[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7778-7779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03553]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request, Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) 
Impact Evaluation, New Collection

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Chief Evaluation 
Office, Department of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL), as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and 
federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or 
continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95). This program helps to ensure that 
requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden 
(time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are 
clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on 
respondents is properly assessed.
    Currently, DOL is soliciting comments concerning the collection of 
survey data about the HVRP Impact Evaluation. A copy of the proposed 
Information Collection Request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the 
office listed in the addressee section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee's section below on or before April 23, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either one of the following 
methods:
    Email: [email protected]; Mail or Courier: Christina 
Yancey, Chief Evaluation Office, OASP, U.S. Department of Labor, Room 
S-2312, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. Instructions: 
Please submit one copy of your comments by only one method. All 
submissions received must include the agency name and OMB Control 
Number identified above for this information collection. Comments, 
including any personal information provided, become a matter of public 
record. They will also be summarized and/or included in the request for 
OMB approval of the information collection request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina Yancey by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    I. Background: As the only federal program wholly focused on 
employment services for veterans experiencing homelessness, HVRP sits 
at the nexus of these three critical policy arenas: veterans, 
employment, and housing. Since 1987, HVRP has assisted veterans 
experiencing homelessness through competitive grants to state, local, 
and tribal governments; local Workforce Development Boards; private 
for-project and non-profit organizations; and community organizations. 
In the most recent Program Year (PY) 2017, DOL announced awards to 155 
grantees to support an estimated 21,000 veterans. These are one-year 
grants; a new set of grantees will receive PY 2018 awards.
    The HVRP Impact Evaluation is examining the effectiveness of the 
HVRP program, building evidence of HVRP's effects on participants' 
employment and earning-related outcomes. In addition, the evaluation 
will provide a better understanding of program models and variations, 
partnerships, and populations served. Goals of the specific data 
collection plan included in this Notice is to help DOL make informed 
decisions about what works best for whom and about effective ways to 
improve the service systems seeking to support veterans experiencing 
homelessness. The research questions to be answered by the planned data 
collection pertain to what impact the HVRP has on Veterans experiencing 
homelessness; how the HVRP impacts vary by individual, grantee, and 
community characteristics and how they vary by services and referrals 
available or received; how HVRPs are implemented; and how systems and

[[Page 7779]]

partnerships are developed and maintained.
    This Federal Register Notice provides the opportunity to comment on 
three proposed data collection instruments that will be used in the 
evaluation:
    * Baseline Information Form. All study-eligible program applicants, 
that is, those applicants who meet the program's definition of a 
homeless veteran, will be presented with a consent form prior to the 
collection of baseline information. Applicants who give their consent 
will be asked to complete the Baseline Information Form by providing 
information on their: (1) Demographics and background characteristics, 
(2) employment history, (3) service-related characteristics, (4) 
receipt of public assistance, and (5) contact information. It is 
expected to take the applicant an average of 10 minutes to complete the 
form.
    * Program readiness tool. The program readiness tool will be 
administered as part of the baseline data collection process after 
applicant consent. The applicant will answer the simple tool's basic 
questions about the applicant's motivation and readiness for work. A 
web-based system will validate data entries and calculate a program 
readiness score. It is expected to take 5 minutes for the applicant to 
complete a program readiness tool.
    * Grantee Survey. The grantee survey will be administered to all 
HVPR grantees (as of PY 2018) to collect the following information: (1) 
Key referral sources for participants, (2) key recruitment sources and 
challenges, (3) number and type of services, (4) list of services 
offered on-site and through referrals, (5) key partners and referral 
sources, (6) type and mode of communication, and (7) types of 
coordination and collaboration. The survey will be administered via 
web. It is expected to take the participants an average of 60 minutes 
to complete the survey.
    II. Desired Focus of Comments: Currently, DOL is soliciting 
comments concerning the above data collection for the HVRP Evaluation. 
DOL is particularly interested in comments that do the following:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility.
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology- for example, 
permitting electronic submission of responses.
    III. Current Actions: At this time, DOL is requesting clearance for 
the Baseline Information Form, program readiness tool, and grantee 
survey. A future information collection request will include protocols 
for staff interviews, focus groups, and case studies; a partner survey; 
a front line staff survey; and a participant follow-up survey.
    Type of Review: New information collection request.
    OMC Control Number: 1290-0NEW
    Affected Public: Veterans experiencing homelessness.

                                             Estimated Burden Hours
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                                                                  Annual  number      Average
                                   Total number   Annual  number   of  responses    burden hour       Annual
       Type of instrument           respondents         of              per        per response      estimated
                                                    respondents     respondent        (hours)      burden hours
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                                                     Veteran
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Background information form.....         a 1,440             480               1            0.17              80
Program Readiness Tool..........         a 1,440             480               1            0.08              40
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                                                  Grantee Staff
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Grantee Survey..................             155              52               1               1            51.7
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    Total.......................           3,035           1,012  ..............  ..............           171.7
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a The Background Information Form and Program Readiness Tool will be collected from all study-eligible
  applicants who consented to participate in the study. The number of respondents is based on an 85% response
  rate (1,440).

    Comments submitted in response to this request will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: February 13, 2018.
Molly Irwin,
Chief Evaluation Officer, U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2018-03553 Filed 2-21-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-HX-P