[Federal Register: May 20, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 97)]
[Notices]
[Page 29317-29318]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20my05-104]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Proposed Projects
Title: Evaluation of the Refugee Social Service (RSS) and Targeted
Assistance Formula Grant (TAB) Programs: Data Collection.
OMB No.: New Collection.
Description: The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) funds the Refugee
Social Services (RSS) and Targeted Assistance Formula Grant (TAG)
programs, which are designed to help refugees achieve economic success
quickly following their arrival in the U.S. through employment
services, English-language instruction, vocational training, and other
social services. ORR is sponsoring a project to (1) conduct a
comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of ORR employability
services through RSS and TAG, and (2) propose options for
institutionalizing ongoing evaluation and performance assessment into
the programs.
ORR is requesting OMB clearance for three methods of information
collection: (1) Interviews with state and local refugee program
administrators and service providers in three sites to learn about
service delivery and organizational arrangements, and with a small
number of local employers who work with RSS- and TAG-funded service
providers to learn about their experiences with the programs; (2) A
sample of 1,125 refugees to collect data on refugees' employment and
earnings outcomes; (3) Two to three focus groups with seven to ten
program clients in each of the three sites to obtain customer
perspectives of the services they received and their adjustment
experiences.
Respondents: (1) Interviews will be conducted with three state
refugee coordinators, voluntary agency (VOLAG) and Mutual Assistance
Association (MAA) staff, local RSS and TAG service providers, and
employers who employ significant numbers of refugees. (2) The
respondents of the survey are refugees who have been in the United
States for fewer than five years, and, thus, are eligible for RSS and
TAG services. The survey relies on a mixed-mode data collection method
that involves both telephone and in-person interviews. If individuals
cannot be reached by phone, an attempt will be made to contact them in
person. Approximately 900 of the 1,125 refugees sampled will complete
the survey over a nine-week period.
(3) Respondents of the focus groups will include refugees who have
received RSS-and TAG-funded services. Approximately 70 refugees will
participate in the focus groups.
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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Interviews with program staff................... 60 1 1 60
Interviews with employers....................... 12 1 2 24
Survey of refugees.............................. 900 1 0.5 450
Focus group with program clients................ 70 1 2 140
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 674.
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
[[Page 29318]]
comments and suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication.
Dated: May 16, 2005.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-10125 Filed 5-19-05; 8:45 am]
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