[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43137-43139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17879]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Community Living
[OMB#0985-XXXX]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Adult Protective Services Client Outcome Study
AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an
opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of
information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the
Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information,
including each proposed extension of an existing collection of
information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the
notice.
This notice solicits comments on the Proposed new information
collection and solicits comments on the information collection
requirements related to the ``Adult Protective Services Client Outcome
Study''.
DATES: Comments on the collection of information must be submitted
electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by October 21, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information
to: Stephanie Whittier Eliason. Submit written comments on the
collection of information to Administration for Community Living,
Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Stephanie Whittier Eliason.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Whittier Eliason,
Administration for Community Living, Washington, DC 20201, (202) 795-
7467, [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor.
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR
1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A))
requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including
each proposed extension of an existing collection of information,
before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with
this requirement, ACL is publishing a notice of the proposed collection
of information set forth in this document.
With respect to the following collection of information, ACL
invites comments on our burden estimates or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including:
(1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for
the
[[Page 43138]]
proper performance of ACL's functions, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology
and assumptions used to determine burden estimates;
(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
respondents, including through the use of automated collection
techniques when appropriate, and other forms of information technology.
Description: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) in the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking OMB
approval to collect data using new information collection tools that
examine if and how APS programs make a difference in the lives of APS
clients. APS programs are provided by state and local governments
nationwide and serve older adults and adults with disabilities in need
of assistance due to maltreatment, which can include: Physical,
emotional, and sexual abuse; financial exploitation; neglect; and self-
neglect. APS is an important avenue through which maltreatment is
reported to law enforcement or other agencies.
Additionally, APS programs are often the gateway for adults who
experience maltreatment to access additional community, social, health,
behavioral health, and legal services to maintain independence in the
settings in which they prefer to live. APS programs work closely with
clients and a wide variety of allied professionals to maximize safety
and independence, while respecting each client's right to self-
determination. At this time, there is no single funding stream for APS
nor a single set of rules and regulations that APS programs must
follow. Building the evidence-base for APS programs and practices,
promoting the use of evidence-based and promising practices, and
developing guiding standards are key needs for the APS field. The
proposed new data collection is an important component for building the
evidence-base for APS programs and practices in improving client
outcomes.
Specifically, the data collection will help examine (1) what
changes clients report as a result of receiving APS services; (2) how
satisfied clients are with the APS services they receive; (3) to what
extent clients report APS helps them achieve their goals; (4) to what
extent clients report APS supports their right to self-determination;
(5) to what extent APS programs affect client safety (risk of
maltreatment); (6) how APS program intervene to reduce client risk of
maltreatment; (7) what factors help or hinder APS efforts to reduce
risk of maltreatment; (8) to what extent APS programs affect client
well-being (e.g., quality of life, financial, physical health, etc.);
(9) how APS programs intervene to improve client-well-being; and (10)
what factors help or hinder APS efforts to improve client well-being.
The data collection will be conducted with three target populations:
(1) APS clients, (2) APS caseworkers, and (3) APS leaders. APS leaders
will consist of APS state and APS county leaders.
Data collection with these three target populations will include: A
brief, anonymous APS client questionnaire, including a de-identified
client data form; a semi-structured in-person interview with APS
clients; a semi-structured in-person focus group with APS caseworkers;
and a semi-structured interview with APS leaders.
The APS client questionnaire is designed to be as brief as
possible, while examining key client outcome areas, identified in
collaboration with a national expert panel consisting of federal
experts, researchers, practitioners, and program leaders in APS. The
outcomes areas focus on: Satisfaction with APS, safety, and well-being,
and will be assessed with nine questions. The question statements
examining these areas are designed to be short and easy to understand.
The first item on the questionnaire provides a simple ``yes/no''
response option. For the remaining questions, APS clients or a proxy
(respondents) are asked to rate the extent which they agree with each
statement using a Likert-type rating scale ranging from `strongly
disagree' to `strongly agree'. Respondents also have the option of
sharing anything else about their experience with APS through an open-
ended question at the end of the form. The questionnaire will be hand-
delivered to the client or proxy respondent by the APS caseworker at
case closure. The respondent will complete the questionnaire and mail
it back to the research team by using a prepaid return envelope.
The client data form will be linked to the client questionnaire
using a pre-populated eight-digit form number. The client data form is
designed to capture de-identified, basic demographic information and
additional details about APS clients and their cases.
These data points are expected to be among the information about
clients, and their cases, that caseworkers already collect during
normal APS processes. The form does not collect any personally
identifiable information. The form will be completed online by APS
caseworkers. If an APS program prefers another method of completing the
form, hard copies can be provided and mailed back to the research team
using a prepaid return envelope.
Individual interviews with APS clients are designed to gain more
in-depth knowledge about the experiences and needs of APS clients along
the key outcome areas assessed in the questionnaire. A standardized,
semi-structured interview guide will be used to guide the interviews
with clients who provide informed consent. Focus groups with APS
caseworkers will be conducted in person, using a standardized, semi-
structured focus group guide. Individual interviews with APS leaders
will be conducted either in-person or by phone with county and state
leaders using a standardized, semi-structured, interview guide. Similar
to client interviews, focus groups with APS caseworkers and interviews
with APS leaders will focus on the identified outcome areas. Additional
questions will be asked to gain insight into access and availability of
services, collaboration and partnerships with other entities in the
community, and barriers and facilitating factors that affect APS
services and client outcomes. The interview guide for APS leaders also
contains questions related to APS polices and procedures.
The proposed data collection tools may be found on the ACL website
for review at https://www.acl.gov/about-acl/public-input.
Estimated Program Burden: ACL estimates the burden associated with
this collection of information as follows:
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Number of Responses per Hours per Annual burden
Respondent/data collection activity respondents respondent response hours
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Client Questionnaire............................ 6,000 1 0.167 1,002
Client Data Form................................ 6,000 1 0.167 1,002
Client Interview................................ 24 1 0.75 18
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APS Caseworker Focus Group...................... 84 1 1.5 126
APS Leaders Interview........................... 16 1 1 16
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Total....................................... 12,124 .............. 3.58 2,164
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Dated: August 14, 2019.
Mary Lazare,
Principal Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-17879 Filed 8-19-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P