[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 26, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74447-74448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25787]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    Title: National and Tribal Evaluation of the 2nd Generation of the 
Health Profession Opportunity Grants.
    OMB No.: 0970-0462.
    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 Health Profession Opportunity 
Grants (HPOG) Program. ACF has developed a multi-pronged research and 
evaluation approach for the HPOG program to better understand and 
assess the activities conducted and their results. Two rounds of HPOG 
grants have been awarded--the first in 2010 (HPOG 1.0) and the second 
in 2015 (HPOG 2.0). There are federal evaluations associated with each 
round of grants. HPOG grants provide funding to government agencies, 
community-based organizations, post-secondary educational institutions, 
and tribal-affiliated organizations to provide education and training 
services to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients 
and other low-income individuals. Under HPOG 2.0, ACF awarded grants to 
five tribal-affiliated organizations and 27 non-tribal entities. The 
proposed data collection activities described in this notice will 
provide data for the implementation studies of the National and Tribal 
Evaluation of the 2nd Generation of the Health Profession Opportunity 
Grants (i.e., the HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation and the HPOG 2.0 Tribal 
Evaluation) as well as the impact study for the HPOG 2.0 National 
Evaluation. OMB previously approved baseline data collection and 
informed consent forms for the HPOG 2.0 Evaluations under OMB Control 
Number 0970-0462. The design for the HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation 
features an implementation study, cost benefit study, and impact study. 
This information collection clearance request pertains to the 
implementation study and impact study.
    The goal of the HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation Implementation Study 
is to describe and assess the implementation, systems change, outcomes 
and other important information about the operations of the 27 non-
tribal HPOG grantees, which are operating 38 distinct programs. To 
achieve these goals, it is necessary to collect data about the non-
tribal HPOG program designs and implementation, HPOG partner and 
program networks, the composition and intensity of HPOG services 
received, participant characteristics and HPOG experiences, and 
participant outputs and outcomes.
    The goal of the HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation Impact Study is to 
measure and analyze key participant outcomes and impacts including 
completion of education and training, receipt of certificates and/or 
degrees, earnings, and employment in a healthcare career.
    The goal of the HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation is to conduct a 
comprehensive implementation and outcome evaluation of the five Tribal 
HPOG 2.0 grantee programs. The evaluation will identify and assess how 
programmatic health profession training operations are working; 
determine differences in approaches being used when programs are 
serving different sub-populations, including participants with 
different characteristics and skill levels; and identify programs and 
practices that are successful in supporting the target population to 
achieve portable industry-recognized certificates or degrees as well as 
employment-related outcomes.
    The information collection activities to be submitted in the 
request package include: (1) Screening Interview to identify 
respondents for the HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation first-round telephone 
interviews. (2) HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation first-round telephone 
interviews with management and staff. These interviews will collect 
information about the HPOG program context and about program 
administration, activities and services, partner and stakeholder roles 
and networks, and respondent perceptions of the program's strengths. 
(3) HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation in-person implementation interviews 
with HPOG personnel will collect information from six HPOG 2.0 programs 
with promising approaches to the topic areas of specific interest to 
ACF. (4) HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation participant contact update forms 
will collect updated participant contact information for impact study 
participants (treatment and control) every 3 months, during the three 
year follow-up period. (5) HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation grantee and 
partner administrative staff interviews will collect information on 
high-level program strategies, partnerships in place to implement the 
Tribal HPOG 2.0 program, program development and lessons learned. (6) 
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation program implementation staff interviews will 
collect information from instructors, trainers, recruitment and 
orientation staff, and providers of program or supportive services on 
Tribal HPOG 2.0 program processes including recruitment, screening, 
orientation, provision of supportive services, and program 
implementation. (7) HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation employer interviews will 
collect information from local or regional employers that are 
partnering with Tribal HPOG 2.0 programs or have employed participants, 
and collect information on employers' impressions of the Tribal HPOG 
2.0 program and program graduates. (8) HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation 
program participant focus groups will collect information on 
participants' perceptions, experience, outcomes and satisfaction with 
the Tribal HPOG 2.0 program. (9) HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation program 
participant completer interviews will collect information on the 
current employment status of the participants who completed a training 
program and their perceptions of and satisfaction with the Tribal HPOG 
2.0 program. (10) HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation program participant non-
completer interviews will collect information on reasons participants 
left the program, short-term outcomes, how they feel the program could 
be improved, and any plans for future academic training.
    Respondents: For the HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation: HPOG program 
managers; HPOG program staff; and representatives of partner agencies 
and stakeholders, including support service providers, education and 
vocational training providers, Workforce Investment Boards, TANF 
agencies, and participants at the 27 non-tribal HPOG 2.0 grantees. For 
the HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation: Tribal HPOG 2.0 program staff; 
administrative staff at grantee institutions; representatives from 
partner agencies and stakeholders, including local employers; and 
Tribal HPOG program participants at the five Tribal HPOG 2.0 grantees.

[[Page 74448]]



                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
           Instrument              Total number    Annual number   responses per     hours per     Annual burden
                                  of respondents  of respondents    respondent       response          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Additional Burden for Previously Approved Information Collection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAGES--Participant-Level                   4,860           1,620               1              .5             810
 Baseline Data Collection
 (participants at non-Tribal
 grantees)......................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                Burden for Newly Requested Information Collection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                          HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screening Interview to identify               38              13               1              .5               7
 respondents for the HPOG 2.0
 National Evaluation first-round
 telephone interviews...........
HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation                 190              63               1            1.25              79
 first-round telephone
 interviews with management and
 staff..........................
HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation in-              60              20               1             1.5              30
 person implementation
 interviews.....................
HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation              45,000          15,000               4              .1            6000
 welcome packet and participant
 contact update forms...........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation                   105              35               1               1              35
 grantee and partner
 administrative staff interviews
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation                   150              50               1             1.5              75
 program implementation staff
 interviews.....................
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation                    90              30               1             .75              23
 employer interviews............
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation                   405             135               1             1.5             203
 program participant focus
 groups.........................
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation                   300             100               1               1             100
 program participant completer
 interviews.....................
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation                   150              50               1               1              50
 program participant non-
 completer interviews...........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,412.
    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, 330 C Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20201, 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.

Mary Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-25787 Filed 10-25-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-72-P