2015-25658. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Periodically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will publish a summary of information collection requests under OMB review, in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these documents, call the SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer on [phone].

Project: National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) (OMB No. 0930-0106)—Revision

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is requesting a revision of the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment (N-SSATS) data collection (OMB No. 0930-0106), which expires on January 31, 2016. N-SSATS provides both national and state-level data on the numbers and types of patients treated and the characteristics of facilities providing substance abuse treatment services. It is conducted under the authority of Section 505 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa-4) to meet the specific mandates for annual information about public and private substance abuse treatment providers and the clients they serve.

This request includes:

• Collection of N-SSATS, which is an annual survey of substance abuse treatment facilities; and
• Updating of the Inventory of Behavioral Health Services (I-BHS) which is the facility universe for the N-SSATS as well as the annual survey of mental health treatment facilities, the National Mental Health Services Survey (N-MHSS). The I-BHS includes all substance abuse treatment and mental health treatment facilities known to SAMHSA. (The N-MHSS data collection is covered under OMB No. 0930-0119.)

The information in I-BHS and N-SSATS is needed to assess the nature and extent of these resources, to identify gaps in services, and to provide a database for treatment referrals. Both I-BHS and N-SSATS are components of the Behavioral Health Services Information System (BHSIS).

The request for OMB approval will include a request to update the I-BHS facility listing on a continuous basis and to conduct the N-SSATS and the between cycle N-SSATS (N-SSATS BC) in 2016, 2017, and 2018. The N-SSATS BC is a procedure for collecting services data from newly identified facilities between main cycles of the survey and will be used to improve the listing of treatment facilities in the online Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator.

Planned Changes

I-BHS: No changes.

N-SSATS: The N-SSATS with client counts will continue to be conducted in alternate years, as in the past with an alternate version of the N-SSATS questionnaire that includes workforce questions as well as questions to update the Treatment Locator conducted in the interim years.

Version B (2016 and 2018)

The workforce questions will be conducted in even years in place of the “locator” version of N-SSATS that was completed in even years previously.

The following questions have been deleted:

Questions on religious affiliation, standard operating procedures, how (paper/electronic/both) a facility performs selected activities, questions about reporting client counts, including how the facility will complete client counts; number of facilities in client counts; names and addresses of additional facilities reported for; number of hospital inpatient client counts by category, by number under age 18, number receiving methadone, buprenorphine, or Vivitrol®, and number of dedicated beds; number of residential client counts by category, by number under age 18, and number receiving methadone, buprenorphine, or Vivitrol®, and number of dedicated beds; number of outpatient client counts by category, by number under age 18, and number receiving methadone, buprenorphine, or Vivitrol®, and capacity indicator; type of substance abuse problem, percent of co-occurring clients; and 12-month admissions, and the National Provider Identifier (NPI).

The following questions have been added:

A new question has been added to ascertain the numbers of types of workforce staff and the average number of hours worked per week for each type of staff. Three questions, one for each of the major types of treatment (hospital inpatient, residential, and outpatient) have been added asking for an overall number of active clients on the survey reference date; the purpose is to provide an indication of size of facility for analysis of the added workforce questions.

A question asking overall numbers of active clients in the facility that received methadone, buprenorphine, or Vivitrol® for detoxification or maintenance purposes has been added to aid in the analysis of the added workforce question.

Version A (2017)

Client counts will be conducted in odd years. The National Provider Identifier (NPI) number question has been deleted.

N-SSATS (Between Cycles-BC): No changes.

Estimated annual burden for the DASIS activities is shown below:

Type of respondent and activity	Number of respondents	Responses per respondent	Total responses	Hours per response	Total burden hours
STATES
I-BHS Online 1	56	75	4,200	0.08	336
State Subtotal	56		4,200		336
FACILITIES
I-BHS application 2	600	1	600	0.08	48
Augmentation screener	2,000	1	2,000	0.08	160
N-SSATS questionnaire	17,000	1	17,000	0.61	10,370
N-SSATS BC	2,000	1	2,000	0.42	840
Facility Subtotal	21,600		21,600		11,418
Total	21,656		25,800		11,754
1 States use the I-BHS Online system to submit information on newly licensed/approved facilities and on changes in facility name, address, status, etc.
2 New facilities complete and submit the online I-BHS application form in order to get listed on the Inventory.

Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed information collection should be sent by November 9, 2015 to the SAMHSA Desk Officer at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB). To ensure timely receipt of comments, and to avoid potential delays in OMB's receipt and processing of mail sent through the U.S. Postal Service, commenters are encouraged to submit their comments to OMB via email to: [e-mail]. Although commenters are encouraged to send their comments via email, commenters may also fax their comments to: 202-395-7285. Commenters may also mail them to: Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, New Executive Office Building, Room 10102, Washington, DC 20503.

Summer King,

Statistician.