Proposed Information Collection Activity; OPRE Data Collection for Supporting Youth To Be Successful in Life (SYSIL) (New Collection)

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

Proposed Information Collection Activity; OPRE Data Collection for Supporting Youth To Be Successful in Life (SYSIL) (New Collection)

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Request for public comment.

SUMMARY:

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is requesting approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new data collection. The Supporting Youth to be Successful in Life study (SYSIL) will build evidence on how to end homelessness among youth and young adults with experience in the child welfare system by continuing work with an organization who conducted foundational work as part of the Youth At-Risk of Homelessness project (OMB Control Number: 0970-0445). SYSIL will provide important information to the field by designing and conducting a federally led evaluation of a comprehensive service model for youth at risk of homelessness.

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, ACF 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 emailing

OPREinfocollection@acf.hhs.gov.

Alternatively, copies can also be obtained 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. All requests, emailed or written, should be identified by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description:

The SYSIL evaluation includes an implementation study and an impact study, which will use a rigorous quasi-experimental design that includes a comparison group. This new information collection request includes the baseline and follow-up survey instruments for the impact study (a single instrument administered four times), and discussion guides for interviews and focus groups and the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) for the implementation study. The data collected from the baseline and follow-up surveys will be used to describe the characteristics of the study sample of youth, develop models for estimating program impacts, and determine program effectiveness by comparing outcomes between youth in the treatment (youth receiving the Pathways program) and control groups. Data from the interviews and focus groups will provide a detailed understanding of program implementation. The study will also use administrative data from the child welfare system, homelessness management information system, and program providers. Administrative data will be used in its existing format and does not impose any new information collection or recordkeeping requirements on respondents.

Respondents:

The baseline and follow-up surveys will be administered to youth in the treatment group (youth receiving the Pathways program) and youth in the control group who consent to participate in the study. Interviews will be conducted with program leadership and staff. Focus groups will be conducted with a subset of youth who are participating in the study. The WAI will be completed by Pathways youth and their caseworkers.

Annual Burden Estimates

Instrument

Number of

respondents

(total over

request

period)

Number of

responses per

respondent

(total over

request

period)

Avg. burden

per response

(in hours)

Total burden

(in hours)

Annual burden

(in hours)

SYSIL Youth Survey—Baseline survey

700

1

.5

350

117

SYSIL Youth Survey—Follow-up survey 1 (6 months)

630

1

.5

315

105

SYSIL Youth Survey—Follow-up survey 2 (12 months)

595

1

.5

298

99

SYSIL Youth Survey—Follow-up survey 3 (24 months)

372

1

.5

186

62

Interview guide for Pathways sites (treatment sites)

30

1

1.5

45

15

Interview guide for comparison sites

30

1

1.5

45

15

Focus group discussion guide for Pathways youth (treatment youth)

50

1

1.5

75

25

Focus group discussion guide for comparison youth

50

1

1.5

75

25

Working Alliance Inventory for Pathways youth

400

1

.08

32

11

Working Alliance Inventory for Pathways case workers

40

10

.08

32

11

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:

485.

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:

Section 105(b)(5) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 5106(b)(5)), as amended by the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-320).

Mary B. Jones,

ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.

[FR Doc. 2020-28886 Filed 12-29-20; 8:45 am]

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