[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 162 (Thursday, August 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51454-51455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-18273]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

[OMB No. 0906-xxxx--New]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Public Comment Request; Information Collection Request Title: Enhancing 
Linkage of Sexually Transmitted Infection and Human Immunodeficiency 
Virus Surveillance Data in the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Evaluation

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 an Information Collection 
Request (ICR), described below, to the 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 October 
19, 2020.

[[Page 51455]]


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.
    Information Collection Request Title: Enhancing Linkage of Sexually 
Transmitted Infection and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Surveillance 
Data in the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Evaluation, OMB No. 0906-xxxx--
New.
    Abstract: HRSA's Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) funds and 
coordinates with cities, states, and local clinics/community-based 
organizations to deliver efficient and effective Human Immunodeficiency 
Virus (HIV) care, treatment, and support to low-income people with HIV. 
Nearly two-thirds of clients (patients) live at or below 100 percent of 
the Federal poverty level and approximately three-quarters of RWHAP 
clients are racial and ethnic minorities. Since 1990, the RWHAP has 
developed a comprehensive system of HIV service providers who deliver 
high quality direct health care and support services to over half a 
million people with HIV--more than 50 percent of all people with 
diagnosed HIV in the United States.
    HRSA is conducting a multi-year evaluation of the Enhancing Linkage 
of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) and HIV Surveillance Data in 
the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (Enhancing STI Linkage) demonstration 
project. The Enhancing STI Linkage demonstration project is a capacity 
building cooperative agreement that seeks to improve linkage, re-
engagement in care, and health outcomes for people with HIV in the 
RWHAP. Through this demonstration project, a Technical Assistance 
Provider is collaborating with four RWHAP Part B jurisdictions to 
provide them with tailored training and technical assistance (TA) to 
facilitate data sharing across STI and HIV surveillance systems. A 
persistent barrier to addressing HIV and STI infections simultaneously 
and jointly is the lack of data systems linking HIV and STI 
surveillance data. Aside from helping to address problems around 
coinfection, there are substantial opportunities--particularly for the 
RWHAP--associated with linking HIV and STI surveillance data, 
including, but not limited to, identifying people with HIV currently 
out of care and identifying people with STIs who could be tested for 
HIV and promptly linked to care. This clearance request is for approval 
of data collection activities associated with the Enhancing STI Linkage 
evaluation which will occur simultaneously with the demonstration 
project, over a three-year project period.
    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: This mixed methods 
evaluation will assess the achievement and effectiveness of the 
Enhancing STI Linkage demonstration project. HRSA will collect 
quantitative and qualitative data to inform the HRSA on how to enhance 
jurisdictions' use of STI and HIV surveillance data to improve service 
delivery and HIV-related health outcomes. Information gleaned from the 
Enhancing STI Linkage evaluation may be used to enhance and coordinate 
health departments' responses to HIV and STI epidemics and affect 
change in HIV care continuum outcomes.
    Likely Respondents: Multiple respondents from four HRSA RWHAP Part 
B recipients, including data end-users identified by the Part B 
recipients within their jurisdiction.
    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 ICR are summarized in the table below.
    Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours:

                                                    Annualized Data Collection Burden--Years 2 and 3
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                                                                                              Number                      Average burden
            Type of respondent                        Form name              Number of     responses per       Total       per response    Total burden
                                                                            respondents    respondent *      responses      (in hours)         hours
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Jurisdiction TA Recipient.................  Jurisdiction TA Recipient                 12               2              24               1              24
                                             Semi-Structured Interview
                                             Guide.
Policy Stakeholder........................  Policy Stakeholder Semi-                  12               2              24              .5              12
                                             Structured Interview Guide.
Data End-User.............................  Data End-User Survey........             105               2             210             .17              36
    Total.................................  ............................             129  ..............             258  ..............              72
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* Note: Burden hours represent responses for both years 2 and 3; and there are 2 responses per respondent, indicating one in each year (one in year 2
  and another in year 3).

    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. 2020-18273 Filed 8-19-20; 8:45 am]
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