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 to provide the opportunity for public comment on proposed

information collection activities, the Substance Abuse and Mental

Health Services Administration publishes periodic summaries of proposed

activities. To request more information on the proposed activities or

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

Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-0525.

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. FY 1999-2001 Substance Abuse

Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Application Format--Revision--The

Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x 21-35 & 51-64) authorizes

[[Page 2992]]

block grants to States for the purpose of providing substance abuse

prevention and treatment services. Under the provisions of the law,

States may receive allotments only after an application is submitted

and approved by the Secretary, DHHS. For the FY 1999 Substance Abuse

Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant cycle, SAMHSA plans to

provide States with slightly modified application forms and

instructions. These changes affect the portion of the application that

asks for information related to section 1926 (sales of tobacco to

minors). The application will no longer require a description of

sampling methodologies and procedures for identifying and selecting

tobacco outlets to be sampled throughout a State, unless a change to

such methodologies or procedures has occurred in the previous year. The

application will provide for more detailed information on the results

and validity of the random unannounced inspections, and it will request

greater detail on the number and results of actual enforcement

activities that a State has undertaken. At the request of the

Department, SAMHSA plans to include an additional tobacco-related

question to Attachment 6 of the application. This question will require

States to briefly describe collaboration between each State's Tobacco

and Health Office (ASTHO representative) and Single State Authority for

Substance Abuse (NASADAD representative). Because Federal funds for

tobacco prevention and control efforts are, in most cases, awarded to

different State-level agencies, it is necessary for the Department and

SAMHSA to verify and understand interactions at the State level on

youth tobacco prevention and enforcement. SAMHSA also plans to modify

Attachment 2 to include an additional question regarding tobacco use

among minors. Finally, SAMHSA will modify the race/ethnicity categories

in Form 9 to comply with recent revisions to OMB Directive No. 15.

These modifications are not expected to increase respondent burden. The

annual burden estimate for the SAPT Block Grant Application Format is

shown below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Responses Hours

Number of respondents per per Total

respondent response hours

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1\1\..................................... 1 530 530

59....................................... 1 563 33,217

------------------------------

Total.................................. .......... ........ 33,747

------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Red Lake Indian Tribe (exempt from Tobacco Regulation requirements).

Send comments to Deborah Trunzo, 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 12, 1998.

Richard Kopanda,

Executive Officer, SAMHSA.

[FR Doc. 98-1202 Filed 1-16-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4162-20-U