[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64845-64847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27328]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Public Comment Request Information Collection Request Title: HRSA AIDS 
Education and Training Centers Evaluation Activities, OMB No. 0915-
0281--Revision

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public 
comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection 
Request (ICR), described below, to the

[[Page 64846]]

Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to 
OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, 
below, or any other aspect of the ICR.

DATES: Comments on this ICR should be received no later than February 
19, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N136B, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
draft instruments, email [email protected] or call Lisa Wright-
Solomon, the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 
443-1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the information request collection title 
for reference, pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A), the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.
    Information Collection Request Title: HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS 
Program (RWHAP) AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) Evaluation 
Activities, OMB No. 0915-0281--Revision
    Abstract: The RWHAP AETC program, authorized by Title XXVI of the 
Public Health Service Act, supports a network of regional and national 
centers that conduct targeted, multi-disciplinary education and 
training programs for health care providers serving people living with 
HIV (PLWH). The purpose of the RWHAP Regional AETC program is to 
increase the size and strengthen the skills of the current and novice 
HIV clinical workforce in the United States. Through the provision of 
specialized professional education and training, the RWHAP Regional 
AETCs aim to improve outcomes along the HIV care continuum including 
diagnosis, linkage, retention, and viral suppression and to reduce HIV 
incidence by improving the achievement and maintenance of viral load 
suppression of PLWH. In addition, the RWHAP AETC program includes the 
National Coordinating Resource Center (NCRC), which offers a virtual 
library of online training resources for adaptation by HIV care 
providers and other healthcare professionals to meet local training 
needs. The RWHAP AETC NCRC works closely with the HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau 
(HAB) to coordinate cross-regional collaborative efforts, manage the 
NCRC website, plan and execute the national RWHAP Clinical Conference, 
and develop an online curriculum for clinical learners.
    The RWHAP AETC proposes several revisions to the Event Records (ER) 
and the Participant Information Form (PIF). The ER will have nine new 
data elements; however, only five data elements will require responses 
from all respondents. The option to respond to the other four data 
elements will depend on how participants respond to previous questions. 
The PIF will have one new data element that asks whether respondents 
prescribe anti-retroviral therapy to their patients. Three data 
elements were also deleted. These revisions reflect changes in the 
National AETC program guidance on reporting sources of funding and 
multi-session events. With a net increase of seven data elements across 
both the ER and PIF instruments, respondent burden is anticipated to 
increase slightly. In addition, HRSA HAB has modified the data 
instruments not only to improve the logical flow of questions within 
each instrument but also to improve the overall clarity of each of the 
questions being asked.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: As part of an ongoing 
effort to evaluate RWHAP AETC activities, information is needed on AETC 
training sessions, clinical consultations, and technical assistance 
activities. Each regional center collects information on RWHAP AETC 
training events and is required to report aggregate data on their 
activities to HRSA's HAB. The goal of national data collection efforts 
is to create a uniform set of data elements that will produce an 
accurate summary of the national scope of RWHAP AETC professional 
training, consultation, and events. The elements included in the 
national database have been selected for their relevance in 
demonstrating the RWHAP AETCs' efforts in achieving the program's 
stated goals: To improve care for PLWH by providing education, 
training, and clinical consultation; and to provide support to 
clinicians and other providers. HRSA HAB uses the data collected when 
conducting programmatic assessments and to determine future program 
needs. The national data elements are intended to be a meaningful core 
set of elements that individual RWHAP AETCs can use in program and 
strategic planning. HRSA HAB also uses this information to respond to 
requests from HHS, Congress, and others.
    Likely Respondents: RWHAP AETC trainees are asked to complete the 
PIF at the start or conclusion of an event. Trainers are asked to 
complete an ER for each training event they conduct during the year. In 
addition, each regional RWHAP AETC (eight total) and the RWHAP AETC 
National Coordinating Resource Center will compile these data into a 
data set and submit to HRSA HAB once a year.
    Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose, or provide the 
information requested. This includes the time needed to review 
instructions; to develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and 
systems for the purpose of collecting, validating, and verifying 
information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and 
providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to 
a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and 
review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise 
disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for 
this Information Collection Request are summarized in the table below.
    The estimated annual response burden to trainers, as well as 
trainees of training programs is follows:

                                     Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Number of                    Average burden
            Form name                Number of     responses per       Total       per response    Total burden
                                    respondents     respondent       responses      (in hours)         hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Participant Information Form              61,288               1          61,288           0.167          10,235
 (PIF)..........................
Event Record (ER)...............          10,522               1          10,522           0.200           2,104
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................          71,810  ..............          71,810  ..............          12,339
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 64847]]

    The estimated annual burden to RWHAP AETCs is as follows:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Number of      Responses per                       Hours per       Total burden
                                                                       respondents       respondent    Total responses      response          hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggregate Data Set.................................................               9                2               18               32              576
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    HRSA specifically requests comments on (1) the necessity and 
utility of the proposed information collection for the proper 
performance of the agency's functions, (2) the accuracy of the 
estimated burden, (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected, and (4) the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology to 
minimize the information collection burden.

Amy P. McNulty,
Acting Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2018-27328 Filed 12-17-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4165-15-P