Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection:

Comment Request

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

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on

proposed data collection projects, the Health Resources and Services

Administration (HRSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed

projects being developed for submission to OMB under the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995. To request more information on the proposed

project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and

instruments, call the HRSA Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-1129.

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.

Proposed Project

Voluntary Customer Surveys of ``Partners'' of the Health Resources and

Services Administration--NEW

In response to Executive Order 12862, Setting Customer Service

Standards, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is

proposing to conduct voluntary customer surveys of its ``partners'' to

assess strengths and weaknesses in program services. HRSA partners are

typically State or local governments, health care facilities, health

care consortia, health care providers, and researchers. Partner surveys

to be conducted by HRSA might include, for example, surveys of grantees

to determine satisfaction with the technical assistance, or surveys of

providers who receive training from HRSA grantees to measure

satisfaction with the training experience. Results of

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these surveys will be used to plan and redirect resources and efforts

as needed to improve service. A generic approval will be requested from

OMB to conduct partner surveys. Focus groups, in-class evaluation

forms, mail surveys, and telephone surveys are expected to be the

preferred methodologies. An estimate of annual burden is shown below.

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Average burden/

Type of survey Number of Responses per response Total hours of

respondents respondent (hours) burden

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In-class evaluations............................ 40,000 1 0.05 2,000

Mail/telephone surveys.......................... 6,000 1 0.25 1,500

Focus groups.................................... 100 1 1.5 150

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Total....................................... 46,100 1 0.08 3,650

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Send comments to Patricia Royston, HRSA Reports Clearance Officer,

Room 14-36, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

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

Dated: November 26, 1996.

J. Henry Montes,

Associate Administrator for Policy Coordination.

[FR Doc. 96-30725 Filed 12-2-96; 8:45 am]

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