[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 205 (Thursday, October 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63408-63409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25198]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Public Comment Request

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects (Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), the Health Resources and Services 
Administration (HRSA) announces plans to submit an Information 
Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks 
comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any 
other aspect of the ICR.

DATES: Comments on this Information Collection Request must be received 
no later than December 22, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 10-29, Parklawn 
Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
draft instruments, email [email protected] or call the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the information request collection title 
for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: Partnerships for Care (P4C). 
Supplemental Funding Progress Reports
    OMB No.: 0915-xxxx--New.
    Abstract: Partnerships for Care (P4C): Health Departments and 
Health Centers Collaborating to Improve HIV Health Outcomes is a 3-year 
cross-HHS project funded through the Secretary's Minority AIDS 
Initiative (MAI) Fund and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The goals of 
the P4C project are to build sustainable partnerships among CDC-funded 
state health departments (including Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, 
and Florida) and HRSA-funded health centers to support expanded HIV 
service delivery in communities highly impacted by HIV, especially 
among racial/ethnic minorities. State health departments and health 
centers will work together to increase the identification of 
undiagnosed HIV infection, establish new access points for HIV care and 
treatment, and improve HIV outcomes along the continuum of care for 
people living with HIV (PLWH) (see P4C fact sheet at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/prevention/demonstration/p4c/index.html and HHS press 
release at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2014pres/07/20140715a.html). 
Each eligible health center (22 across four funded states) will receive 
up to $500,000 annually in HRSA supplemental funding (totaling $33M 
across the 3-year project period) to integrate high-quality, 
comprehensive HIV services into their primary care programs; and to 
work in collaboration with their state health department to (1) 
identify people with undiagnosed HIV infection, (2) link newly 
diagnosed individuals to care, and (3) retain patients living with HIV 
in care. Health centers must implement activities in five focus areas 
including workforce development, infrastructure development, HIV 
service delivery, partnership development, and quality improvement and 
evaluation. Health centers must demonstrate progress toward 
implementing all required P4C activities and improving health care 
outcomes across the HIV care continuum (see http://aids.gov/federal-resources/policies/care-continuum/).
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: HRSA/Bureau of Primary 
Health Care (BPHC) proposes standardized data collection and reporting 
by the 22 health centers participating in the P4C project to achieve 
the following purposes:
    1. Ensure appropriate stewardship of federal funds.
    2. Support HHS efforts to streamline HIV data collection and 
reporting.
    3. Assess health center progress in implementing approved work 
plans and meeting other P4C goals and objectives.
    4. Assess health center progress in improving HIV outcomes across 
the HIV care continuum.
    5. Support health center use of patient data to improve quality of 
HIV care.
    6. Identify training and technical assistance needs among 
participating health centers.
    7. Support identification and dissemination of effective models and

[[Page 63409]]

promising practices for the integration of HIV services into primary 
care.
    Proposed data collection closely aligns with (1) core HIV 
indicators established by HHS (see http://blog.aids.gov/2012/08/secretary-sebelius-approves-indicators-for-monitoring-hhs-funded-hiv-services.html), (2) measures endorsed by the National Quality Forum 
(NQF) (see http://www.qualityforum.org/News_And_Resources/Press_Releases/2013/NQF_Endorses_Infectious_Disease_Measures.aspx), (3) 
performance measures used by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (http://hab.hrsa.gov/deliverhivaidscare/habperformmeasures.html), and (4) the 
Health Center Program's Uniform Data System (UDS) (see http://bphc.hrsa.gov/healthcenterdatastatistics/index.html#whatisuds). 
Specifically, HRSA/BPHC proposes submission of bi-annual progress 
reports (five total) by participating health centers to include 
aggregate, HIV-related, patient data (quantitative), and other 
information regarding implementation of approved work plans 
(narrative).
    Likely Respondents: Health Center Program grantees receiving 
supplemental awards under the P4C project (22 total).
    Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide the 
information requested. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and 
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to 
a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and 
review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for 
this Information Collection Request are summarized in the table below.

                                     Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                     Number of                    Average burden
            Form name                Number of     responses per       Total       per response    Total burden
                                    respondents     respondent       responses      (in hours)         hours
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P4C Progress Report.............              22               2              44              28            1232
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    Total.......................              22               2              44              28            1232
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    HRSA specifically requests comments on (1) the necessity and 
utility of the proposed information collection for the proper 
performance of the agency's functions, (2) the accuracy of the 
estimated burden, (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected, and (4) the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology to 
minimize the information collection burden.

    Dated: October 15, 2014.
Jackie Painter,
Acting Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination.
[FR Doc. 2014-25198 Filed 10-22-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P