[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 213 (Tuesday, November 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69627-69628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24266]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Formative Data 
Collections for ACF Research and Evaluation (OMB #0970-0356)

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) proposes to 
extend data collection under the existing overarching generic clearance 
for Formative Data Collections for ACF Research and Evaluation (OMB 
#0970-0356). There are no changes to the proposed types of information 
collection or uses of data, but the request does include an increase to 
the estimated number of respondents and, therefore, the overall burden 
estimate.

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, ACF 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 emailing 
[email protected]. Alternatively, copies can also be 
obtained 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. All 
requests, emailed or written, should be identified by the title of the 
information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Description: ACF programs promote the economic and social well-
being of families, children, individuals, and communities. OPRE studies 
ACF programs, and the populations they serve, through rigorous research 
and evaluation projects. These include evaluations of existing 
programs, evaluations of innovative approaches to helping low-income 
children and families, research syntheses, and descriptive and 
exploratory studies. OPRE's research serves to provide further 
understanding of current programs and service populations, explore 
options for program improvement, and assess alternative policy and 
program designs. OPRE anticipates undertaking a variety of new

[[Page 69628]]

research projects related to welfare, employment and self-sufficiency, 
Head Start, child care, healthy marriage and responsible fatherhood, 
family and youth services, home visiting, child welfare, and other 
areas of interest to ACF. Under this generic clearance, ACF engages in 
a variety of formative data collections with researchers, 
practitioners, technical assistance providers, service providers, and 
potential participants throughout the field to fulfill the following 
goals: (1) Inform the development of ACF research, (2) maintain a 
research agenda that is rigorous and relevant, (3) ensure that research 
products are as current as possible, and (4) inform the provision of 
technical assistance. ACF uses a variety of techniques including semi-
structured discussions, focus groups, surveys, and telephone or in-
person interviews, in order to reach these goals.
    Following standard OMB requirements, OPRE will submit a change 
request for each individual data collection activity under this generic 
clearance. Each request will include the individual instrument(s), a 
justification specific to the individual information collection, and 
any supplementary documents. OMB should review requests within 10 days 
of submission.
    Respondents: Example respondents include: Key stakeholder groups 
involved in ACF projects and programs, state or local government 
officials, service providers, participants in ACF programs or similar 
comparison groups, experts in fields pertaining to ACF research and 
programs, or others involved in conducting ACF research or evaluation 
projects.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                     Estimated
                                                   total  number     Number of    Average burden   Annual burden
                   Instrument                           of         responses per     hours per         hours
                                                    respondents     respondent       response
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Semi-Structured Discussions and Focus Groups....            3000               1               2            6000
Interviews......................................            1500               1               1            1500
Questionnaires/Surveys..........................            1125               1              .5             563
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    Estimated total annual burden hours: 8,063.
    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: Social Security Act, Sec. 1110 [42 U.S.C. 1310].

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-24266 Filed 11-2-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-79-P