[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 222 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73273-73274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25276]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living

[OMB# 0985-0024]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants

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 information collection 
requirements relating to consumer assessment surveys that are used by 
ACL to measure program performance for programs funded under Title III 
of the Older Americans Act. This notice solicits comments on a proposed 
revision of a currently approved collection with the addition of a new 
rotating module to the National Survey of Older Americans Act 
Participants.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information must be submitted 
electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by January 19, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information 
to: [email protected]. Submit written comments on the 
collection of information to Administration for Community Living, 
Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Susan Jenkins.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Jenkins, Administration for 
Community Living, Washington, DC 20201, by email at 
[email protected] or by telephone at 202-795-7369.

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 under the PRA and includes 
agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit 
reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. PRA 
section (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 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.
    The National Survey of Older Americans Act (OAA) Participants 
information collection will include

[[Page 73274]]

consumer assessment surveys for the Congregate and Home-delivered meal 
nutrition programs; Case Management, Homemaker, and Transportation 
Services; and the National Family Caregiver Support Program. This 
survey builds on earlier national pilot studies and surveys, as well as 
performance measurement tools developed by ACL grantees in the 
Performance Outcomes Measures Project (POMP). Changes identified as a 
result of these initiatives were incorporated into the last data 
collection package that was approved by OMB and are included in this 
proposed extension of a currently approved collection. This information 
will be used by ACL to track performance outcome measures; support 
budget requests; comply with the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRMA) 
reporting requirements; provide national benchmark information; and 
inform program development and management initiatives.
    In addition to the proposed extension of the existing collection of 
information, ACL is requesting approval for a module on emergency 
preparedness to be added to the currently approved NSOAAP data 
collection effort. Older adults often have unique needs during an 
emergency or crisis. For example, they may have mobility challenges 
and/or chronic health conditions, or they may not have any family or 
friends nearby to support them. Support services that an older adult 
relies on to live at home, such as help from family caregivers, in-home 
health care, and home delivered meals, may be unavailable due to the 
disaster. These conditions increase a person's vulnerability and may 
lead to nursing home care that may have been otherwise avoidable. In 
addition, older adults may be hearing or vision impaired or have a 
cognitive impairment such as dementia, which may make it difficult to 
access and respond to emergency directions.
    It is the responsibility of long-term care providers, community 
leaders, and first-responders to train, engage, and support the health 
and safety needs of older adults during emergencies and disasters. 
However, ultimately each person has a responsibility to prepare for 
potential crisis and make a plan for how to respond. The purpose of 
adding questions on emergency preparedness to the NSOAAP is to measure 
the extent to which older adults have received training on, and are 
prepared for, an emergency event.
    The results of this information collection will be used by ACL/AoA 
to:
     Provide refined national benchmarks for use by states and 
AAAs.
     Provide secondary data for analysis of various Title III 
program evaluations.
     Provide performance information for key demographic 
subgroups, geographical sub regions, and different types of AAAs which 
will enable ACL/AoA to identify variations in performance and examine 
the need for additional targeted technical assistance.
     Provide secondary data for analysis of emergency 
preparedness among older adults that will be shared with states and 
AAAs to help structure their emergency planning programs.
    The data will be used by the Administrator of the Administration 
for Community Living/Assistant Secretary for Aging in testimony and 
presentations; it will be incorporated into the agency's Annual Report; 
and it will be used by program staff to identify areas that may need 
attention at the national level. Descriptions of previous National 
Surveys of OAA Participants can be found under the section on OAA 
Performance Information on ACL's website at: https://acl.gov/programs/performance-older-americans-act-programs. Copies of the survey 
instruments and data from previous National Surveys of OAA Participants 
can be found and queried using the Aging, Independence, and Disability 
(AGID) Program Data Portal at http://www.agid.acl.gov/.
    The proposed data collection tools may be found on the ACL website 
for review at https://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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    Respondent/data collection        Number of    Responses per                                       Annual burden                       Annual burden
             activity                respondents     respondent            Hours per response              hours         Cost per hour        (cost)
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Area Agency on Aging: Respondent             350                1  4.0..............................           1,400  $44...............         $61,600
 selection process.
Service Recipients (i.e.,                  4,400                1  .75..............................           3,300  $25...............          82,500
 Congregate and Home-delivered
 meal nutrition programs; Case
 Management, Homemaker, and
 Transportation Services) +
 Rotating Module.
National Family Caregiver Support          2,200                1  .75..............................           1,650  $25...............          41,250
 Program Clients + Rotating Module.
                                                                                                                                         ---------------
    Total.........................         6,950                1  .914 (weighted mean).............           6,350  Varies............         185,350
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    Dated: November 10, 2020.
Mary Lazare,
Principal Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-25276 Filed 11-16-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P