[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 11, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44123-44125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17067]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
[Docket No: SSA-2021-0023]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of
information collection packages requiring clearance by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 104-13, the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. This notice
includes one revision of an OMB-approved information collection.
SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and ways to minimize burden
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. Mail, email, or fax your
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following
addresses or fax numbers.
(OMB) Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA
Comments: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Submit your
comments online referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-2021-0021].
(SSA), Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance
Director, 3100 West High Rise, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD
21235, Fax: 410-966-2830, Email address: [email protected].
Or you may submit your comments online through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, referencing Docket ID Number [SSA-
2021-0023].
SSA submitted the information collection below to OMB for
clearance. Your comments regarding this information collection would be
most useful if OMB and SSA receive them 30 days from the date of this
publication. To be sure we consider your comments, we must receive them
no later than September 10, 2021. Individuals can obtain copies of this
OMB clearance package by writing to [email protected].
1. Work-Disability Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB)--0960-NEW
Background
SSA uses continuing disability reviews (CDR) to determine continued
eligibility of program benefits for Social Security disability
insurance (SSDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients.
SSA is requesting clearance to administer the Work-Disability
Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB) assessment to a sample of
working-age SSDI and SSI program recipients who are due for their CDR.
The WD-FAB is a self-reported assessment measuring whole person-
functioning at the activity level for eight work-related functional
domains: (1) Basic Mobility; (2) Upper Body Function; (3) Fine Motor
Function; (4) Community Mobility; (5) Communication and Cognition; (6)
Resilience and Sociability; (7) Self- Regulation; and (8) Mood and
Emotion. SSA will use the data the WD-FAB collects to assess the
feasibility and value of incorporating the WD-FAB into SSA's CDR
process with the intent of improving the CDR process. Section 1110(a)
of the Social Security Act (Act) gives the Commissioner of Social
Security the authority to help fund research or demonstration projects
relating to the prevention and reduction of dependency. SSA contracted
with Westat to conduct the WD-FAB data collection.
WD-FAB Project Description
To assess the feasibility of incorporating the WD-FAB into the CDR
process, this study will conduct two assessments. The first assessment
is a baseline assessment of the WD-FAB and the second assessment, which
we will conduct with the same individuals six months later, will detect
any changes. Each survey will include three main components:
Classification questions, WD-FAB questions, and follow-up questions.
The classification questions and WD-FAB questions will be identical in
each survey.
Survey 1 will cover questions in the following domains:
Classification questions:
[cir] Demographic questions (age, gender, race, ethnicity, marital
status, highest level of education completed);
[cir] Questions on general health, mental health status, and work-
limiting conditions;
[cir] 4-item set of Healthy Days core questions included in the
state-based Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System;
[cir] Questions from Form SSA-455, Disability Update Report
Veterans Item Health Survey;
Items from WD-FAB; and
3-5 follow-up questions to solicit feedback on the WD-FAB
about ease of use, clarity of instructions, and perceived burden.
Survey 2 will include the same classification questions included in
Survey 1, and we will record responses using the WD-FAB Computer
Assisted Telephone (CAT) system. CAT interviewers and respondents who
complete the surveys via the web will access the same web version of
the survey instruments ensuring data consistency between these two
modes of data collection. The CAT methodology uses a computer interface
that rapidly tailors questions to the unique ability level of each
claimant, allowing for fewer items to be administered, while providing
an assessment that is proven to be accurate, precise, comprehensive,
[[Page 44124]]
and efficient. Follow-up questions for Survey 2 will include 52 effort
and symptom validity questions to examine certain symptoms related to
function.
Data collection for Survey 1 will begin in November 2021 and extend
for 12 weeks through January 2022. The target goal for Survey 1 is to
obtain 2,400 completed surveys from a participant pool of at least
4,000 beneficiaries.
Data collection for Survey 2 will begin in April 2022,
approximately 6 months after Survey 1, and continue for 3 months
through June 2022. For Survey 2, we will initiate contact with the
2,400 beneficiaries who complete Survey 1. The target goal for Survey 2
is to obtain 1,600 completed surveys.
