[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41055-41056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14658]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Public Comment Request, Information Collection Request Title: The 
Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Pay for 
Outcomes Supplemental Information Request, 0906-XXXX, NEW

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

ACTION: Notice.

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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 a Supplemental Information 
Request (SIR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB). Prior to submitting the SIR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the 
public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the 
SIR.

DATES: Comments on this SIR should be received no later than September 
8, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA 
Information Collection Clearance Officer, 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: Information Collection Request Title: The 
Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) 
Pay for Outcomes Supplemental Information Request, OMB No. 0906-XXXX, 
New.
    Abstract: HRSA is requesting approval to collect information in 
response to a SIR, which will include eligible entities' plans for 
implementation and evaluation of Pay for Outcomes (PFO) initiatives to 
be applied for through the MIECHV Program. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 
2018 (Pub. L. 115-123) added subsection (c)(3) to Section 511 of the 
Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 711. The new provision authorizes MIECHV 
Program funding recipients to use up to 25 percent of the funds awarded 
under subsection 511(c)(1) ``to enable eligible entities to deliver 
services under early childhood home visitation programs'' for 
``outcomes or success payments related to a pay for outcomes initiative 
that will not result in a reduction of funding for services delivered 
by the entity under a childhood home visitation program under this 
section while the eligible entity develops or operates such an 
initiative.'' Subsection 511(j)(3)(B) further requires that ``funds 
made available to an eligible entity under this section for a fiscal 
year (or portion of a fiscal year) for a pay for outcomes initiative 
shall remain available for expenditure by the eligible entity for not 
more than 10 years after the funds are so made available.''
    Eligible entities may propose to use MIECHV funds for outcomes or 
success payments related to a PFO initiative in response to the 
upcoming fiscal year 2021 MIECHV Notice of Funding Opportunity and in 
succeeding fiscal years pending availability of future funds, and will 
submit their plans (henceforth referred to as a PFO SIR Response) in 
response to the forthcoming SIR.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: Congress, through 
enactment of the Social Security Act, Title V, Section 511 (42 U.S.C. 
711), as amended, established the MIECHV Program. The MIECHV Program is 
designed to: (1) Strengthen and improve the programs and activities 
carried out under Title V of the Social Security Act; (2) improve 
coordination of services for at risk communities; and (3) identify and 
provide comprehensive services to improve outcomes for families who 
reside in at risk communities. The MIECHV Program, authorized by 
section 511 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 711, and administered 
by HRSA, in partnership with the Administration for Children and 
Families, supports voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services 
during pregnancy and to parents with young children up to kindergarten 
entry. States, territories, tribal entities, and in certain 
circumstances, nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive funding 
through MIECHV and have the flexibility, within the parameters of the 
authorizing statute, to tailor the program to serve the specific needs 
of their communities.
    Section 50603 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-
123) amended section 511 of the Social Security Act, and provides new 
authority for MIECHV awardees to use up to 25 percent of MIECHV grant 
funds awarded under section 511(c) for outcomes or success payments 
related to

[[Page 41056]]

a PFO initiative. HRSA considers PFO initiatives to be an innovative 
approach to funding home visiting service delivery, which may result in 
social benefit, as well as cost savings or cost avoidance to the public 
sector.
    In response to the forthcoming SIR, MIECHV awardees planning to use 
MIECHV grant funds for outcomes or success payments related to a PFO 
initiative will be required to submit a PFO SIR Response outlining how 
their plans will meet all of the applicable statutory requirements and 
identifying what specific MIECHV funds (e.g., fiscal year 2021 formula 
funding) they propose to use to (1) develop and implement their PFO 
initiative; and (2) make PFO outcomes or success payments based on the 
planned PFO initiative.
    Regarding a PFO initiative, the MIECHV authorizing statute requires 
the following:
    (1) A PFO initiative may not result in a reduction of funding for 
services delivered by the entity under a childhood home visitation 
program under this section while the eligible entity develops or 
operates such an initiative (section 711(c)(3)); and
    (2) The PFO initiative for which outcome or success payments may be 
made must include:
    (a) A feasibility study that describes how the proposed 
intervention is based on evidence of effectiveness;
    (b) A rigorous, third-party evaluation that uses experimental or 
quasi-experimental design or other research methodologies that allow 
for the strongest possible causal inferences to determine whether the 
initiative has met its proposed outcomes as a result of implementation;
    (c) An annual, publicly available report on the progress of the 
initiative; and
    (d) A requirement that payments are made to the recipient of the 
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement only when agreed upon 
outcomes are achieved, excluding payments made to a third party 
conducting the evaluation.

See 42 U.S.C. 711(k)(4).
    The forthcoming SIR will provide further instructions to awardees 
in proposing a PFO initiative and submitting the required information 
to HRSA. Awardees are not required to propose or implement a PFO 
initiative, but if they wish to do so, they must submit a PFO SIR 
Response describing how their PFO initiative will meet all of the 
applicable statutory requirements. HRSA will use the information 
collected through the PFO SIR Response to ensure that MIECHV awardees 
proposals to use grant funds for PFO initiatives meet statutory 
requirements and to provide technical assistance to awardees. The 
implementation of a PFO initiative is not intended to disrupt current 
services or negatively impact communities that have benefited from home 
visiting programs and must not result in a reduction of funding for 
home visiting services.
    Likely Respondents: MIECHV Program awardees that are states, 
territories, and, where applicable, nonprofit organizations providing 
home visiting services within states.
    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 and supporting materials; to collect and analyze data and 
information to develop the PFO SIR Response; engage with stakeholders 
and coordinate with state level partners; and to draft and submit the 
PFO SIR Response. The table below summarizes the total annual burden 
hours estimated for this SIR.

                                     Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                     Number of                        Average
           Instrument                Number of     responses per       Total       burden hours    Total burden
                                    respondents     respondent       responses     per response        hours
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MIECHV PAY FOR OUTCOMES SIR.....              15               1              15              92           1,380
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    Total.......................              15  ..............              15  ..............           1,380
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    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.

Maria G. Button,
Director, Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2020-14658 Filed 7-7-20; 8:45 am]
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