at different points in time. The purpose of 
the current document is to request approval of data collection efforts 
needed for a first phase of data collection and to request a waiver for

[[Page 27072]]

subsequent 60 day notices for later components of the evaluation. The 
first phase includes data collection for a cross-site implementation 
study and site-specific impact evaluations in two PIT grantee sites 
(Kansas; Washoe County, Nevada) that will begin implementing 
interventions during the second year of the PII grant period. The 
second phase includes a cross-site cost evaluation and site-specific 
impact evaluations in four PII grantee sites expected to implement 
interventions in the third year of the PII grant period.
    Data for the cross-site implementation study will be collected 
through: (1) Interviews with grantee staff and key informants conducted 
by telephone and during site visits; (2) web-based instruments 
completed by grantee staff and key informants; and (3) retrieval and 
submission of aggregate data from grantee data systems. Data for the 
Kansas impact evaluation will be collected through (1) family 
assessments; (2) caseworkers' clinical assessments of children and 
families; and (3) caseworker discussions. Data for the Washoe County 
impact evaluation will be collected through family assessments.
    Respondents: Families (parents, or permanent or foster caregivers; 
children), caseworkers, supervisors, service providers, and key 
informants such as grantee project directors, data managers, and 
representatives of partner agencies.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Number of        Average
                   Instrument                     Annual  number   responses per   burden hours    Total annual
                                                  of respondents    respondent     per response    burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CROSS-SITE IMPLEMENTATION STUDY:
Survey of Organization/System Readiness.........              60               1             0.3              18
Implementation Drivers Web Survey...............             150               2             0.8             240
Grantee Case Study Protocol.....................              30               4             2.0             240
Fidelity Data (Implementation Quotient Tracker).               2               8             1.5              24
Cross-Site Estimated Total......................              --              --              --             522
KANSAS:
    Caregiver Initial Information Form..........             300               1             0.1              30
    Family Assessment Battery...................             300               3             1.5            1350
    CAFAS/PECFAS................................               4             150             1.0             600
Caseworker Discussions for NCFAS-G&R Completion.               4             150             0.5             300
Kansas Estimated Total..........................              --              --              --            2280
WASHOE COUNTY:
    Family Assessment Battery...................             175               2             1.5             525
    Washoe Estimated Total......................              --              --              --             525
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3327.
    Additional Information: Copies of the proposed collection may be 
obtained by 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. All 
requests should be identified by the title of the information 
collection. Email address: [email protected].
    OMB Comment: OMB is required to make a decision concerning the 
collection of information between 30 and 60 days after publication of 
this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best 
assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent directly to the following: Office 
of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Email: [email protected], Attn: Desk Officer for the Administration, for 
Children and Families.

Steven M. Hanmer,
OPRE Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-10848 Filed 5-7-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M