2018-26450. Proposed Information Collection Activity; Strengthening Relationship Education and Marriage Services (STREAMS) Evaluation (OMB#0970-0481)

AGENCY:

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION:

Request for Public Comment.

SUMMARY:

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued grants to organizations to provide healthy marriage and relationship education (HMRE) services. Under a previously approved data collection activity (OMB#0970-0481), the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within ACF is conducting the Strengthening Relationship Education and Marriage Services (STREAMS) evaluation with five HMRE grantees. The purpose of STREAMS is to measure the effectiveness and quality of HMRE programs designed to strengthen intimate relationships. This data collection request is for an extension of previously approved data collection instruments and for two additional data collection instruments.

DATES:

Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(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.

ADDRESSES:

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, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer. Email address: [e-mail]. All requests should be identified by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

 

Description: The STREAMS evaluation includes two components, an impact study and a process study. The evaluation will examine HMRE programs for youth in high school, adult couples, and adult individuals.

1. Impact Study. The goal of the impact study is to provide rigorous estimates of the effectiveness of program services and interventions to improve program implementation. The impact study uses an experimental design. Eligible program applicants are randomly assigned to either a program group that is offered program services or a control group that is not. STREAMS collects baseline information from eligible program applicants prior to random assignment and administers a follow-up survey to participants 12 months after random assignment.

2. Process study. The goal of the process study is to support the interpretation of impact findings and document program operations to support future replication. STREAMS conducts semi-structured interviews with program staff and selected community stakeholders, conducts focus groups with program participants, administers a survey to program staff, and collects data on adherence to program curricula through an add on to an existing program MIS (nFORM, OMB no. 0970-0460).

This data collection request is for an extension of previously approved data collection instruments for the impact study and for two additional data collection instruments associated with the impact study. The two additional instruments will allow for longer-term follow-up in two of the five evaluation sites. (1) The second follow-up survey for youth will be administered approximately 24 to 36 months after random assignment to study participants in the STREAMS site serving youth. (2) The second follow-up survey for adults will be administered approximately 30 months after random assignment to study participants in one of the STREAMS evaluation sites serving adults.

Respondents: Study participants.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument	Total number of respondents	Annual number of respondents	Number of responses per respondent	Average burden hours per response	Annual burden hours
Previously Approved Burden that Remains
Introductory script, grantee staff	8	8	25	0.08	16
Introductory script, program applicants	600	200	1	0.08	16
Add-on to nFORM to conduct random assignment	8	8	25	0.08	16
Follow-up survey for youth	690	230	1	0.5	115
Baseline survey for adults	600	200	1	0.5	100
Follow-up survey for adults	2,300	767	1	0.75	575
Current Request for Approval
Second follow-up survey for youth	1,500	500	1	0.5	250
Second follow-up survey for adults	800	267	1	0.75	200
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:					1,288

Comments: 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.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 603; Sec. 811 (b) Healthy Marriage Promotion and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Grants of the Claims Resolution Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-291, 124 Stat. 3064

Mary B. Jones,

ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.