[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 87 (Friday, May 7, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24623-24624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09732]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-21-21EX; Docket No. CDC-2021-0046]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the 
utility of government information, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or 
continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed 
information collection project titled A Baseline of Injury and 
Psychosocial Stress for Applied Behavior Analysis Workers. The goal of 
this information collection is to better understand the work-related 
injuries and psychosocial stressors encountered by applied behavior 
analysis workers.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before July 6, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2021-
0046 by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road 
NE, MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to Regulations.gov.
    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; phone: 404-639-7118; Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(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. In addition, the PRA also requires 
Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new 
proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses; and
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

    A Baseline of Injury and Psychosocial Stress for Applied Behavior 
Analysis Workers--New--National Institute for Occupational Safety and 
Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    As mandated in the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (Pub. 
L. 91-596), the mission of NIOSH is to conduct research and 
investigations on occupational safety and health. This project will 
focus on obtaining a better understanding of the injuries sustained and 
psychosocial stressors experienced by applied behavior analysis 
workers. Applied behavior analysis is a principle intervention for 
increasing appropriate behaviors and decreasing inappropriate behaviors 
exhibited by children, adolescents, and adults with developmental 
disorders. As of August 2020, there were more than 120,000 applied 
behavior analysis workers credentialed by the Behavior Analysis 
Certification Board. Applied behavior analysis workers, which include 
Board Certified Behavior Analysts and Registered Behavior Technicians, 
are responsible for planning and implementing behavior-focused 
treatments in schools, clinics, homes, and hospitals.
    There is no Standard Occupational Classification category for 
applied behavior analysis workers. The absence of an occupational 
category means that estimates of injury among this group are based on 
statistics from existing occupational groups and anecdotal evidence 
from practitioners. Applied behavior analysis workers are in a variety 
of occupational categories, but they often have job duties that make 
many of their experiences in the workplace distinct from other types of 
workers in those occupational categories. Whereas other healthcare 
workers usually take steps to mitigate violence in their work, applied 
behavior analysis workers are tasked with soliciting and then treating 
(i.e., confronting) disruptive behavior as part of behavioral 
treatments. In addition, applied behavior analysis workers often spend 
more time with clients than other types of workers: 25-40 hours per 
week of direct-contact services is common for a client.
    Some applied behavior analysis workers are often in dangerous 
working environments, in homes and clinics, with clients who may 
sometimes behave unpredictably or aggressively. Despite these hazards 
and risks, and despite the growing number of behavior analysis workers 
nationally, there are no data on frequency and severity of injuries 
among this population of workers, and the only evidence is anecdotal in 
nature. The goal of the study is to collect data on the burden of work-
related injuries among applied behavior analysis workers to begin to 
fill the gaps in the research and obtain a better understanding of the 
hazards and risks they encounter.
    This study consists of a one-time, 10-minute survey targeted to 
credentialed applied behavior analysis workers. Survey respondents will 
include individuals currently credentialed by the Behavior Analysis 
Certification Board. This includes registered behavior technicians, 
board certified assistant behavior analysts, board certified behavior 
analysts, and board-certified behavior analysts--doctoral. The survey 
consists of questions related to

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demographics, organizational safety climate, injuries, safety training, 
and burnout. A brief message and a link to complete the online survey 
will be sent by email. The etiologic approach will provide data to 
assess important characteristics of the population; guide control 
measures; serve as a quantitative basis to define objectives and 
specific priorities; and inform the designing, planning, and evaluation 
of future interventions.
    CDC requests approval for an estimated 4,000 annual burden hours. 
There are no costs to respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden  per    Total burden
      Type of respondents           Form name       respondents    responses per   response  (in    (in hours)
                                                                    respondent        hours)
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Board Certified Behavior        Survey..........           7,680               1           10/60           1,280
 Analysts.
Board Certified Assistant       Survey..........             960               1           10/60             160
 Behavior Analysts.
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registered Behavior             Survey..........          15,360               1           10/60           2,560
 Technicians.
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............           4,000
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2021-09732 Filed 5-6-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P