[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 28 (Monday, February 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 9711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03007]



[[Page 9711]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID: FEMA-2012-0031; OMB No. 1660-0085]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request: Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training 
Program

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will submit the 
information collection abstracted below to the Office of Management and 
Budget for review and clearance in accordance with the requirements of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The submission will describe the 
nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, 
the estimated burden (i.e., the time, effort and resources used by 
respondents to respond) and cost, and the actual data collection 
instruments FEMA will use.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 13, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the proposed information 
collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office 
of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the Desk 
Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, and sent via electronic mail to 
[email protected] or faxed to (202) 395-5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection should be made to Director, 
Records Management Division, 1800 South Bell Street, Arlington, VA 
20598-3005, facsimile number (202) 646-3347, or email address [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 416 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, (Stafford Act) (42 U.S.C. 
5183) Public Law 93-288, as amended, authorizes the President to 
provide financial assistance to States, U.S. Territories, and Federally 
Recognized Tribes for professional counseling services to survivors of 
major disasters to relieve mental health problems caused by or 
aggravated by a major disaster or its aftermath. FEMA has codified 
Section 416 of the Stafford Act at section 44 CFR 206.171 entitled 
Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training. Under Section 416 of the 
Stafford Act and 44 CFR 206.171, the President has designated the 
Department of Health and Human Services-Center for Mental Health 
Services (HHS-CMHS) to coordinate with FEMA in administering the Crisis 
Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP). FEMA and HHS-CMHS 
signed an interagency agreement under which HHS-CMHS provides program 
oversight, technical assistance and training to States applying for CCP 
funding.
    We received one comment during the 60-day FRN period. Main points 
addressed include (1) CCP grants do not reimburse states for indirect 
costs associated with administrative overhead which has proven 
burdensome to the state, (2) the 60-day ISP grant program period is not 
sufficient time to prepare and submit the required ISP application (due 
14 days from the date of the IA declaration), hire staff, initiate 
contracts with local mental health providers and provide immediate 
response activities to those impacted by the disaster, (3) the 
immediate availability of CCP services following a major disaster is 
recommended to mitigate the psychological impact to first responders, 
disaster survivors, etc., and to expedite funding to states, and 
finally, (4) that certain sections of the ISP application should be 
pre-approved by FEMA prior to a disaster to expedite access to disaster 
funding so that staff can be hired and supplies and equipment obtained 
quickly to implement the program.
    All comments received are issues currently being reviewed by the 
Community Services Section within the Individual Assistance Division of 
FEMA's Recovery Directorate. A FEMA economist is currently reviewing 
program data to determine what policy and/or program changes (to 
include possible regulatory changes) are necessary to ensure that the 
CCP program is cost effective, efficient and not overly cumbersome to 
States applying for the program.

Collection of Information

    Title: Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program.
    Type of information collection: Revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    OMB Number: 1660-0085.
    Form Titles and Numbers: FEMA Form 003-0-1, Crisis Counseling 
Assistance and Training Program, Immediate Services Program 
Application; FEMA Form 003-0-2, Crisis Counseling Assistance and 
Training Program, Regular Services Program Application.
    Abstract: The CCP consists of two grant programs, the Immediate 
Services Program (ISP) and the Regular Services Program (RSP). The ISP 
and the RSP provide supplemental funding to States, U.S. Territories, 
and Federally Recognized Tribes following a Presidentially-declared 
disaster. The grant programs provide funding for Training and Services, 
including community outreach, public education and counseling 
techniques. States are required to submit an application that provides 
information on Needs Assessment, Plan of Service, Program Management, 
and an accompanying Budget.
    Affected Public: State, local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 24 respondents.
    Number of Responses: 57 responses.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,580 hours.
    Estimated Cost: The estimated annual cost to respondents for the 
hour burden is $142,674. There are no annual costs to respondents 
operations and maintenance costs for technical services. There are no 
annual start-up or capital costs. The cost to the Federal Government is 
$139,654.

    Dated: January 24, 2013.
Charlene D. Myrthil,
Director, Records Management Division, Mission Support Bureau, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 2013-03007 Filed 2-8-13; 8:45 am]
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