[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 155 (Monday, August 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55049-55050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17378]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-23-23CU]


Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has submitted the information 
collection request titled ``Advancing Violence Epidemiology in Real-
Time (AVERT)'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and approval. CDC previously published a ``Proposed Data Collection 
Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations'' notice on 3/24/2023 
to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. CDC received 
one non-substantive comment related to the previous notice. This notice 
serves to allow an additional 30 days for public and affected agency 
comments.
    CDC will accept all comments for this proposed information 
collection project. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly 
interested in comments that:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including, through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses; and
    (e) Assess information collection costs.
    To request additional information on the proposed project or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plan and instruments, call 
(404) 639-7570. 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. Direct 
written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in 
this notice to the Attention: CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax to (202) 
395-5806. Provide written comments within 30 days of notice 
publication.

Proposed Project

    Advancing Violence Epidemiology in Real-Time (AVERT)--NEW--National 
Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    In FY2020, CDC funded the Firearm Injury Surveillance Through 
Emergency Rooms (FASTER) initiative, which provided funding for 10 U.S. 
jurisdictions to share firearm injury-related emergency department (ED) 
visit data with CDC. As firearm injuries increased significantly in 
recent years

[[Page 55050]]

and contribute to billions of dollars in medical and lost productivity 
costs every year, the FASTER initiative was funded to improve the 
availability and timeliness of nonfatal firearm injury data. As the 3-
year FASTER initiative was implemented, the utility of syndromic 
surveillance data for monitoring other forms of nonfatal violence and 
mental health conditions (which may increase risk for or be a negative 
outcome associated with violence victimization) became clear. Timely 
state- and local-level data on ED visits for firearm injuries, other 
nonfatal injuries (e.g., intimate partner violence, sexual violence, 
child abuse and neglect), and mental health conditions are currently 
limited; thus, the collection of near real-time data on ED visits for 
these conditions at the state- and local-level could improve the 
ability to identify, respond to, and prevent violence. These data can 
also be used to identify, track, and address disparities in ED visits 
for firearm injuries, other violence-related injuries, and mental 
health conditions.
    The Advancing Violence Epidemiology in Real Time (AVERT) 
initiative, funded by CDC in FY2023, intends to integrate, expand, and 
enhance previous data sharing efforts with public health departments 
initiated under the FASTER program. The goal of AVERT is to build on 
the FASTER program and provide funding to a minimum of 10 jurisdictions 
to share timely ED data for all firearm injuries (regardless of 
intent), other violence-related injuries, and mental health conditions. 
AVERT will support states to conduct routine monitoring of electronic 
health record data via syndromic surveillance to identify ED visits 
related to these conditions, as well as to analyze these data in a 
timely manner and share these data with CDC. To do this, AVERT will 
leverage ED syndromic surveillance data already routinely collected by 
state health departments and the District of Columbia health department 
through CDC's National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP), which 
receives near real-time ED data from health departments. Descriptive 
analyses, such as frequencies and changes in the rate of ED visits 
involving a firearm injury, other violence-related injury, or mental 
health condition by region, state, and local jurisdiction, will be 
conducted. Longitudinal statistical analyses will be used to describe 
trends.
    Understanding the full extent of the problem of firearm violence, 
other forms of nonfatal violence, and mental health conditions treated 
in EDs is crucial to informing prevention and response strategies and 
reducing future incidents.
    CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 30 annual burden hours. 
There are no costs to respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Total number of   Average burden
         Type of respondent                  Form name            Number of      responses per     per response
                                                                 respondents       respondent        (hours)
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Participating health departments      Emergency Department                 10                6            30/60
 sharing case-level ED data with CDC.  Form (ED Violence Data
                                       Form).
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Public Health 
Ethics and Regulations, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2023-17378 Filed 8-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P