[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 77 (Friday, April 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21756-21757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08454]


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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: Health 
Center Program: COVID-19 Data Collection Tools, OMB No. 0906-0062--
Revision

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 June 22, 
2021.

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: Health Center Program: COVID-
19 Data Collection Tools, OMB No. 0906-0062--Revision.
    Abstract: This information collection request was previously 
approved by OMB on June 11, 2020, as an emergency clearance (OMB No.: 
0906-0062). HRSA is currently undertaking the standard Paperwork 
Reduction Act process for normal OMB approval.
    During the COVID-19 public health emergency, HRSA-supported health 
centers and Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alikes (look-alikes) 
have played a key role in providing testing and care for those affected 
by the virus. HRSA awarded billions of dollars in new funding to 
support health center awardees and look-alikes in the detection, 
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19. This funding has 
enabled health centers to maintain or increase their staffing levels, 
conduct training, provide COVID-19 treatment, and administer millions 
of tests for both existing and new patients. In addition, HRSA, in 
collaboration with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, launched 
the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine program as part of a White House 
initiative focused on health equity. This occurred in February 2021 to 
directly allocate COVID-19 vaccines to HRSA-supported health centers.
    This ICR to support the implementation of COVID-19 relief funding 
and response activities includes forms previously submitted in the 
emergency information collection request clearance: (1) Health Center 
COVID-19 Data Collection Survey Tool, (2) Addendum to COVID-19 Data 
Collection Survey Tool, and (3) the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine 
Program Readiness Assessment Tool. This revised information collection 
request includes two newly added forms: (1) Primary Care Association 
(PCA) COVID-19 Data Collection Survey Tool \1\ and (2) the Health 
Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program Conditions of Participation Agreement.
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    \1\ The bi-weekly COVID-19 PCA Survey Tool (comprised of six 
questions) is currently approved under the HHS Secretary's Public 
Health Emergency Authority to waive the requirements of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act during the Public Health Emergency for 
reporting on a voluntary basis.
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    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: HRSA uses the data 
collected to optimize COVID-19 testing and vaccination; track health 
center capacity and the impact of COVID-19 on operations, patients, and 
staff; and better understand training and technical assistance, 
funding, and other health center resource needs. The data allow HRSA to 
assess health center capacity prior to program enrollment, supporting 
successful vaccine allocation strategies while providing HRSA with 
information on the effectiveness of vaccine distribution through this 
program. In addition, the data inform HRSA in resource allocation and 
technical assistance to health centers.
    The readiness assessment supports HRSA's analysis of health center 
ability to successfully participate in the Health Center COVID-19 
Vaccine Program. These data are critical to determine health center 
capacity to implement the vaccination program as well as comply with 
program requirements. These data are used to assess program readiness 
including:

 Ability to safely store the vaccine
 Availability of trained and credentialed staff and other staff 
capacity
 Reporting capacity
 Sufficient Personal Protective Equipment
 Plan for vaccine transport

    The health center weekly survey and addendum support HRSA's ability 
to monitor progress towards the development and delivery of COVID-19 
prevention, preparedness, and/or response activities and ensure 
appropriate vaccine administration as well as better understand 
training and technical assistance, funding, and other health center 
resource needs.
    The Conditions of Participation Agreement governs all COVID-19 
vaccination activities at all health center sites that receive COVID-19 
vaccine through the HRSA Health Center

[[Page 21757]]

COVID-19 Vaccine Program. Health Centers that sign the agreement agree 
to adhere to each of the stated requirements.
    The PCA weekly survey increases information sharing between health 
centers, PCAs, and HRSA in order to better support COVID-19 emergency 
response efforts inclusive of testing and vaccination activities. Data 
collected from the survey tool is used to track and monitor issues/
challenges to program implementation and assess the need for the 
delivery/dissemination of targeted training and technical assistance.
    Likely Respondents: HRSA-supported health centers, look-alikes, and 
PCAs.
    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
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                                                     Number of
                                    Number of      responses to        Total      Average burden   Total burden
           Form name               respondents       form per        responses     per response        hours
                                                    respondent                      (in hours)
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Condition of Participation      1,467 (Total                   1           1,467             .25          366.75
 Agreement (one-time             health centers,
 completion for vaccine          including look-
 program participants only).     alikes, in
                                 2019).
Readiness Assessment Tool (one- 1,467 (Total                   1           1,467             .50           733.5
 time completion for vaccine     health centers,
 program participants only).     including look-
                                 alikes, in
                                 2019).
Health Center COVID-19 Data     1,389 (Total                  48          66,672            1.00          66,672
 Collection Survey Tool          health centers
 (weekly completion of           in 2019).
 existing 20 questions).
Addendum to COVID-19 Data       1,389 (Total                  48          66,672             .50          33,336
 Collection Survey Tool          health centers
 (weekly completion for          in 2019).
 vaccine program participants
 only).
PCA COVID-19 Data Collection    52..............               6             312             .75             234
 Survey Tool (bi-weekly
 completion of existing six
 questions).
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    Total.....................  5,764...........  ..............         136,590  ..............      101,342.25
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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. 2021-08454 Filed 4-22-21; 8:45 am]
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