[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 155 (Monday, August 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55058-55061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17393]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; 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, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration (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 at (240) 276-0361 or email 
[email protected].
    Comments are invited on: (a) 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) 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 through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology.

Proposed Project: Assessment of Communities Talk To Prevent Alcohol and 
Other Drug Misuse (Formerly Communities Talk To Prevent Underage 
Drinking)--(OMB No. 0930-0288)--Revision

    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (SAMHSA/CSAP) is requesting a 
revision from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for information 
collection regarding the Assessment of Communities Talk to Prevent 
Alcohol and Other Drug Misuse, which is implemented by the Substance 
Use Disorder Prevention Engagement Initiatives (SUDPEI) within CSAP. 
Communities Talk activities are grassroots activities that raise 
awareness of the public health dangers of substance misuse and engage 
communities in evidence-based prevention, particularly to individuals 
aged 12-25 years old. In this survey, substance use disorder (SUD) 
questions refers to any alcohol or drugs used in the 12 months prior to 
the survey and the language ``alcohol and other drug misuse'' will be 
used to ask questions about SUDs throughout the survey. Alcohol misuse 
includes any underage use of alcohol. Other drug misuse includes use of 
marijuana, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, 
methamphetamine, and any use of prescription stimulants, tranquilizers 
or sedatives (e.g., benzodiazepines), and pain relievers.\1\ The most 
recent data collection was reinstated under OMB No. 0930-0288, 
Assessment of the Town Hall Meetings on Underage Drinking Prevention, 
which expires on May 31, 2025.
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    \1\ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 
(2022). Highlights for the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and 
Health. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/2022-12/2021NSDUHFFRHighlights092722.pdf.
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Changes

    Under the most recent approval, the Organizer Survey consisted of 
14 items. Under this revision, the Organizer Survey includes 12 items 
about the Communities Talk initiative and how communities might be 
carrying out evidence-based strategies to prevent alcohol and other 
drug misuse. The following table provides a summary of the changes that 
were made to the instrument.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Current question/item                     Changes made
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burden statement.......................  Updated with language provided
                                          by SAMHSA to include ``alcohol
                                          and other drug misuse''
                                          verbiage: `This information is
                                          being collected to assist the
                                          Substance Abuse and Mental
                                          Health Services Administration
                                          (SAMHSA) for the purpose of
                                          program monitoring of the
                                          Communities Talk to Prevent
                                          Alcohol and Other Drug Misuse
                                          initiative. This voluntary
                                          information collected will be
                                          used at an aggregate level to
                                          assess the Communities Talk
                                          stipend recipients'
                                          experiences with the events
                                          and alcohol and other drug
                                          misuse prevention activities
                                          deployed by their
                                          organizations or institutions.
                                          Under the Privacy Act of 1974,
                                          any personally identifying
                                          information obtained will be
                                          kept private to the extent of
                                          the law. 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 Office of
                                          Management and Budget (OMB)
                                          control number. The OMB
                                          control number for this
                                          project is 0930-0288. Public
                                          reporting burden for this
                                          collection of information is
                                          estimated to average 15
                                          minutes per encounter,
                                          including the time for
                                          reviewing instructions,
                                          searching existing data
                                          sources, gathering and
                                          maintaining the data needed,
                                          and completing and reviewing
                                          the collection of information.
                                          Send comments regarding this
                                          burden estimate or any other
                                          aspect of this collection of
                                          information, including
                                          suggestions for reducing this
                                          burden, to SAMHSA Reports
                                          Clearance Officer, 5600
                                          Fishers Ln., Room 15 E57B,
                                          Rockville, MD 20857.'

[[Page 55059]]

