[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6373-6374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01876]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0913]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Veteran 
Toxic Exposure Screening Tool (PACT Act)

AGENCY: Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
this notice announces that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), 
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), will submit the collection of 
information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature 
of the information collection and its expected cost and burden, and it 
includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: 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 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Refer to 
``OMB Control No. 2900-0913.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maribel Aponte, Office of Enterprise 
and Integration, Data Governance Analytics (008), 810 Vermont Ave. NW, 
Washington, DC 20420, (202) 266-4688 or email [email protected]. 
Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0913'' in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521.

[[Page 6374]]

    Title: Veteran Toxic Exposure Screening Tool (PACT Act), VA Form 
10-327.
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0913.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 (Pub. L. 117-168) 
required VA to incorporate a screening for all Veterans enrolled in VA 
healthcare to help determine potential toxic exposures during active 
military, naval, air, or space service as part of a health care 
screening. The statute required VA to begin screening all Veterans 
enrolled in VHA health care no later than 90 days after enactment of 
the PACT Act, which was November 8, 2022, and every five years 
thereafter. Pursuant to a six-month emergency PRA clearance from OMB, 
and to ensure efficacy of the screening tool and ease of use by 
screeners, the project team performed a pilot test of the toxic 
exposure screening tool with a sampling from seven targeted clinical 
areas and sites for 10 days, beginning September 6, 2022. The goal was 
to collect feedback and best practices to use in refining the screening 
tool and training to increase best chance for success. VHA now seeks to 
renew the PRA clearance for the screening tool for a full three years.
    Information collected during the toxic exposure screening, using VA 
Form 10-327, will be included in the Veteran's electronic health record 
and will be used to connect Veterans with resources, services, and 
benefits available, as well as provide guidance that Veterans be 
engaged in ongoing care or establish care in VA or the community to 
address their exposure concerns. VA will be gathering this information 
as part of the Veterans' healthcare plan. Currently, the collection is 
accomplished through a clinical reminder or recommendation in the 
Veteran health record. VA staff can complete the clinical reminder 
through in-person interviews, during appointments, or using telehealth 
capabilities. VA is also exploring ways to reach Veterans through 
technology to obtain screening information. However, VA must ensure 
that toxic exposure screening responses and results are visible in the 
Veterans' health record. Veterans have the option of declining the 
toxic exposure screening.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 
60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of 
information was published at 87 FR 226 on November 25, 2022, pages 
72594 and 72595.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 138,333 hours.
    Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 5 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: One time.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,660,000.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Dorothy Glasgow,
VA PRA Clearance Officer (Alt.), Office of Enterprise and Integration, 
Data Governance Analytics, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2023-01876 Filed 1-30-23; 8:45 am]
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