Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB

Review; Comment Request

Periodically, the Health Resources and Services Administration

(HRSA) publishes abstracts of information collection requests under

review by the Office of Management and Budget, in compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a

copy of the clearance requests submitted to OMB for review, call the

HRSA Reports Clearance Office on (301)-443-1129.

The following request has been submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of

1995:

Proposed Project: Grantee Reporting Requirements for the Rural

Health Network Development Grant Program (OMB No. 0915-0218)--Revision.

This is a request for extension of the reporting requirements for

the Rural Network Development Grant Program authorized by section 330A

of the Public Health Service Act as amended by the Health Centers

Consolidation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-229). The purpose of the

program is to assist in the development of vertically integrated

[[Page 4883]]

networks of health care providers in rural communities. Grantees will

be working to change the delivery system in their service areas and

will be using the Federal funds to develop network capabilities.

Grantees submit annual reports which provide information on

progress towards goals and objectives of the network, progress toward

developing the governance and organizational arrangements for the

network, specific network activities, certain financial data related to

the grant budget, and health care services provided by the network. The

information is used to evaluate progress on the grants, to understand

barriers to network development in rural areas, to identify grantees in

need of technical assistance, and to identify best practices in the

development of provider networks in rural communities. The information

is also used to begin to evaluate the impact of networks on access to

care. To minimize the burden on grantees, the reports will are

submitted electronically. The estimated burden is as follows:

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Number of Responses per Hours per Total hour

Form respondents respondent response burden

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

Baseline........................................ 16 1 2 32

Tracking........................................ 50 1 1 50

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Total....................................... 50 .............. .............. 82

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Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed

information collection should be sent within 30 days of this notice to:

Wendy A. Taylor, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of

Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235,

Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: January 26, 1999.

Jane Harrison,

Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.

[FR Doc. 99-2231 Filed 1-29-99; 8:45 am]

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