[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 466-469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28563]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

    In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 concerning opportunity for public comment on proposed 
collections of information, SAMHSA will publish periodic summaries of 
proposed projects. To request more information on the proposed projects 
or to obtain a copy of the information collection plans, call the 
SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer on (240) 276-0361.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collections of 
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including leveraging automated data collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.

Proposed Project: Community Mental Health Services Block Grant and 
Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant FY 2022-2023 Plan 
and Report Guidance and Instructions (OMB No. 0930-0168)--Extension

    SAMHSA is requesting approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for an extension of the 2020-21 Community Mental Health 
Services Block Grant (MHBG) and Substance Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Block Grant (SABG) Application Plan and Report Guidance and 
Instructions.

[[Page 467]]

    Currently, the SABG and the MHBG differ on a number of their 
practices (e.g., data collection at individual or aggregate levels) and 
statutory authorities (e.g., method of calculating MOE, stakeholder 
input requirements for planning, set asides for specific populations or 
programs, etc.). Historically, the Centers within SAMHSA that 
administer these block grants have had different approaches to 
application requirements and reporting. To compound this variation, 
states have different structures for accepting, planning, and 
accounting for the block grants and the prevention set aside within the 
SABG. As a result, how these dollars are spent and what is known about 
the services and clients that receive these funds varies by block grant 
and by state.
    SAMHSA has conveyed that block grant funds must be directed toward 
four purposes: (1) To fund priority treatment and support services for 
individuals without insurance or who cycle in and out of health 
insurance coverage; (2) to fund those priority treatment and support 
services not covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurance 
offered through the exchanges and that demonstrate success in improving 
outcomes and/or supporting recovery; (3) to fund universal, selective 
and targeted prevention activities and services; and (4) to collect 
performance and outcome data to determine the ongoing effectiveness of 
behavioral health prevention, treatment and recovery support services 
and to plan the implementation of new services on a nationwide basis.
    States will need help to meet future challenges associated with, 
the implementation and management of an integrated physical health, 
mental health, and addiction service system. SAMHSA has established 
standards and expectations that will lead to an improved system of care 
for individuals with or at risk of mental and substance use disorders. 
Therefore, this application package continues to fully exercise 
SAMHSA's existing authority regarding states', territories' and the Red 
Lake Band of the Chippewa Tribe's (subsequently referred to as 
``states'') use of block grant funds as they fully integrate behavioral 
health services into the broader health care continuum.
    Consistent with previous applications, the FY 2022-2023 application 
has required sections and other sections where additional information 
is requested. The FY 2022-2023 application requires states to submit a 
face sheet, a table of contents, a behavioral health assessment and 
plan, reports of expenditures and persons served, an executive summary, 
and funding agreements and certifications. In addition, SAMHSA is 
requesting information on key areas that are critical to the states' 
success in addressing health care equity. Therefore, as part of this 
block grant planning process, states should identify promising or 
effective strategies as well as technical assistance needed to 
implement the strategies identified in their plans for FYs 2022 and 
2023.
    Pursuant to the supplemental funding appropriations for the MHBG 
and the SABG found in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 [Pub. 
L. 116-260] and the American Rescue Plan Act, 2021 [Pub. L. 117-2], 
SAMHSA has made changes to the Block Grant Plan and Report requirements 
for FFY 2022 and 2023. These changes are necessary to ensure that funds 
are spent in an appropriate and timely manner. Adjustments were made to 
pre-existing tables in the plan and report. Additionally, six new 
tables were added to the report to capture necessary changes based on 
the priorities of the supplemental funding. For simplification, one 
table was removed from both the plan and the report.
    On the Application Planning document the narrative has been updated 
to reflect new funding streams (COVID-19 and ARP funding). 
Additionally, SABG and MHBG have split their funding tables (table 2 
and table 6) in both the plan and the report to allow for more accurate 
reporting of both standard and supplemental funding. Table 5b has been 
absorbed into Table 5a and Table 5c is now relabeled Table 5b. Tables 
5a and 5b are also now required. On the report there are more changes 
with the addition of six new tables to expenditures section (Table 2b 
on the SABG and Table 2c on the MHBG) and tables recording client 
service levels under the population and services reports section 
(Tables 10b, 11b and 11c on the SABG and Table 19b on the MHBG). These 
additional tables should not require excessive effort as all data 
should already be being collected by the states for the additional 
funding efforts. Table 5b has also been absorbed into Table 5a for ease 
of response on both the application and reporting process and Table 5c 
has now been relabeled Table 5b and made a required table.
    While the statutory deadlines and block grant award periods remain 
unchanged, SAMHSA encourages states to turn in their application as 
early as possible to allow for a full discussion and review by SAMHSA. 
Applications for the MHBG-only are due no later than September 1, 2021. 
The application for SABG-only is due no later than October 1, 2021. A 
single application for MHBG and SABG combined is due no later than 
September 1, 2021.

Estimates of Annualized Hour Burden

    The estimated annualized burden for the uniform application will 
increase to 33,493 hours to account for recording of the additional 
supplemental funding efforts (approximately 2 hours per state agency). 
Burden estimates are broken out in the following tables showing burden 
separately for Year 1 and Year 2. Year 1 includes the estimates of 
burden for the uniform application and annual reporting. Year 2 
includes the estimates of burden for the recordkeeping and annual 
reporting. The reporting burden remains constant for both years.

