[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 81 (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22867-22868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10568]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Emergency Clearance: Public Information Collection Requirements
Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS), has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) the following request for emergency review. We are requesting an
emergency review because the collection of this information is needed
prior to the expiration of the normal time limits under OMB's
regulations at 5 CFR Part 1320 and is essential to the mission of the
Department. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 authorized the Department
of Labor (DoL) to implement a new grant program to fund state and local
efforts to get the hardest-to-serve welfare recipients into employment.
The statute directs the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human
Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development, to develop a plan to evaluate how
Welfare-to-Work (WtW) grants to states and tribes have been used. An
interim evaluation report is due to Congress by January 1, 1999, and a
final report is due by January 1, 2001.
Implementation of the WtW programs among grantees has proven slower
than
[[Page 22868]]
expected. This has delayed early exploratory site visits under the
evaluation, which in turn has delayed development of the protocols for
in-depth site visits which draw on information gathered from
exploratory visits. Following normal clearance procedures would affect
later phases of contract work and cause delays in the delivery of
future reports.
DHHS is requesting that OMB grant 180 day emergency approval by May
14, 1999.
Title and Description of Information Collection: Site Visit
Protocols for the Multi-site Evaluation of the Welfare-to-Work Grants
Program--NEW--As required by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, DHHS is
conducting an evaluation of the effectiveness of welfare-to-work
initiatives undertaken through competitive and formula grants awarded
by the US Department of Labor (DoL). DHHS' Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, in conjunction with DoL and the
US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), has designed an
evaluation that will involve several rounds of data collection from
grantees, affiliated agencies and grant program participants. The
information collection instruments in this request for OMB approval
consist of discussion protocols and focus group guides for site visits
to WtW grantees that are part of the core evaluation's process and
implementation analysis, and protocols for the tribal component of the
evaluation. Respondents: State, Local, or Tribal Governments, Not-for-
profit Institutions; Burden Information for the Discussion Protocols--
Number of Respondents: 300; Number of Responses per Respondent: one;
Average Burden per Response: one hour; Total Burden for Discussion
Protocols: 300 hours--Burden Information for Focus Groups--Number of
Respondents: 360; Number of Responses per Respondent: one; Average
Burden per Response: 1.5 hours; Total Burden for Focus Groups: 540
hours. Burden Information for the Tribal Evaluation Instruments--Number
of Respondents: 220; Number of Responses per Respondent: one; Average
Burden per Response: .86 hour; Total Burden for Tribal Evaluation
Instruments: 190 hours. Total Burden: 1,030 hours.
To request more information or a copy of the proposed data
collection, please contact Alana Landey on 202-401-6636.
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 shall 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.
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information
collections should be immediately sent directly to the OMB Desk Officer
designated at the following address: OMB Human Resources and Housing
Branch, Attention: Allison Eydt, New Executive Office Building, Room
10235, Washington, DC 20503. Comments may be faxed to Ms. Eydt at 202-
395-5167.
Please send a copy of your comments to Cynthia Agens Bauer, OS
Reports Clearance Officer, Room 503H, Humphrey Building, 200
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC, 20201.
Dated: April 21, 1999.
Dennis P. Williams,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Budget.
[FR Doc. 99-10568 Filed 4-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-04-M
