[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]
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