                                            Table 1--Estimates of Application and Reporting Burden for Year 1
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                               Substance abuse prevention and treatment and community mental health services block grants
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                                                                                                             Number of       Number of
     Authorizing legislation SABG       Authorizing legislation  Implementing regulation     Number of     responses per     hours per      Total hours
                                                 MHBG                                       respondent         year          response
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporting:
    Standard Form and Content........  ........................  .......................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. Sec.   300x-32(a)......  ........................  .......................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
SABG:
    Annual Report....................  ........................  .......................  ..............  ..............  ..............          11,190
    42 U.S.C. 300x-52(a).............  ........................  45 CFR 96.122(f).......              60               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-30-b..............  ........................  .......................               5               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-30(d)(2)..........  ........................  45 CFR 96.134(d).......              60               1  ..............  ..............
MHBG:
    Annual Report....................  ........................  .......................  ..............  ..............  ..............          11,003

[[Page 468]]

 
                                       42 USC Sec.   300x-6(a).  .......................              59               1  ..............  ..............
                                       42 U.S.C. 300x-52(a)....  .......................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
                                       42 U.S.C. 300x-4(b)(3)B.  .......................              59               1  ..............  ..............
    State Plan (Covers 2 years)......  ........................  .......................  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
SABG elements:
    42 U.S.C. 300x-22(b).............  ........................  45 CFR 96.124(c)()1)...              60               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-23................  ........................  45 CFR 96.126(f).......              60               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-27................  ........................  45 CFR 96.131(f).......              60               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-32(b).............  ........................  45 CFR 96.122(g).......              60               1             120           7,230
MHBG elements:                         42 U.S.C. 300x-1(b).....  .......................              59               1             120           7,109
                                       42 U.S.C. 300x-1(b)(2)..  .......................              59               1  ..............  ..............
                                       42 U.S.C. 300x-2(a).....  .......................              59               1  ..............  ..............
    Waivers..........................  ........................  .......................  ..............  ..............  ..............           3,240
    42 U.S.C. 300x-24(b)(5)(B).......  ........................  .......................              20               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-28(d).............  ........................  45 CFR 96.132(d).......               5               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-30(c).............  ........................  45 CFR 96.134(b).......              10               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-31(c).............  ........................  .......................               1               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-32(c).............  ........................  .......................               7               1  ..............  ..............
    42 U.S.C. 300x-32(e).............  ........................  .......................              10  ..............  ..............  ..............
                                       42 U.S.C. 300x-2(a)(2)..  .......................              10  ..............  ..............  ..............
                                       42 U.S.C 300x-4(b)(3)...  .......................              10  ..............  ..............  ..............
                                       42 U.S.C 300x-6(b)......  .......................               7  ..............  ..............  ..............
Recordkeeping:
    42 U.S.C. 300x-23................  42 U.S.C. 300x-3........  45 CFR 96.126(c).......           60/59               1              20           1,200
    42 U.S.C. 300x-25................  ........................  45 CFR 96.129(a)(13)...              10               1              20             200
    42 U.S.C 300x-65.................  ........................  42 CFR Part 54.........              60               1              20           1,200
                                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Combined Burden..............  ........................  .......................  ..............  ..............  ..............          42,373
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Report:
300x-52(a)--Requirement of Reports and Audits by States--Report.
300x-30(b)--Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Regarding State Expenditures--Exclusion of Certain Funds (SABG).
300x-30(d)(2)--MOE--Noncompliance--Submission of Information to Secretary (SABG).
State Plan--SABG.
300x-22(b)--Allocations for Women.
300x-23--Intravenous Substance Abuse.
300x-27--Priority in Admissions to Treatment.
300x-29--Statewide Assessment of Need.
300x-32(b)--State Plan.
State Plan--MHBG.
42 U.S.C. 300x-1(b)--Criteria for Plan.
42 U.S.C. 300x-1(b)(2)--State Plan for Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Certain Individuals--Criteria for Plan--Mental Health System
  Data and Epidemiology.
42 U.S.C. 300x-2(a)--Certain Agreements--Allocations for Systems Integrated Services for Children.
Waivers--SABG.
300x-24(b)(5)(B)--Human Immunodeficiency Virus--Requirement regarding Rural Areas.
300x-28(d)--Additional Agreements.
300x-30(c)--MOE.
300x-31(c)--Restrictions on Expenditure of Grant--Waiver Regarding Construction of Facilities.
300x-32(c)--Certain Territories.
300x-32(e)--Waiver amendment for 1922, 1923, 1924 and 1927.
Waivers--MHBG.
300x-2(a)(2)--Allocations for Systems Integrated Services for Children.
300x-6(b)--Waiver for Certain Territories.
Recordkeeping.
300x-23--Waiting list.
300x-25--Group Homes for Persons in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders.
300x-65--Charitable Choice.


                        Table 2--Estimates of Application and Reporting Burden for Year 2
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                                                                     Number of       Number of
                                                     Number of     responses per     hours per      Total hours
                                                    respondent         year          response
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Reporting:
    SABG........................................              60               1             187          11,220
    MHBG........................................              59               1             187          11,033
Recordkeeping...................................           60/59               1              40           2,360
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Combined Burden.............................  ..............  ..............  ..............          24,613
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[[Page 469]]

    The total annualized burden for the application and reporting is 
33,493 hours (42,373 + 24,613 = 66,986/2 years = 33,493).
    Link for the application: https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/block-grants.
    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 information collection 
by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public 
Comments'' or by using the search function.

Carlos Graham,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-28563 Filed 1-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P