[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 104 (Thursday, June 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25293-25294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11286]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
Redesign of Existing Data Collection; Older Americans Act Titles III 
and VII; State Program Performance Report

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an 
opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of 
certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in 
the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of 
information, including each proposed extension of an existing 
collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in 
response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on a proposed 
revision to an existing data collection related to the Older Americans 
Act Title III and VII State Program Performance Report (SPR) (ICR Rev).

DATES: Submit written or electronic comments on the collection of 
information by July 31, 2017.

ADDRESSES: 
    Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: 
[email protected].
    Submit written comments on the collection of information to: U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community 
Living, Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Jennifer Klocinski.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Klocinski by telephone: (202) 
795-7377 or by email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) 
requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, 
before submitting the collection to OMB for approval.
    To comply with the above requirement, ACL is publishing a notice of 
the proposed revision of a currently approved collection of information 
set forth in this document. With respect to the following collection of 
information, ACL invites comments on: (1) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
ACL's functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques when 
appropriate, and other forms of information technology.

Purpose

    The purpose of this data collection is to fulfill requirements of 
the Older Americans Act and the Government Performance and Results 
Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA) and related program performance 
activities. Section 202(a)(16) of the OAA requires the collection of 
statistical data regarding the programs and activities carried out with 
funds provided under the OAA and Section 207(a) directs the Assistant 
Secretary for Aging to prepare and submit a report to the President and 
Congress based on those data. Section 202(f) directs the Assistant 
Secretary to develop a set of performance outcome measures for 
planning, managing, and evaluating activities performed and services 
provided under the OAA. Requirements pertaining to the measurement and 
evaluation of the impact of all programs authorized by the OAA are 
described in section 206(a). The State Performance Report is one source 
of data used to develop and report performance outcome measures and 
measure program effectiveness in achieving the stated goals of the OAA.
    The Administration on Aging (now within the Administration for 
Community Living) first developed a State Program Performance Report 
(SPR) in 1996 as part of its National Aging Program Information System 
(NAPIS). The SPR collects information about the national Aging Network, 
how State Agencies on Aging expend their OAA funds, as well as funding 
from other sources for OAA authorized supportive services. The SPR also 
collects information on the demographic and functional status of the 
recipients and is a key source for ACL performance measurement.

Revisions

    Significant revisions to the SPR were last implemented in 2005. 
This proposed collection is a revision that will replace the currently 
approved version (effective 2017-2019). The factors that influenced the 
proposed revision of the SPR, include: (1) The need to reduce reporting 
burden while enhancing data quality; (2) the need to modernize the data 
structure to allow for more efficient reporting and the ability to use 
current technology for reporting and analysis; (3) an interest in 
aligning data elements within and across data collections; and (4) the 
need to consider alternative data elements that reflect the current 
Aging Network and long-term care services and supports. The proposed 
SPR revision reduces the number of data elements reported by 70% 
compared to the current SPR.
    Reductions in data elements are found throughout the data 
collection, but are concentrated in the consumer demographic 
components. Due to the aggregate level nature of the SPR, information 
on combinations of demographic characteristics (e.g. number of women 
served who are 65 years or older and have 2 activity of daily living 
limitations) require exponentially larger numbers of data elements 
compared to single demographic characteristics (e.g. number of women 
served). To reduce reporting burden associated with the number of data 
elements, ACL is proposing to limit data element combinations. The 
remaining proposed demographic data elements include indicators of 
priority populations (i.e. social and economic vulnerability and 
frailty) found in the OAA and will allow ACL to continue to measure 
efforts to target services.
    Limited expansions in data elements are found in the Title III-E 
National Family Caregiver Support Program service component. The 
proposal separates out three services that were reported as a whole 
(i.e. counseling, training and support group services).

[[Page 25294]]

Separation allows for support group services to be categorized as a 
non-registered service for which consumer demographic details are no 
longer reported. Additional information regarding the types of respite 
services provided under the OAA is sought. The proposal separates 
assistance services into two types: (1) Case management, and (2) 
information and assistance. Case management assistance services are 
categorized as registered, meaning caregiver demographic data are 
reported while information and assistance services do not include 
reporting of demographic data. Supplemental services are reported in 
the same manner as ``other service'' under Title III-B, Home and 
Community-based Services (HCBS) program. Across the OAA services, 
greater detail regarding expenditure data is proposed. Under Title III-
B, HCBS program, the proposed data collection expands data regarding 
legal assistance services. The ACL also seeks data on the OAA 
identified priority legal issues for closed cases. Taken as a whole, 
the proposed reductions far exceed the proposed increases in data 
burden.
    The proposed reporting requirements may be found on the ACL Web 
site under State Program Performance Report (SPR) Proposed Revisions 
for Comment, available at: https://agid.acl.gov/Default.aspx.
    The estimated hour burden per respondent for the SPR in FY 2019 
(year of first report) will change from the 50 hours estimate in FY 
2016 to 33.5 hours, a decrease due to a 70% reduction in the number of 
data elements reported. The number of hours is multiplied by 56 state 
units on aging, resulting in a total estimated hour aggregate burden of 
1,876 hours (see table below).

                                    Table--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
      Type of respondent            Form name       respondents    responses per   response  (in       hours
                                                                    respondent        hours)
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States........................  State                         56               1            33.5           1,876
                                 Performance
                                 Report.
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    Dated: May 25, 2017.
Daniel P. Berger,
Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2017-11286 Filed 5-31-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4154 -01-P