[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 29, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6074-6077]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01439]


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BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

ACTION: Notice and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, 
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this 
opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information 
collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public 
Law 104-13. Currently, the Bureau is soliciting comments concerning the 
information collection requirements related to evaluating the training 
programs and practices involved in training front-line case managers to 
provide information and education designed to improve the financial 
outcomes and capability of consumers, particularly low-income 
consumers, pursuant to the Bureau's authorities under the Dodd-Frank 
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Public Law No. 111-203 
(Dodd-Frank Act).

DATES: Written comments are encouraged and must be received on or 
before April 1, 2013 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Electronic: [email protected].
     Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Direct all written comments to 
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Attention: PRA Office), 1700 G 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20552.
    Instructions: Submissions should include agency name and Program 
Evaluation of Financial Empowerment Training Programs Comments will be 
available for public inspection and copying at 1700 G Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20552 on official business days between the hours of 10 
a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time. You can make an appointment to inspect 
comments by telephoning (202) 435-9575. All comments, including 
attachments and other supporting materials, will become part of the 
public record and subject to public disclosure. For this reason, please 
do not include in your comments information of a confidential nature, 
such as sensitive personal information or proprietary information. You 
should only submit

[[Page 6075]]

information that you wish to make available publicly.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the documents contained under this approval number should be 
directed to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, (Attention: PRA 
Office), 1700 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20552, (202) 435-9575, or 
through the internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Clearance for Program Evaluation of Financial Empowerment 
Training Programs.
    OMB Number: 3170-XXXX.
    Summary of Collection: The Bureau's Office of Financial Empowerment 
(Empowerment) is responsible for developing strategies to improve the 
financial capability of low income and economically vulnerable 
consumers. The proposed collections will focus on evaluating (1) for 
recruitment purposes, the cohort of organization-based trainers that 
will pilot and perform the training; (2) the training practices and 
programs that are designed to enhance the ability of caseworkers to 
inform and educate low income consumers about managing their finances 
and strategies for making choices among available financial products 
and services available to them; (3) the evaluation tool that the 
trainers will use to determine the effectiveness of the training; and 
(4) the scope of workshop participants' use of the training. The Bureau 
expects to collect qualitative data through in-person, telephone, or 
Internet based surveys. The information collected through qualitative 
evaluation methods will increase the Bureau's understanding of what 
elements of training programs and practices can improve caseworker 
interaction with and assistance to their clients in ways that can 
improve outcomes for consumers, particularly low income.
    Type of Review: New Collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals, government social services entities, 
and not-for-profit institutions.
    Annual Burden Estimates: Below is a preliminary estimate of the 
aggregate burden hours for the evaluation training programs and 
practices.

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                                                                                                           Respondents
   Data collection activity      Timing of data    Proposed information --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   collection           collected              Type          Number         Burden per               Total burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Recruitment Information     Once during       Information relevant   Potential Pilot          50  10 minutes...........  8 hours, 20 minutes.
 Form.                           recruitment       to the selection of    Trainers.
                                 process, before   pilot trainers for
                                 initial           the field test.
                                 training is
                                 held.
(2) Evaluation Surveys from     Immediately       Pilot trainers'        Pilot Trainers..         25  20 minutes...........  8 hours, 20 minutes.
 Pilot Trainers.                 following case    reactions to the
                                 manager           training toolkit
                                 trainings held    after they have used
                                 by pilot          it to train case
                                 trainers.         managers, including:.
                                                   Description
                                                   of how the toolkit
                                                   was used, including
                                                   which modules were
                                                   used and whether any
                                                   modifications were
                                                   made.
                                                     
                                                      Description of
                                                      the audience of
                                                      the training
                                                      (e.g.,
                                                      organization for
                                                      whom the
                                                      participants
                                                      work, their
                                                      target client
                                                      audience).
                                                      Perceived
                                                      engagement/
                                                      reaction of case
                                                      managers.
                                                      Any
                                                      problems/concerns
                                                      that arose as
                                                      they used the
                                                      toolkit (e.g.,
                                                      gaps that need to
                                                      be filled).
                                                     
                                                      Suggestions for
                                                      how the toolkit
                                                      could be improved.
(3) Training Evaluation Forms.  Immediately       Case managers'         Case Managers     \1\ 1,250  15 minutes...........  31 hours, 15 minutes.
                                 following case    reactions to the       Trained by
                                 manager           training they          Pilot Trainers.
                                 trainings held    received, including:.
                                 by pilot          Clarity of
                                 trainers.         information.
                                                   Usefulness
                                                   of content.
                                                   Extent to
                                                   which they expect to
                                                   use the resources/
                                                   materials provided.
                                                      Extent to
                                                      which they feel
                                                      more comfortable
                                                      discussing
                                                      financial topics
                                                      with clients, and
                                                      the impact of the
                                                      training on their
                                                      comfort level.
                                                      Feedback
                                                      on training tools
                                                      and suggestions
                                                      for improvement.