 
Informed consent.......................  Updated to include new
                                          ``alcohol and other drug
                                          misuse'' verbiage provided by
                                          SAMSHA: `The Substance Abuse
                                          and Mental Health Services
                                          Administration (SAMHSA)
                                          invites prevention specialists
                                          working individually or as
                                          part of a coalition to fill
                                          out this survey. A coalition
                                          refers to any group of
                                          individuals or organizations
                                          working together. This survey
                                          asks about your possible
                                          experiences with Communities
                                          Talk to Prevent Alcohol and
                                          Other Drug Misuse and how your
                                          community might be carrying
                                          out evidence-based strategies
                                          addressing alcohol and other
                                          drug misuse. Evidence-based
                                          strategies have been evaluated
                                          and found to have positive
                                          effects on the intended
                                          audiences. The survey should
                                          take approximately 15 minutes.
                                          Your participation is
                                          completely voluntary. You can
                                          stop at any time. Refusal to
                                          participate will not affect
                                          your employment, funding for
                                          your work, or result in any
                                          other penalty or loss of
                                          benefit. The evaluation team
                                          will keep your survey answers
                                          in a password-protected
                                          computer folder. It will be
                                          accessed only by the
                                          evaluation team. The
                                          evaluation team will summarize
                                          everyone's answers in a
                                          report. The evaluation team
                                          will keep your name and
                                          contact information separate
                                          from your answers. We collect
                                          your name and contact
                                          information only to monitor
                                          who has already completed the
                                          survey, as to not request more
                                          than one response per
                                          organization. The report will
                                          not identify you and the
                                          person documenting survey
                                          completions will not analyze
                                          the data. Your thoughts are
                                          very important. They will help
                                          SAMHSA improve how it supports
                                          community-based prevention
                                          efforts. If you have any
                                          questions, please contact Dr.
                                          Genevieve Martinez-Garcia or
                                          Sarah Caban, Study
                                          Administrators, at
                                          [email protected]. By
                                          continuing, you are consenting
                                          to participate in this survey
                                          on behalf of your coalition or
                                          you.'
q1--In your opinion, how important is    Replaced ``underage drinking''
 underage drinking, and its               verbiage with ``alcohol and
 consequences, to the residents of your   other drug misuse'' verbiage.
 community?
q2--How many Communities Talk            Question was reworded for
 activities have ever taken place in      clarity: ``What is the total
 your community? These events may have    number of Communities Talk
 been primarily hosted by your            activities hosted in your
 organization or a different one.         community during this calendar
                                          year? These events may have
                                          been primarily hosted by your
                                          organization or a different
                                          one.''
q3--What was the total number of         No modification.
 attendees at your Communities Talk
 event? (Estimates are okay.)
q4--Evidence-based strategies have been  New q5; Replaced ``underage
 evaluated and found to have positive     drinking'' verbiage with
 effects on the intended audience.        ``alcohol and other drug
 Certain advance preparation may or may   misuse'' verbiage; Added
 not help professionals build their       examples of evidence-based
 capacity to carry out any number of      strategies.
 evidence-based strategies to prevent
 underage drinking in their community.
 Some of the preparation may be tied to
 Communities Talk, while some of the
 preparation may not be tied to
 Communities Talk. This question asks
 about any preparation for evidence-
 based strategies, other than hosting a
 Communities Talk activity. How much
 have you completed the following
 steps?
q5--Have you used any material(s) from   New q6.
 the Communities Talk website
 (www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/communitiestalk communitiestalk)?
q5A--What material(s) from the           New q6A; Modified response
 Communities Talk website                 options: removed
 (www.stopalcoholabuse.gov/               ``Registration Tutorial
 communitiestalk) have you used?          Video'' and added ``Prevention
                                          Event Planner web app''.
q6--Please rate your agreement with the  New q7; Replaced ``underage
 following statement: I know how to use   drinking'' verbiage with
 evidence-based approaches to carry out   ``alcohol and other drug
 future underage drinking prevention      misuse'' verbiage.
 activities
q7--Prevention professionals take        New q8; Replaced ``underage
 several steps as part of their           drinking'' verbiage with
 evidence-based work. How confident are   ``alcohol and other drug
 you that you can carry out the           misuse'' verbiage; Added the
 following tasks?                         following items under this
                                          question:
                                         ``Acquire/get materials for
                                          priority populations.''
                                         ``Collaborate with others to
                                          implement resources or
                                          programming.''
                                         ``Work with my local
                                          legislators or policymakers to
                                          create laws and/or policies.''
q8--There are many ways to prevent       New q9; Replaced ``underage
 underage drinking in a community.        drinking'' verbiage with
 Different communities need different     ``alcohol and other drug
 evidence-based strategies. SAMHSA        misuse'' verbiage; Added the
 wants to learn what works best for       following items under this
 your community. Currently, which of      question:
 the following activities are you or     ``Prevent sales of other drugs
 your organization collaborating with     at public events where youth
 others on to prevent underage drinking   are present.''
 in your community?
q9--A community's needs and its          New q12; Replaced ``underage
 resources may change over time. In the   drinking'' verbiage with
 future, how likely is it that you or     ``alcohol and other drug
 your organization will plan or           misuse'' verbiage; Added the
 collaborate with others on the           following items under this
 following activities to prevent          question:
 substance use underage drinking in      ``Prevent sales of other drugs
 your community?                          at public events where youth
                                          are present.''
q10--Think about all of the Communities  New q13; Replaced ``underage
 Talk activities that might have taken    drinking'' verbiage with
 place in your community. How much do     ``alcohol and other drug
 you agree with the following             misuse'' verbiage.
 statements?

[[Page 55060]]

