[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7189-7191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03390]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Redesign of Existing Data Collection; National 
Longitudinal Survey of Older Americans Act Participants (NLSOAAP)

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing 
that the proposed collection of information listed below has been 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
clearance as required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the 
PRA). This 30-Day notice collects comments on a proposed revision to an 
existing data collection related to the National Survey of Older 
Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP).

DATES: Submit written comments on the collection of information by 
March 22, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information by 
fax 202-395-5806 or by email to [email protected], Attn: OMB 
Desk Officer for ACL.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Menne at 202-795-7733 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with Section 44 U.S.C. 3507, 
ACL has submitted the following proposed collection of information to 
OMB for review and clearance.
    ACL is requesting approval for three years for a redesign of an 
existing data collection (OMB Control Number: 0985-0023).
    The National Longitudinal Survey of Older Americans Act (OAA) 
Participants (NLSOAAP) information collection will include consumer 
assessment surveys for the Congregate and Home-delivered meal nutrition 
programs; Case Management, Homemaker, and Transportation Services; and 
the National Family Caregiver Support Program. This survey builds on 
earlier national pilot studies and surveys, as well as performance 
measurement tools developed by ACL grantees in the Performance Outcomes 
Measures Project (POMP). Changes identified as a result of these 
initiatives, public comment, and the input from an expert panel (i.e., 
comprised of gerontologists, survey methodologists, and OAA program 
experts), are included in this proposed redesign of an existing data 
collection. This information will be used by ACL to track performance 
outcome measures; support budget requests; comply with the GPRA 
Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA) reporting requirements; provide 
national benchmark information; and inform program development and 
management initiatives.
    This proposed collection is a revision that will replace the 
currently approved version (OMB Control Number: 0985-0023) by 
transitioning from a cross-sectional survey to a longitudinal survey. 
The current National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants 
(NSOAAP), an exclusively cross-sectional survey, can transition to a 
longitudinal information collection component by establishing a 
baseline cohort and conducting follow-up interviews with that cohort at 
specified time intervals. A baseline cohort can be selected in the same 
manner as in prior cycles of the cross-sectional NSOAAP.

[[Page 7190]]

Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) would be selected with a probability 
proportional to their size, with some large AAAs sampled with 
certainty.
    Random samples of clients within each selected AAA will be sampled 
from the agencies' client lists. However, in a change from current 
procedures, the target sample size would be increased from current 
standards (n = 6000) to account for attrition of individuals over time. 
For the duration of the longitudinal cohort analysis, the same sample 
of AAAs and clients should be maintained to preserve the longitudinal 
nature of the study. Three strategies are key for transforming the 
current survey into a longitudinal study, while preserving the ability 
to produce nationally representative cross-sectional estimates of 
client characteristics at each wave. The three strategies include: (1) 
A higher initial sample size (n = 6600), (2) an intensive operational 
campaign to keep track of respondents over time, and (3) limiting the 
number of waves for each cohort study (e.g., three waves are proposed).

Comments in Response to the 60 Day Federal Register Notice

    A 60-Day notice was published in the Federal Register in Vol. 82, 
No. 185, Pages 44800-44802, on September 26, 2017 announcing that ACL 
was requesting approval of a proposed redesign of an existing data 
collection extension with modifications of a currently approved data 
collection. ACL received comments from sixty-four (64) organizations 
and 15 individuals about the Redesigned National Survey of Older 
Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP). ACL reviewed all of the comments. 
Two (2) of the comments were deemed not relevant. The first referenced 
other data collections and not the NSOAAP (i.e., Census), and the other 
was commentary without reference to the NSOAAP.
    The majority of the comments that ACL received requested improved 
methodology for collecting gender identity (e.g., adding questions to 
understand gender identity/transgender status). ACL plans to conduct 
cognitive testing of questions in the redesigned information collection 
tool, including the gender question, to determine whether the questions 
are interpreted as intended. Based on the cognitive testing of the 
information collection tool, ACL will determine whether additional 
changes are necessary. Other public comments supported the: (a) 
Longitudinal methodology; (b) collection of data on sexual orientation; 
(c) inclusion of a rotating module on discrimination; and (d) limiting 
of burden on the Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). Because these comments 
were in support of the proposed information collection, no response is 
needed.

Burden Estimates

    Descriptions of previous National Surveys of OAA Participants can 
be found under the section on Performance Outcomes on ACL's website at: 
https://www.acl.gov/programs/performance-older-americans-act-programs. 
Copies of the survey instruments and data from previous National 
Surveys of OAA Participants can be found and queried using the AGing 
Integrated Database (AGID) at https://agid.acl.gov/. The proposed 
revisions for the National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants 
may be found on the ACL website at: https://www.acl.gov/about-acl/public-input.
    The estimated average hour burden per respondent for the Redesigned 
NSOAAP will change from the 0.80 hour estimate in 2017 to 0.71 hours. 
This decrease is due to the proposed change of Area Agencies on Aging 
only providing client lists once at the start of the three years of 
data collection (compared to annually in the current cross-sectional 
data collection). ACL estimates the burden of this revised collection 
of information as follows:

                                    Table--Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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    Respondent/data collection         Number of        Responses per        Average hours per     Annual burden
             activity                 respondents         respondent              response             hours
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                                                    Baseline
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Area Agency on Aging: Respondent               250  1....................  4.0..................           1,000
 selection process.
Service Recipients (i.e., Case               4,400  1....................  .6667................           2,933
 Management; Congregate Nutrition;
 Home-delivered Nutrition;
 Homemaker; Transportation).
National Family Caregiver Support            2,200  1....................  .6667................           1,467
 Program Clients.
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                                                     Year 2
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Area Agency on Aging: Respondent                 0  0....................  0....................               0
 selection process.
Service Recipients (i.e., Case               4,200  1....................  .6667................           2,800
 Management; Congregate Nutrition;
 Home-delivered Nutrition;
 Homemaker; Transportation).
National Family Caregiver Support            2,100  1....................  .6667................           1,400
 Program Clients.
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                                                     Year 3
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Area Agency on Aging: Respondent                 0  0....................  0....................               0
 selection process.
Service Recipients (i.e., Case               4,000  1....................  .6667................           2,667
 Management; Congregate Nutrition;
 Home-delivered Nutrition;
 Homemaker; Transportation).
National Family Caregiver Support            2,000  1....................  .6667................           1,333
 Program Clients.
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    Total.........................          19,150  Varies...............  .710 (weighted mean).          13,600
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[[Page 7191]]

    Dated: February 13, 2018.
Mary Lazare,
Principal Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-03390 Filed 2-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4154-01-P