[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 150 (Monday, August 9, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43549-43550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16752]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Public Comment Request; Centers for Independent Living Program 
Performance Report (0985-0061)

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, Health and Human Services 
(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 Proposed Extension without Revision of a Currently 
Approved Collection (ICR Ext) solicits comments on the information 
collection requirements relating to the Centers for Independent Living 
under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information must be submitted 
electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by October 8, 2021.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Nye, Administration for 
Community Living, Washington, DC 20024, (202) 795-7606 or 
[email protected].

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 in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (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.

[[Page 43550]]

    In the context of ACL, IL programs are supported through funding 
authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (The Act). 
Title VII, chapter 1 of the Act states the current purpose of the 
program is to ``promote a philosophy of independent living including a 
philosophy of consumer control, peer support, self-help, self-
determination, equal access, and individual and system advocacy, in 
order to maximize the leadership, empowerment, independence, and 
productivity of individuals with disabilities, and the integration and 
full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of 
American society.''
    ILS PPR and CIL PPR are being submitted separately because they are 
separate collections of different information from different parties. 
Separating these PRA processes reduces confusion and increases the 
Office of Independent Living Programs's (OILP's) ability to identify 
issues specific to CILs. This request is for CIL PPR, which is 
submitted annually by all CILs receiving IL Part C funds. The PPRs are 
used by ACL to assess grantees' compliance with title VII of the Act, 
and with 45 CFR 1329 of the Code of Federal Regulations and with 
applicable provisions of the HHS Regulations at 45 CFR part 75. The PPR 
serves as the primary basis for ACL's monitoring activities in 
fulfillment of its responsibilities under sections 706 and 722 of the 
Act. The PPR also enables ACL to track performance outcomes and 
efficiency measures of the Centers for Independent Living (CIL) 
programs with respect to the annual and long-term performance targets 
established in compliance with GPRA. The PPR is also used by ACL to 
design CIL and SILC training and technical assistance programs 
authorized by section 711A and section 721 of the Act.
    ACL published a Federal Register Notice regarding the independent 
living programs information collection on February 23, 2017. Two-
hundred and twenty-one individual comments were received. The responses 
indicated a need to make substantial changes to the collection. The 
current version of the CIL PPR that OILP is requesting an extension for 
was approved by OMB; the approval was extended and will expire on 
January 31, 2022. Further deliberation is needed to ensure that we 
appropriately address all of the concerns. OILP is proposing to extend 
the currently approved forms for one year while we work on a revision 
that addresses all the suggested changes. The proposed data collection 
tools may be found on the ACL website for review at https://www.acl.gov/about-acl/public-input.

Estimated Program Burden

    ACL estimates the burden of this collection of information as 
follows: 353 Centers for Independent Living will each complete one CIL 
PPR annually, and it will take an estimated 35 hours per CIL for an 
estimated total of 12,355 hours. This burden estimate is based partly 
on OILP's estimates of how long CILs probably take to find the 
information that PPRs ask for and partly on what CILs have told OILP 
about how long filling out the PPRs took.

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                                                 Number of      Responses per      Hours per      Annual burden
     Respondent/data collection activity        respondents       respondent        response          hours
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Centers for Independent Living..............             353                1               35           12,355
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    Dated: July 29, 2021.
Alison Barkoff,
Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2021-16752 Filed 8-6-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P