[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 212 (Friday, November 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75598-75600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24255]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Public Comment Request; Assessment and Evaluation of ACL's 
American Indian, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiian Programs Older 
Americans Act Title VI (OMB Control Number 0985-0059)

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living is announcing that the 
proposed collection of information listed above has been submitted to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance as 
required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This 30-day notice 
collects comments on the information collection requirements related to 
the Assessment and Evaluation of ACL's American Indian, Alaska Natives, 
and Native Hawaiian Programs Older Americans Act Title VI (OMB Control 
Number 0985-0059).

DATES: Submit written comments on the collection of information by 
December 4, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection within 30 days of publication of this notice to 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find the information collection by 
selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' 
or by using the search function. By mail to the Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, New Executive Office Bldg., 725 17th St. 
NW, Rm. 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for ACL.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amanda Cash at [email protected] 
or (202) 795-7369.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In compliance with 44 U.S.C. 3507, the 
Administration for Community Living (ACL) has submitted the following

[[Page 75599]]

proposed collection of information to OMB for review and clearance.
    The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is requesting 
approval for data collection associated with the Assessment and 
Evaluation of ACL's American Indian, Alaska Natives, and Native 
Hawaiian Programs Older Americans Act Title VI (OMB Control Number 
0985-0059). OAA Title VI establishes grants to Native Americans for 
nutrition services, supportive services, and family caregiver support 
services.
    The purpose of Title VI is ``to promote the delivery of supportive 
services, including nutrition services, to American Indians, Alaskan 
Natives, and Native Hawaiians that are comparable to services provided 
under Title III'' (42 U.S.C. 3057), which provides nutrition, caregiver 
and supportive services to the broader U.S. population. Title VI is 
comprised of three parts; Part A provides nutrition and supportive 
services to American Indians and Alaska Natives, Part B provides 
nutrition and supportive services to Native Hawaiians, and Part C 
provides caregiver services to any programs that have Part A/B.
    The previous data collection for this project entailed a series of 
interviews and focus groups with Title VI program staff, elders, and 
caregivers. American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/
NH) populations experience significant health and socioeconomic 
disparities compared to the rest of the U.S. population. The AI/AN 
population has the highest rate of disabilities and the lowest life 
expectancy compared to the averages for the overall population (Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2008; Goins, Moss, Buchwald, 
& Guralnik, 2007). While 18% of the non-Hispanic white population is 65 
years or older, just 8% of Native Hawaiians and 10% of the AI/AN 
population is 65 years or older (AoA, 2015). However, as overall life 
expectancy increases, the proportion of older AI/AN adults is expected 
to increase. By 2050, the percentage of non-Hispanic white adults is 
expected to decrease by 20%, while the population of older minority 
population adults, including AI/AN/NH, is expected to increase by 110% 
(AoA, 2015; CDC, 2013). For AI/AN populations, this translates to a 93% 
increase in the number of older adults. In addition, the population 
aged 75 and older needing long-term care is expected to double by the 
year 2030 (AoA, 2015; CDC 2013; Goins et al., 2007).
    In fiscal year 2023, ACL awarded 290 Title VI three-year grants to 
tribes/tribal organizations elders for the provision of nutrition and 
supportive services, and a portion of awardees also received funds for 
the Native American Caregiver Support Program. The Assessment and 
Evaluation of the Title VI Programs will examine the effects of the 
program on:

1. Older Indians, their families and caregivers
2. Tribal communities
3. Intergenerational connections in tribal communities
4. Management of the Title VI program

    Additionally, the assessment will examine how using COVID 
supplemental funds impacted Title VI services provided to older adults. 
This work will help ACL better understand and document the impact of 
these funds, how service provision changed over time, and what gaps 
existed despite the additional funding.

