[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 21 (Thursday, January 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 740-741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00414]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Building Evidence on 
Employment Strategies for Low-Income Families (BEES) (New Collection)

AGENCY: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation; Administration 
for Children and Families; HHS.

ACTION: Request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is 
proposing a data collection activity as part of the Building Evidence 
on Employment Strategies for Low-Income Families (BEES). The purpose of 
BEES is to evaluate the effectiveness of a broad range of innovative 
programs designed to boost employment and earnings among low-income 
Americans. Within this general focus area, ACF has a particular 
interest in programs that serve adults whose employment prospects have 
been affected by substance use disorder (SUD), opioid use disorder 
(OUD), mental health conditions, and justice involvement. ACF expects 
that a subset of programs to be evaluated will serve these specific 
target populations. To meet these objectives, this study will include 
impact and implementation evaluations for up to 21 sites, as well as 
descriptive work focused on other sites that have a focus on clients 
with opioid use and other substance abuse disorders. When possible, a 
randomized control trial research design will be used for the impact 
evaluations. The purpose of the current submission is to request 
approval for data collection needed for the BEES study.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and Families is soliciting 
public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection 
described above.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained and comments may be forwarded by writing to the Administration 
for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and 
Evaluation, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attn: OPRE Reports 
Clearance Officer. Email address: [email protected]. All 
requests should be identified by the title of the information 
collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Description: The BEES impact studies call for multiple data 
collection points with study participants. Data will be collected from 
study participants through the following methods: (1) Baseline 
information form completed by study participants at study entry, (2) 
study participants will also be asked to periodically update their 
contact information, (3) interview administered to participants in non-
behavioral health sites 6 months after study entry to learn about 
program participation, (4) interview administered to participants in 
behavioral health sites approximately 12 months after study entry to 
learn about employment and related outcomes, (5) individual interviews 
with up to 6 participants in each site and their case managers. These 
data will be used to assess the extent to which the programs being 
evaluated improve participants' employment, earnings, income, 
behavioral health, and well-being. They will also be used to assess the 
extent to which individuals in the study receive employment services.
    The research team will also collect data from researchers, policy 
experts, state and local administrators, and program staff to identify 
potential sites. These data will be collected primarily by telephonic 
staff interviews using discussion guides.

[[Page 741]]

    For the implementation studies, the research team will collect data 
from program staff to assess program implementation. Information will 
be collected in consistent ways across sites and, to the extent 
feasible, will use the same measures and data collection procedures. 
Data collected from program staff during the study will include the 
following: (1) Site visit data including staff interviews, (2) 
interviews with case managers as part of the participant case studies 
mentioned above, and (3) program staff surveys. These data will be used 
to measure program implementation and fidelity, factors affecting 
service delivery, program staff characteristics, and staff time 
allocation. All impact study sites will include an implementation 
study. In addition, there will be several descriptive studies of other 
sites that use some of the implementation instruments to better 
understand programs serving clients with opioid use and other substance 
abuse disorders.
    Future information collection requests and related Federal Register 
Notices will describe future data collection efforts for this project.
    Respondents: Participants enrolled in the study, program staff, 
national policy experts and researchers, and state and local 
administrators.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
                                               [3 year clearance]
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
           Instrument              Total number    Annual number   responses per     hours per     Annual burden
                                  of respondents  of respondents    respondent       response          hours
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Baseline information form for              18600            6200               1            0.25            1550
 participants...................
Contact update request form.....            5520            1840               1             0.1             184
6-month follow-up participant               1680             560               1            0.25             140
 interview......................
12-month follow-up participant              3840            1280               1             0.5             640
 interview......................
Participant case study interview             126              42               1             1.5              63
 guide..........................
Discussion guide for national                 10               3               1               1               3
 policy experts and researchers.
Discussion guide for state and                55              18               1               2              36
 local administrators...........
Discussion guide for program                  72              24               1            2.75              66
 staff at potential sites.......
Program managers, staff, and                 270              90             1.5             1.5             203
 partner interview guide........
Program staff case study                     126              42               1               1              42
 interview guide................
Program staff survey............             420             140               1             0.5              70
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,997.
    Comments: The Department specifically requests comments on (a) 
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection 
of information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication.

    Authority: Section 413 of the Social Security Act, as amended by 
the FY 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Pub. L. 115-31).

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-00414 Filed 1-30-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4184-09-P