[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 209 (Wednesday, October 28, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68345-68346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23871]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; 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, OMB No. 0906-New

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
HRSA has submitted an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. Comments 
submitted during the first public review of this ICR will be provided 
to OMB. OMB will accept further comments from the public during the 
review and approval period. OMB may act on HRSA's ICR only after the 30 
day comment period for this Notice has closed.

DATES: Comments on this ICR should be received no later than November 
27, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the clearance 
requests submitted to OMB for review, email Lisa

[[Page 68346]]

Wright-Solomon, the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at 
[email protected] or call (301) 443-1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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's HIV/AIDS Bureau is conducting a multi-year evaluation of the 
Enhancing Linkage of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) and HIV 
Surveillance Data in the RWHAP (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 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 3-year project period.
    A 60-day notice published in the Federal Register on August 20, 
2020, vol. 85 No. 162; pp. 51454-51455. There were no public comments.
    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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                                                                                                                                 Average
                                                                                    Number of      Number of       Total       burden per       Total
             Type of respondent                            Form name               respondents   responses per   responses    response (in      burden
                                                                                                 respondent *                    hours)         hours
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Jurisdiction TA Recipient...................  Jurisdiction TA Recipient Semi-               12               2           24            1.00           24
                                               Structured Interview Guide.
Policy Stakeholder..........................  Policy Stakeholder Semi-Structured            12               2           24             .50           12
                                               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. 2020-23871 Filed 10-27-20; 8:45 am]
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