The Need for Assessment and Evaluation

    The Assessment and Evaluation of the Title VI Programs is 
authorized under Section 206(a, c) of Title II of the OAA, which 
directs ACL to ``. . . measure and evaluate the impact of all programs 
authorized by this Act, their effectiveness in achieving stated goals 
in general, and in relation to their cost, their impact on related 
programs, their effectiveness in targeting for services under this Act 
unserved older individuals with greatest economic need (including low-
income minority individuals and older individuals residing in rural 
areas) and unserved older individuals with greatest social need 
(including low-income minority individuals and older individuals 
residing in rural areas), and their structure and mechanisms for 
delivery of services, including, where appropriate, comparisons with 
appropriate control groups composed of persons who have not 
participated in such programs.''
    Consistent with requirements of the Government Performance Results 
Modernization Act (GPRMA), ACL's Administration on Aging (AoA) 
integrates its strategic priorities and plans with performance 
measurement criteria. The AoA has three major performance measures: 
improve program efficiency, improve client outcomes, and improve 
effective targeting of vulnerable elders. Through program assessments, 
ACL seeks a better understanding of key programs, such as the programs 
under Title VI of the OAA for AI/AN/NH. Having completed most of the 
data collection, the Assessment and Evaluation of the Title VI Programs 
has an interest in adding a data collection activity to do a follow-up 
interview with grantees after they have completed the current 
evaluation cycle to understand which components of the technical 
assistance, they have received have been the most useful for them.
    Table 1 provides an overview of the Assessment and Evaluation of 
the Title VI Program data collection activity.

Data Collection Activities

                                                     Table 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Activity                             Purpose, respondents, method, and relevant study
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title VI Program Staff Follow-up Interviews.  The Program Staff Follow-up Interviews will assess how the Title
                                               VI Programs have been utilizing and implementing the Technical
                                               Assistance they have received from the contractor around the
                                               practice of evaluation. Data will include how evaluation practice
                                               is being implemented and on what occurring basis, as well as
                                               perceptions of met and unmet needs around evaluation; and
                                               barriers to using evaluation. Up to 2 local staff (e.g., program
                                               director and evaluation staff person) will participate in each
                                               interview. The interviews will be conducted via telephone in Year
                                               4 with up to 12 evaluation grantees, for a maximum of 24
                                               participants, and will take 60 minutes to complete. See
                                               Attachment A (Title VI Program Staff Consent Form and Interview
                                               Guide).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Use of Information Collected

    ACL's strategic priorities are to empower older people and their 
families to (1) make informed decisions about, and easily access, 
health and long-term care options and (2) enable seniors to remain in 
their own homes through the provision of home and community-based 
services.
    Central to these priorities is the pursuit of consistent and 
effective approaches to support older adults in their own homes and 
communities, and to coordinate the provision of

[[Page 75600]]

supportive services to seniors and their caregivers in an integrated 
system of long-term care. Information gathered through the Assessment 
and Evaluation of the Title VI Programs will inform ACL and its 
partners, other Federal agencies and administrators, current grantees, 
policymakers, and the field about ways to improve service delivery for 
elders and their caregivers and helping them to remain in their homes 
for as long as possible. For example, information gathered through the 
evaluation will be used to identify gaps and challenges in service 
delivery, as well as areas of further need.
    Without this assessment and evaluation, Federal and local officials 
will not be able to determine whether the Title VI Programs are having 
the intended impact on AI/AN/NH elders and whether the grantees are 
meeting the individual goals of the programs. The new proposed data 
collection with further allow ACL to understand how successful the 
training and technical assistance provided to Title VI evaluation 
grantees was for their practice of data collection and use.

Comments in Response to the 60-Day Federal Register Notice

    A notice published in the Federal Register 88 FR 56633 on August 
18, 2023. There were no public comments received during the 60-day FRN.
    Estimated Program Burden:

                                                                Estimated Program Burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        Number of        Number of      Average burden
                Respondent type                               Form name                   annual       responses per    (in hours)  per   Annual burden
                                                                                       respondents       respondent        response           hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Program director...............................  Program staff follow-up interview               12                1                 1               12
                                                  guide.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Dated: October 30, 2023.
Alison Barkoff,
Principal Deputy Administrator for the Administration for Community 
Living, performing the duties of the Administrator and the Assistant 
Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2023-24255 Filed 11-2-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P