[Federal Register: November 1, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 210)]
[Notices]
[Page 63399-63400]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01no04-92]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Proposed Projects
Title: ACF/HHS Supporting Healthy Marriage (SHM) Evaluation Focus
Groups.
OMB No.: New Collection.
Description: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF),
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is conducting a
demonstration and evaluation called the Supporting Healthy Marriage
(SHM) Project. The project is a large-scale, multi-site, multi-year,
rigorous test of marriage education programs for interested low-income
married couples, and is based on a substantial body of research that
has shown a relationship between healthy marriages and a variety of
positive child and family outcomes. The SHM Project is designed to
inform program operators and policymakers of the most effective ways to
help couples who voluntarily choose to participate in demonstrations
designed to strengthen and maintain healthy marriages. The focus groups
will provide key information about the perspectives of low-to-moderate-
income couples regarding marriage, relationships, and marriage
education programs; assist ACF and program managers in designing
responsive healthy marriage programs; and will help to ensure that the
project is testing the strongest possible program models for its target
populations.
Respondents: The respondents will be selected to represent low-to-
moderate income couples in each of the following categories, whose
views can help us to design effective SHM programs: Married couples and
those planning to marry, couples with and without children, and couples
who have had experience with marriage education programs as well as
those who have not. There will also be an effort to include African
American and Hispanic couples. Focus groups will be divided into
separate discussions for those who are married and for those who are
planning to marry. Each of these focus groups will be further separated
into discussions for couples, for men only, and for women only. Each
focus group will have approximately 10 respondents for a total of 180
respondents over 2 years (approximately 12 focus groups will take place
in the first year and 6 focus groups in the second). Total burden hours
are listed in the table that follows.
Annual Burden Estimates
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Number of Average
Instrument Number of responses per burden hours Total burden
respondents respondent per response hours
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Married Mixed Gender Focus Group Protocol....... 40 1 2 80
Married Male Focus Group Protocol............... 40 1 2 80
Married Female Focus Group Protocol............. 40 1 2 80
Planning-to-Marry Mixed Gender Focus Group...... 20 1 2 40
Planning-to-Marry Male Focus Group Protocol..... 20 1 2 40
Planning-to-Marry Female Focus Group Protocol... 20 1 2 40
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[[Page 63400]]
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 360.
In compliance with the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Administration for Children and
Families is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the
information collection described above. Copies of the proposed
collection of information can be obtained and comments may be forwarded
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of
Administration, Office of Information Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade,
SW., Washington, DC 20447, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. E-mail
address: grjohnson@acf.hhs.gov. All requests should be identified by
the title of the information collection.
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.
Dated: October 26, 2004.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-24346 Filed 10-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M