[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 170 (Friday, August 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 44695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18911]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0825]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: The 
Veterans' Outcome Assessment (VOA) (Veteran Survey Interview)

AGENCY: Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
this notice announces that the Veterans Health Administration, 
Department of Veterans Affairs, will submit the collection of 
information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature 
of the information collection and its expected cost and burden and it 
includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 1, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information 
through www.Regulations.gov, or to Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attn: VA Desk Officer; 725 
17th St. NW, Washington, DC 20503 or sent through electronic mail to 
[email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-
0825'' in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Harvey-Pryor, Enterprise 
Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 461-5870 or email 
[email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-
0825'' in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: Public Law 112-239 Sec. 726.
    Title:
    a. Veterans Outcome Assessment--Baseline.
    b. Veterans Outcome Assessment--Follow Up.
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0825.
    Type of Review: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved 
collection.
    Abstract: The mental health outcomes information obtained through 
this new collection will be used by VA leadership, including those in 
the Offices of Mental Health Operations and Mental Health Services, 
Network offices, and VA Medical Centers. Such information on Veteran 
mental health outcomes is crucial to guide resource allocation and 
programmatic decisions for mental health programs and to intervene 
effectively to prevent individual adverse outcomes such as suicide, 
overdose deaths, and morbidities associated with mental illness and to 
support recovery-oriented treatment designed to improve functioning and 
reduce symptoms. The data will allow VA policy makers to reliably track 
national performance on a quarterly basis and to track VISN performance 
on a yearly basis. These data will reveal trends in outcomes over time 
and will help in pinpointing programs that are doing well in terms of 
patient outcomes, so that other programs can emulate their practices, 
as well as identifying those programs that are performing poorly so 
that steps can be taken to improve them. Results of the survey will be 
reported to Congress and will influence decisions on funding. The VOA 
will thus provide Veterans who are experiencing mental health problems 
with a direct voice in program evaluation and improvement. Summary data 
on performance also will be available on a public website, as mandated 
by the NDAA, to provide Veterans and their families with additional 
information for purposes of managing their mental health treatment and 
U.S. citizens with information regarding VA's mental health programs 
and Veterans satisfaction with their care.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 
60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of 
information was published at 82 FR 28943 on June 26, 2017, pages 28943 
and 28944.
    Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 11,236 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: .42 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 26,752.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Cynthia D. Harvey-Pryor,
Department Clearance Officer, Office of Quality, Privacy and Risk, 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2018-18911 Filed 8-30-18; 8:45 am]
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