[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 189 (Friday, September 30, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59443-59444]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-21251]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: 
Public Comment Request

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department 
of Health and Human Services (HHS).

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 November 
29, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or by mail to the 
HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N136B, 5600 
Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

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 Samantha Miller, 
the acting HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-
9094.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting 
information, please include the information collection request title 
for reference.
    Information Collection Request Title: Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) 
Initiative Triannual Report OMB No. 0915- 0051-Extension.
    Abstract: HRSA's Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) funds and 
coordinates with cities, states, and local clinics/community-based 
organizations to deliver efficient and effective HIV care, treatment, 
and support to low-income people with HIV. Since 1990, the RWHAP has 
developed a comprehensive system of safety net providers who deliver 
high quality direct health care and support services to over half a 
million people with HIV-- more than 50 percent of all people with 
diagnosed HIV in the United States. Nearly two-thirds of clients 
(patients) live at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level 
and approximately three-quarters of RWHAP clients are racial/ethnic 
minorities.\1\
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    \1\ HRSA. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Data Report, 2020.
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    The federal Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative 
focuses on reducing the number of new HIV infections in the United 
States by at least 90 percent by 2030, which would be fewer than 3,000 
per year.\2\ Authorized by section 311(c) and title XXVI of the Public 
Health Service Act, this 10-year initiative beginning in Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2020 focuses on 48 counties; Washington, DC; San Juan; and seven 
states that have a substantial rural HIV burden. EHE initiative efforts 
focus on the following four key strategies that together can end the 
HIV epidemic in the United States:
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    \2\ HRSA. Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. https://www.hrsa.gov/ending-hiv-epidemic. Accessed July 12, 2022.
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    1. Diagnose all people with HIV as early as possible.
    2. Treat people with HIV rapidly and effectively to reach sustained 
viral suppression.
    3. Prevent new HIV transmissions by using proven interventions, 
including pre-exposure prophylaxis and syringe services programs.
    4. Respond quickly to potential HIV outbreaks to get needed 
prevention and treatment services to people who need them.
    The EHE initiative is a collaborative effort among key HHS 
agencies, primarily HRSA, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Indian Health 
Service, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration. Through HRSA's RWHAP and Health Center Program, the 
agency has a leading role in helping diagnose, treat, prevent, and 
respond to end the HIV epidemic in the United States.
    In June 2022, HRSA awarded nearly $115 million to RWHAP recipients 
to help implement the EHE initiative to support innovative strategies 
that help people with HIV access care, support, and treatment services 
to live long, healthier lives. EHE initiative funding was awarded to 39 
metropolitan areas (RWHAP part A) and eight states (RWHAP part B) to 
implement strategies and interventions for the provision of core 
medical and supportive services to reduce new HIV infections.\3\
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    \3\ FY 2022 EHE Awards. https://ryanwhite.hrsa.gov/about/parts-and-initiatives/fy-2022-ending-hiv-epidemic-awards. Accessed August 
19, 2022.
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    Need and Proposed Use of the Information: To support federal 
requirements to monitor and report on funds distributed through the EHE 
Initiative, HRSA created a reporting module, the EHE Triannual Report, 
an aggregate data report submitted three times a year by EHE recipients 
and providers of services. EHE-funded providers report aggregate 
information on the number of clients receiving specific services and 
the number of clients who were prescribed antiretroviral medications in 
the 4-month reporting period. This module will provide HRSA with 
frequent and timely data on EHE Initiative progress by providing 
information on the number of clients who are reached through the EHE 
Initiative. In addition, HRSA can calculate the number of clients who 
did not receive services in the previous year by subtracting the number 
of clients who received services in the previous year and the number of 
new clients from the total number of clients. This will

[[Page 59444]]

provide valuable information on the scope of outreach to new clients 
and clients who have had a lapse in service, which could be an 
indication of reengagement in care. This module will support project 
officer monitoring and HRSA's understanding of service provision. 
Finally, the information collected in the EHE Triannual Report will 
complement the annual information collected through the RWHAP Services 
Report and other reporting mechanisms and support HRSA in its ability 
to monitor EHE initiative activities and assess progress toward meeting 
national goals for ending the HIV epidemic.
    Likely Respondents: RWHAP part A and part B Recipients and 
Subrecipients funded by the EHE initiative.
    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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                                                                                      Average
                                     Number of       Number of         Total        burden per     Total burden
            Form name               respondents    responses per     responses     response  (in       hours
                                                    respondent                        hours)
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EHE Triannual Module............              47               3             141               2             282
                                              47  ..............             141  ..............             282
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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 technology to 
minimize the information collection burden.

Maria G. Button,
Director, Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2022-21251 Filed 9-29-22; 8:45 am]
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