[Federal Register: April 1, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 63)]
[Notices]               
[Page 17158-17159]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01ap04-83]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[30Day-39-04]

 
Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes a 
list of information collection requests under review by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call 
the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at (404) 498-1210. Send written 
comments to CDC, Desk Officer, Human Resources and Housing Branch, New 
Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 or by fax 
to (202) 395-6974. Written comments should be received within 30 days 
of this notice.
    Proposed Project: HIV/AIDS Prevention and Surveillance Project 
Reports, OMB No. 0920-0208--Extension--National Center for HIV, STD and 
TB Prevention (NCHSTP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(CDC).
    CDC is requesting to extend the use of the currently approved form, 
OMB No. 0920-0208, for collecting HIV counseling, testing, and referral 
(CTR) program data. This current form expires March 30, 2004. This 
request is for an 18-month clearance past this date. Extension of the 
current form will allow grantees to continue to collect CTR data as 
they transition to the new set of CTR variables and the new program 
evaluation and monitoring system (PEMS). Over the next year, grantees 
will either transition to the new variables once they have reprogrammed 
their existing computer systems, or as the CDC-provided PEMS is made 
available. CDC funds cooperative agreements for 65 HIV prevention 
projects (50 states, 6 cities, 7 territories, Washington, DC, and 
Puerto Rico) and approximately 50 community based organizations to 
support HIV counseling, testing, and referral programs.
    HIV counseling, testing, and referral services in STD clinics, 
women's health centers, drug treatment centers, and other health 
facilities have been described as a primary prevention strategy of the 
national HIV prevention program. The funded public health departments 
and community based organizations have increased the provision of HIV 
counseling, testing, and referral activities to those at increased risk 
for acquiring or transmitting HIV, as well as minority communities and 
women of child bearing age.
    CDC is responsible for monitoring and evaluating HIV prevention 
programs conducted under HIV prevention cooperative agreements. HIV 
counseling, testing, and referral services are a vital component of HIV 
prevention programs. Without data to monitor and evaluate the impact of 
HIV counseling, testing, and referral programs, HIV prevention program 
priorities cannot be assessed and improved to prevent further spread of 
the epidemic. CDC needs minimal core data from all grantees describing 
CTR services provided for at-risk persons. Until grantees are prepared 
for collecting the new CTR variables and reporting data electronically 
through PEMS, it is essential that they be allowed to continue to 
collect the current CTR data using the existing forms.
    Completing the initial data submission will take approximately 5 
minutes per form. Approximately two (2) million records annually are 
expected from over 11,000 directly and indirectly funded grantee 
facilities. The total estimated burden is 167,000 hours annually. This 
is the estimated burden if no one transitions to the new system during 
the year, but it is expected that many of the grantees will transition 
to PEMS in phases throughout the year. Following this notice, a 
separate data collection for PEMS will be submitted for public comment 
and will include the revised CTR data variables and associated burden 
estimate. CDC is requesting OMB approval for 18 months, during the 
transition to PEMS. The estimated annualized burden is 177 hours.

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                                                                                             No. of     Average
                                                                                 No. of     responses   burden/
                 Respondents                           Type of form           respondents      per      response
                                                                                           respondent   (in hrs)
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Statistical Assistant.......................  Locally Developed Formats.....          16            4          2
Data Entry Clerks...........................  Scanned Client Record Form....          49            4      15/60
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[[Page 17159]]

    Dated: March 26, 2004.
Joe E. Salter,
Acting Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for 
Disease Control And Prevention.
[FR Doc. 04-7312 Filed 3-31-04; 8:45 am]

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