[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 147 (Wednesday, August 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41974-41976]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16591]


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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 September 
3, 2021.

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 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:
    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 has 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 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
launched the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine program as part of an 
Administration 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

[[Page 41975]]

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 also 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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    A 60-day notice published in the Federal Register on April 23, 
2021, vol. 86, No. 77; pp. 21756-57. There were no public comments.
    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 PPE
 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 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
                                                                                           responses to        Total      Average burden   Total burden
                   Form name                              Number of respondents              form per        responses     per response        hours
                                                                                            respondent                      (in hours)
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Condition of Participation Agreement (one-time   1,467 (Total health centers, including                1           1,467             .25          366.75
 completion for vaccine program participants      look-alikes, in 2019).
 only).
Readiness Assessment Tool (one-time completion   1,467 (Total health centers, including                1           1,467             .50          733.50
 for vaccine program participants only).          look-alikes, in 2019).
Health Center COVID-19 Data Collection Survey    1,389 (Total health centers in 2019)...              48          66,672            1.00       66,672.00
 Tool (weekly completion of existing 20
 questions).
Addendum to COVID-19 Data Collection Survey      1,389 (Total health centers in 2019)...              48          66,672             .50       33,336.00
 Tool (weekly completion for vaccine program
 participants only).
PCA COVID-19 Data Collection Survey Tool (bi-    52.....................................               6             312             .75          234.00
 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

[[Page 41976]]

technology to minimize the information collection burden.

Maria G. Button,
Director, Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2021-16591 Filed 8-3-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P