[[Page 6076]]

 
                                                      Feedback
                                                      on knowledge and
                                                      skill of the
                                                      pilot trainer.
(4) Telephone Focus Groups....  End of six-month  Get pilot trainers'    Pilot Trainers..         25  1 hour...............  25 hours.
                                 field test        feedback on the
                                 period.           effectiveness of the
                                                   toolkit through one
                                                   or more telephone
                                                   focus groups.\2\
                                                   Topics would
                                                   include:.
                                                      Their
                                                      experiences
                                                      conducting
                                                      trainings using
                                                      the toolkit.
                                                      Strengths
                                                      and weaknesses of
                                                      the toolkit.
                                                      Perceived
                                                      reaction of case
                                                      managers to
                                                      toolkit content.
(5) Recruitment Information     Once during       Information relevant   Potential                20  30 minutes...........  10 hours.
 Form.                           recruitment       to the selection of    organization-
                                 process, before   organizations for      based Trainers.
                                 initial           Phase 2.
                                 training is
                                 held.
(6) Evaluation Surveys from     Immediately       Phase 2 Trainers'      Trainers........     \3\ 20  20 minutes...........  6 hours, 40 minutes.
 Phase 2 Trainers.               following         reactions to the
                                 trainings led     training toolkit
                                 by trainers.      after they have used
                                                   it to train case
                                                   managers, including:.
                                                     
                                                      Description of
                                                      how the toolkit
                                                      was used,
                                                      including which
                                                      modules were used
                                                      and whether any
                                                      modifications
                                                      were made.
                                                     
                                                      Description of
                                                      the audience of
                                                      the training
                                                      (e.g.,
                                                      organization for
                                                      whom the
                                                      participants
                                                      work, their
                                                      target client
                                                      audience).
                                                     
                                                      Description of
                                                      mode of delivery
                                                      (in person,
                                                      webinar, etc.).
                                                      Perceived
                                                      engagement/
                                                      reaction of case
                                                      managers.
                                                      Any
                                                      problems/concerns
                                                      that arose as
                                                      they used the
                                                      toolkit (e.g.,
                                                      gaps that need to
                                                      be filled).
(7) Case Manager Log..........  Three months and  Information about      Case Managers         7,000  10 minutes for each    4,666 hours and 40 minutes.
                                 six months from   case managers' use     trained by                   of two surveys.
                                 date of case      of what they learned   pilot trainers
                                 manager           through the            and Phase 2
                                 training.         trainings,             trainers.
                                                   including:.
                                                      Number of
                                                      clients with whom
                                                      they have
                                                      discussed
                                                      financial
                                                      information.
                                                      Number of
                                                      referrals they
                                                      have made to
                                                      other financial
                                                      resources (e.g.,
                                                      counselors).
                                                      Any
                                                      problems or
                                                      obstacles
                                                      encountered
                                                      (e.g., client
                                                      requests that
                                                      case manager did
                                                      not know how to
                                                      address).
(8) Survey of Case Managers...  End of six-month  Final input from case  Case Managers...      7,000  10 minutes...........  116 hours, 40 minutes.
                                 field test        managers on the
                                 period.           utility of what they
                                                   learned through the
                                                   training, including:.

[[Page 6077]]

 
                                                      Extent to
                                                      which they have
                                                      found the
                                                      training they
                                                      received to be
                                                      relevant to their
                                                      work.
                                                      Their
                                                      comfort level
                                                      discussing
                                                      financial topics
                                                      with clients, and
                                                      how their comfort
                                                      level changed
                                                      after attending
                                                      the training.
                                                      Extent to
                                                      which they
                                                      believe the
                                                      training they
                                                      received has
                                                      impacted their
                                                      work, and how.
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\1\ Based on assumption that each trainer will hold workshops that train 50 case managers.
\2\ While similar information would be collected through the pilot trainer evaluation forms that the pilot trainers complete after holding each of their
  case manager trainings, we believe that focus group discussions might elicit additional insights from the pilot trainers, and would also allow for
  collection of more detailed information and participant suggestions.
\3\ Based on assumption of two trainers per organization selected.

Request for Comments

    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will 
become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 
the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance 
of the functions of the Bureau, including whether the information shall 
have practical utility; (b) The accuracy of the Bureau's estimate of 
the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of 
the methodology and the assumptions 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 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid Office of Management and Budget control number.

    Dated: January 17, 2013.
Chris Willey,
Chief Information Officer, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.
[FR Doc. 2013-01439 Filed 1-28-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-AM-P