Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995 concerning opportunity for public comment on proposed

collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Services Administration will publish periodic summaries of proposed

projects. To request more information on the proposed projects or to

obtain a copy of the information collection plans, call the SAMHSA

Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-7978.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collections of

information are 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.

Proposed Project: Drug and Alcohol Services Information System

(DASIS) (OMB No. 0930-0106, Revision)

The DASIS consists of three related data systems: the National

Master Facility Inventory (NMFI), the Uniform Facility Data Set (UFDS),

and the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS). The NMFI includes all known

substance abuse treatment facilities. The UFDS is an annual survey of

all substance abuse treatment facilities listed in the NMFI. The TEDS

is a compilation of client-level admission data and discharge data

submitted by States on clients treated in facilities that receive State

funds. Together, they provide information on the location, scope and

characteristics of all known drug and alcohol treatment facilities in

the United States, and the characteristics of clients receiving

services. This information is needed to assess the nature and extent of

these resources, to identify gaps in services, and to provide a

database for treatment referrals.

A request is being prepared for OMB approval of proposed revisions

to the annual UFDS survey. The following changes are proposed: (1) The

UFDS survey will be conducted by mail, rather than by telephone; (2)

Non-treatment (prevention) facilities will no longer be included in the

annual survey; (3) Some questions will be reinstated (e.g., whether

facility provides DUI/DWI services, percent of clients treated for

alcohol abuse, drug abuse, or both); (4) Several questions will be

added (e.g., whether facility treats only incarcerated or DUI/DWI

clients, whether services are provided in languages other than English,

availability of fully subsidized care or a sliding fee scale, receipt

of public funding); (5) Some questions will be deleted (e.g., whether

facility is a school, social services agency, community mental health

center, community health center, or private group practice; facility

accreditation; percent of clients being treated for substance abuse);

(6) Several questions will be revised. Changes to the TEDS and NMFI are

not planned.

Estimated annual burden for the DASIS activities is shown below.

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Number of Responses per Hours per Total burden

Type of respondent and activity respondents respondent response hours

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States

TEDS Admission Data1............................ 52 4 6 1,248

TEDS Discharge Data1............................ 13 4 6 312

NFR Update1,2................................... 56 128 0.08 573

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State Subtotal1................................. 56 .............. .............. 2,133

================================================= =================

Facilities

UFDS Questionnaire.............................. 17,000 1 .6 10,200

Pre-screening of newly-identified facilities.... 2,000 1 .08 160

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Facility Subtotal........................... 19,000 .............. .............. 10,360

================================================= =================

[[Page 2188]]

Total....................................... 19,056 .............. .............. 12,493

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1 The burden estimates for these activities are unchanged.

2 States forward to SAMHSA information on newly licensed/approved facilities and on changes in facility name,

address, status, etc. This is done electronically by nearly all States.

Send comments to Nancy Pearce, SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer,

Room 16-105, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

Dated: January 6, 2000.

Richard Kopanda,

Executive Officer, SAMHSA.

[FR Doc. 00-796 Filed 1-12-00; 8:45 am]

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