E8-24615. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Proposed Project:

Title: Evaluation of the Community Healthy Marriage Initiative—Impact Evaluation Wave 2.

OMB No.: 0970-0322.

Description: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is conducting a demonstration and evaluation called the Community Healthy Marriage Initiative (CHMI). Demonstration programs have been funded through Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood grants authorized under section 403(a)(2) of the Social Security Act to support healthy marriage directly and to encourage community changes that increase support for healthy marriages and improve child and family well-being. The objective of the evaluation is to: (1) Assess the implementation of community interventions designed to provide marriage education by examining the way the projects operate and by examining child support outcomes among low-income families in the community; and (2) evaluate the community impacts of these interventions on marital stability and satisfaction, child well-being and child support outcomes among low income families.

The purpose of this information collection is to conduct a follow-up survey of respondents from Wave 1 who live in the communities where CHMI demonstrations are operating, and a survey of CHMI program participants. The impact evaluation will assess the effects of community healthy marriage initiatives by comparing family and child well-being outcomes in the CHMI communities with similar outcomes in comparison communities that are well matched to the demonstration project sites.

Respondents: Community members and program participants in CHMI treatment and comparison communities.

Annual Burden Estimates

 

Instrument	Number of respondents	Average number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Total burden hours
Wave 2 Survey	4,120	1	.75	3,090

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,090.

Additional Information:

In compliance with the requirements of section 506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described above. Copies of the proposed collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer. E-mail address: [e-mail]. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection.

The Department specifically requests comments on (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) 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. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication.

Dated: September 30, 2008.

Brendan C. Kelly,

OPRE Reports Clearance Officer.