2021-16752. Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Public Comment Request; Centers for Independent Living Program Performance Report (0985-0061)

AGENCY:

Administration for Community Living, Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This Proposed Extension without Revision of a Currently Approved Collection (ICR Ext) solicits comments on the information collection requirements relating to the Centers for Independent Living under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

DATES:

Comments on the collection of information must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by October 8, 2021.

ADDRESSES:

Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: Peter Nye at [e-mail]. Submit written comments on the collection of information to Administration for Community Living, Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Peter Nye.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Nye, Administration for Community Living, Washington, DC 20024, [phone] or [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the 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. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, ACL is publishing a notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.

With respect to the following collection of information, ACL invites comments on our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including:

(1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of ACL's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to determine burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques when appropriate, and other forms of information technology.

In the context of ACL, IL programs are supported through funding authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (The Act). Title VII, chapter 1 of the Act states the current purpose of the program is to “promote a philosophy of independent living including a philosophy of consumer control, peer support, self-help, self-determination, equal access, and individual and system advocacy, in order to maximize the leadership, empowerment, independence, and productivity of individuals with disabilities, and the integration and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of American society.”

ILS PPR and CIL PPR are being submitted separately because they are separate collections of different information from different parties. Separating these PRA processes reduces confusion and increases the Office of Independent Living Programs's (OILP's) ability to identify issues specific to CILs. This request is for CIL PPR, which is submitted annually by all CILs receiving IL Part C funds. The PPRs are used by ACL to assess grantees' compliance with title VII of the Act, and with 45 CFR 1329 of the Code of Federal Regulations and with applicable provisions of the HHS Regulations at 45 CFR part 75. The PPR serves as the primary basis for ACL's monitoring activities in fulfillment of its responsibilities under sections 706 and 722 of the Act. The PPR also enables ACL to track performance outcomes and efficiency measures of the Centers for Independent Living (CIL) programs with respect to the annual and long-term performance targets established in compliance with GPRA. The PPR is also used by ACL to design CIL and SILC training and technical assistance programs authorized by section 711A and section 721 of the Act.

ACL published a Federal Register Notice regarding the independent living programs information collection on February 23, 2017. Two-hundred and twenty-one individual comments were received. The responses indicated a need to make substantial changes to the collection. The current version of the CIL PPR that OILP is requesting an extension for was approved by OMB; the approval was extended and will expire on January 31, 2022. Further deliberation is needed to ensure that we appropriately address all of the concerns. OILP is proposing to extend the currently approved forms for one year while we work on a revision that addresses all the suggested changes. The proposed data collection tools may be found on the ACL website for review at https://www.acl.gov/​about-acl/​public-input.

Estimated Program Burden

ACL estimates the burden of this collection of information as follows: 353 Centers for Independent Living will each complete one CIL PPR annually, and it will take an estimated 35 hours per CIL for an estimated total of 12,355 hours. This burden estimate is based partly on OILP's estimates of how long CILs probably take to find the information that PPRs ask for and partly on what CILs have told OILP about how long filling out the PPRs took.

Respondent/data collection activity	Number of respondents	Responses per respondent	Hours per response	Annual burden hours
Centers for Independent Living	353	1	35	12,355

Dated: July 29, 2021.

Alison Barkoff,

Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.