 
q11--Do you have a report or something   New q14; Replaced ``underage
 else (e.g., tables) that includes        drinking'' verbiage with
 substance (mis)use data at the           ``alcohol and other drug
 community level (e.g., incidences of     misuse'' verbiage.
 use; activities or actions employed to
 prevent and combat underage drinking)?
q11A-- Would you be willing  New q14A.
 to share the report with SAMHSA?
q11B-- Please send the      New q14B.
 report to the following address:
[email protected] [or] ICF
 Attn.: Communities Talk--Genevieve
 Martinez-Garcia.
530 Gaither Rd, Suite 500, Rockville,
 MD 20857.
q12--How would you characterize the      New q15.
 location where the Communities Talk
 event or activity was held?
q13--Which of the following best         New q16.
 describes your organization?.
q14--Which of the following best         New q17; Added the following
 describes the primary audience(s)        response options:
 served by your organization? (Mark all  ``Prevention specialists and
 that apply.)                             volunteers''
                                         ``Healthcare providers.''
 SAMHSA would like to        Item deleted.
 contact you in about 1 year to get an
 update on prevention activities taking
 place in your community. Are you
 willing to be contacted in about 1
 year to complete an online follow-up
 survey?
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Two new questions were added pertaining to the types of substance 
use topics used in alcohol and other drug misuse prevention activities 
(q4), types of organizations that respondents' organization, 
collaborates with (q10), and how many partners they engage with on 
activities monthly (q11).
    The revisions were necessary to better align the data gathered to 
the short-term and long-term outcomes of the Communities Talk events 
and activities for organizers, specifically:

Short-Term

     Increase organization's efforts related to a holistic 
approach to substance use, beyond only underage drinking.
     Increase staff's perceived threat of alcohol and other 
drug misuse to residents of the community;
     Increase staff's knowledge related to using evidence-based 
approaches to carry out future alcohol and other drug misuse prevention 
activities;
     Increase staff's perceived efficacy of Communities Talk to 
enhance alcohol and other drug misuse prevention in the community;
     Increase staff's skills related to using evidence-based 
approaches to carry out future alcohol and other drug misuse prevention 
activities, specifically share information about alcohol and other drug 
misuse with others, host meetings or discussion groups; create 
committees, task forces, advisory boards, or other action groups; build 
coalitions; develop strategic plans; and advocate for policies;
     Increase staff's self-efficacy related to using evidence-
based approaches to carry out future alcohol and other drug misuse 
prevention activities; and
     Increase staff's intention related to using evidence-based 
approaches to carry out future alcohol and other drug misuse prevention 
activities.

Long-Term

     Increase staff's use of evidence-based approaches to carry 
out future alcohol and other drug misuse prevention activities.
     Reduce burden on the respondents by removing the option to 
be contacted for a follow-up assessment.

Organizer Survey--Follow-Up

    The Organizer Survey--Follow-Up has been discontinued in alignment 
with SAMHSA's focus on annual assessments of Communities Talk 
activities, instead of bi-annual assessments. SAMHSA/CSAP will be 
responsible for collecting, compiling, analyzing, and reporting on 
information requested in these surveys.
    SAMHSA supports nationwide Communities Talk activities every year. 
Collecting data on each round of Communities Talk activities and using 
this information to inform policy and measure impact connects with 
SAMHSA's Strategic Plan FY2019-FY2023, specifically ``Objective 3.2: 
Expand community engagement around substance use prevention, treatment, 
and recovery'' (SAMHSA, 2018). Communities Talk activities are intended 
to work at the grassroots level to raise awareness of the public health 
dangers of drinking alcohol and other drug misuse and to engage 
communities in evidence-based prevention. Notably, Communities Talk 
activities provide a forum for communities to discuss ways they can 
best prevent drinking alcohol and other drug misuse by reducing the 
availability of alcohol and other drugs, and by creating community 
norms that discourage demand.
    SAMHSA will use the information collected to document the 
implementation efforts of this nationwide initiative, determine if the 
federally sponsored Communities Talk activities lead to additional 
activities within the community that are aimed at preventing and 
reducing drinking alcohol and other drug misuse, identify what these 
activities may possibly include, and help plan for future rounds of 
Communities Talk events. SAMHSA intends to post online a summary 
document of each round of Communities Talk activities and present 
findings at national conferences attended by CBOs and IHEs that have 
hosted these activities and might host future activities. Similarly, 
SAMHSA plans to share findings with the Interagency Coordinating 
Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking. Agencies within this 
committee encourage their grantees to participate as the activity 
hosts. Additionally, the information collected will support performance 
measurement for SAMHSA programs under the Government Performance 
Results Act (GPRA).

Data Collection Component

    SAMHSA/CSAP will use a web-based method, such as Voxco, to collect 
data through the Organizer Survey. The web-based application will 
comply with the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act 
to permit accessibility to people with disabilities. On an annual 
basis, the Organizer Survey--Initial will be completed by an estimated 
500 Communities Talk activity organizers and will require only

[[Page 55061]]

one response per respondent. It will take an average of 15 minutes 
(0.25 hours) to review the instructions and complete the survey. This 
burden estimate is based on comments from three 2019 Communities Talk 
activity organizers who reviewed the survey and provided comments on 
how long it would take them to complete it.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Table
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                                     Number of     Responses per       Total         Hours per      Total hour
            Form name               respondents     respondent       responses       response         burden
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Organizer Survey--Initial.......             500               1             500            0.25             125
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    Total.......................             500  ..............             500  ..............             125
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    Send comments to Carlos Graham, SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 
5600 Fisher Lane, Room 15E57A, Rockville, MD 20852 OR email him a copy 
at [email protected]. Written comments should be received by 
October 13, 2023.

Alicia Broadus,
Public Health Adviser.
[FR Doc. 2023-17393 Filed 8-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P