Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collections; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collections;

Comment Request

The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the

Secretary will periodically publish summaries of proposed information

collections projects and solicit public comments in compliance with the

requirements of Section 3506(c)((2)((A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1995. To request more information on the project or to obtain a copy

of the information collection plans and instruments, call the OS

Reports Clearance Officer on (202) 690-6207.

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 Projects 1. A National Assessment of Linguistically and

Culturally Appropriate Services in Managed Care Organizations Serving

Racially and Ethnically Diverse Populations--NEW--The Office of

Minority Health proposes to conduct a mixed telephone and mail survey

with a national random sample of managed care organizations serving

racially and ethnically diverse communities. The survey will provide

data on the prevalence of policies and practices that promote the

delivery of linguistically and culturally appropriate services by

managed care organizations, and the factors that facilitate and detract

from the implementation of such policies and practices. The data

collected will inform the Office of Minority Health about the current

nature and extent of such services and identify ways in which such

efforts can be extended. Respondents: Business or other for-profit;

Non-profit organizations; Number of Respondents: 320; Response per

Respondent: 3; Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes; Total Burden:

480 hours.

Send comments to Cynthia Agens Bauer, OS Reports Clearance Officer,

Room 503H, Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington

DC, 20201. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this

notice.

Dated: June 25, 1998.

Dennis P. Williams,

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Budget.

[FR Doc. 98-17786 Filed 7-2-98; 8:45 am]

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