Recruitment
Participant recruitment will include multiple modes of contact. We
will initiate contact by mailing a study invitation package. The study
invitation package will include the following items:
1. An invitation letter explaining the study and notifying selected
recipients that we will call them soon;
2. A study consent form explaining the background of the study,
what will happen during the study, the risks and benefits associated
with participating, and their rights as a study participant; and
3. Instructions to download the study smartphone app to facilitate
study participation.
Following the mailing of the study invitation package, we will call
recipients to conduct a short screener to ensure we are speaking to the
sampled recipient and confirm that the recipient is eligible for the
study. Eligibility criteria include aged 18 or over, ability to
understand English, and ability to provide informed consent.
To assess ability to provide informed consent, interviewers will
read aloud a brief description of the study and then ask participants
to name one thing participation involves. This vetted question will be
a check for cognitive ability to provide consent. Failure to name one
thing will deem the recipient ineligible for the study due to inability
to provide informed consent.
If the recipient is able to provide informed consent, the
interviewer will review the main points on the consent form over the
phone with the beneficiary. This will include:
The voluntary nature of the study;
That the study will not directly benefit them;
Their rights as study participants;
That they can withdraw at any time;
Information on who to call if they have questions about
their rights as research participants.
The interviewer will then ask the recipient if they want to
participate in the study and collect verbal informed consent. After
collecting consent, interviewers will collect contact information from
the recipient including home address, preferred telephone numbers, and
email addresses. Interviewers will obtain permission to send reminders
via text message for respondents with cell phones. We will send
electronic reminders to participants about survey completion and to
keep in touch with respondents between each wave of data collection. We
will confirm the recipient's address to mail incentives after survey
completion.
At the close of the screener, recipients will have the option of
completing the survey online themselves or over the telephone with an
interviewer. Recipients who opt to do the survey with an interviewer on
the phone will be given the opportunity to do the survey immediately
following the screener, or at a later date and time that is convenient
for the recipient. The interviewer will schedule an appointment to call
the recipient at their preferred date and time. We will ask recipients
who opt to complete the survey on the web to provide a valid email
address where they can receive information about how to access the web
survey. The recipient will receive an email with the survey URL and
instructions for logging on. Recipients who elect to complete Survey 1
or Survey 2 on their own via the web will also receive email reminders
if they have not started the web survey within four days and another
emailed reminder on day 5. We will administer the eligibility screener
via telephone and obtain consent prior to each survey. Survey
participants will receive a gift card in the amount of $50 and $75 as a
reimbursement for completing Survey 1 and Survey 2, respectively. The
respondents are Study participants who are receiving SSA disability
payments.
Type of Request: Request for a new information collection.
WD-FAB Survey 1
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Average
Average Estimated theoretical Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of burden per total annual hourly cost opportunity
respondents response response burden amount cost
(minutes) (hours) (dollars) * (dollars) **
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Survey 1 competency screening and informed consent...... 4,500 1 5 375 * $10.95 ** $4,106
Survey 1 (respondents).................................. 5,600 1 50 4,667 * 10.95 ** 51,104
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Total............................................... 10,100 .............. .............. 5,042 .............. 55,210
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WD-FAB Survey 2
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Average
Average Estimated theoretical Total annual
Modality of Completion Number of Frequency of burden per total annual hourly cost opportunity
resplondents response response burden amount cost
(minutes) (hours) (dollars) * (dollars) **
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Survey 2 competency screener............................ 2,400 1 5 200 * $10.95 ** $2,190
Survey 2 (respondents).................................. 3,200 1 75 4,000 * 10.95 ** 43,800
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Total............................................... 5,600 .............. .............. 4,200 .............. 45,990
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[[Page 44125]]
WD-FAB Grand Total Burden Figures
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Average
Average Estimated theoretical Total annual
Modality of Completion Number of Frequency of burden per total annual hourly cost opportunity
resplondents response response burden amount cost
(minutes) (hours) (dollars) * (dollars) **
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Totals.................................................. 15,700 .............. .............. 9,242 .............. $101,200
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* We based this figure on the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2021 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2021FactSheet.pdf).
** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
respondents to complete the application.
Dated: August 5, 2021.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-17067 Filed 8-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P