[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78037-78039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25087]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-24-24AZ; Docket No. CDC-2023-0092]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the 
utility of government information, invites the general public and other 
federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed information 
collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This 
notice invites comment on a proposed information

[[Page 78038]]

collection project titled OD2A--LOCAL Linkage to and Retention in Care 
Surveillance. This project is designed to help standardize data 
processes that drive data-to-action decision-making and improve intra-
jurisdictional comparisons over time.

DATES: CDC must receive written comments on or before January 16, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2023-
0092 by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, 
NE, MS H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. CDC will post, without change, all relevant comments 
to www.regulations.gov.
    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (www.regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, H 21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; Telephone: 404-639-7570; 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 
information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires 
federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new 
proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. 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;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected;
    4. 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 
submissions of responses; and
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

    Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)--LOCAL Linkage to and Retention in 
Care Surveillance--New--National Center for Injury Prevention and 
Control (NCIPC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

    In the United States, opioid overdose deaths have increased 
significantly over the years. Drug overdose deaths in the United States 
increased by 14% from 2020 to 2021. Of the 106,699 drug overdose deaths 
in 2021, over 75% involved an opioid. Deaths involving 
psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine, also increased from 2020 to 
2021. Scaling up prevention and surveillance activities to address 
substance misuse and nonfatal and fatal drug overdoses are priorities 
for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Evidence 
shows that reducing drug overdoses requires increased capacity for 
linking people to treatment and harm reduction services and improving 
retention across care settings. Linking individuals with a substance 
use disorder to treatment and harm reduction is a key strategy for 
saving lives and it is crucial that jurisdictions implement 
surveillance strategies that can inform and improve their linkage to 
and retention in care activities.
    In September 2023, CDC launched a new surveillance program as part 
of the Overdose Data to Action: Limiting Overdose through Collaborative 
Actions in Localities (OD2A: LOCAL) Notice of Funding Opportunity 
(NOFO): Linkage to and Retention in Care surveillance. Linkage to Care 
is a five-year NOFO which connects individuals at risk of overdose to 
evidence-based treatment, services, and supports, thereby reducing 
future overdoses and other harms associated with substance use. 
Implementation of surveillance systems to collect data on standardized 
Linkage to and Retention in Care indicators is needed so that health 
departments can measure the impact of their linkage to care programs, 
inform overdose prevention activities, and appropriately allocate 
public health resources where they are most needed.
    Funded local health departments will be tasked with the collection 
and sharing of standardized Linkage to and Retention in Care indicators 
with CDC, as part of this effort. Local health departments are uniquely 
suited to implement surveillance systems for standardized Linkage to 
and Retention in Care (LTC) indicators due to their proximity to the 
communities they serve and access to data from local linkage to care 
programs and activities. Following an extensive environmental scan and 
with input from local and state overdose prevention and response 
programs, the CDC defined a substance use disorder cascade of care 
(CoC) and a set of minimum standard measures to assess local LTC 
efforts. The overarching goal of this initiative hinges on generating 
actionable data that jurisdictions can leverage to enhance and fine-
tune their linkage to and retention in care programs. Linkage to and 
Retention in Care surveillance will also foster a robust foundation for 
deriving insights into disparities, unmet needs, and optimal practices 
across the CoC. This approach will help standardize data processes to 
drive data-to-action decision making and improve intra-jurisdictional 
comparisons over time to drive better health outcomes. Ultimately, a 
standardized approach ensures that a greater number of individuals 
access the care they require and drives meaningful change in how 
individuals are connected to care.
    CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 240 annual burden hours 
for this collection. There are no costs to respondents other than their 
time.

[[Page 78039]]



                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
      Type of respondent            Form name        Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)         hours
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Participating health            Partner's Portal              12               2               8             192
 departments reporting           Data Entry Form
 aggregate data to CDC using     (Up to 60
 Partner's Portal (every 6       indicators).
 months).
                                Partner's Portal              12               2               2              48
                                 Data Entry Form
                                 (9 metadata
                                 questions).
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............             240
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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. 2023-25087 Filed 11-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P