[Federal Register: September 21, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 182)]
[Notices]
[Page 55402-55403]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21se05-89]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request
Proposed Projects:
Title: Evaluation of Child Care Subsidy Strategies.
OMB No.: New Collection.
Description: To conduct four experiments to test aspects of the
child care subsidy system. Two simultaneous experiments will occur in
Cook County, Illinois; one will occur in Washington State; and one will
occur in Massachusetts.
Illinois. The State of Illinois has agreed to conduct two
simultaneous experiments, which will occur in Cook County. The first
will test the impact of receiving a child care subsidy on parental
employment and income, and on the stability of child care arrangements;
the second experiment will test the impact of losing a subsidy on the
same set of outcomes. For the first experiment, families with incomes
above the current income eligibility ceiling who apply for subsidies
will be approved to receive subsidies. In the second experiment,
families in the treatment group with incomes above the eligibility
ceiling who apply to be recertified to continue using subsidies will
remain eligible. In addition, each experiment will test the effects of
a longer certification period by certifying eligibility for some
families for six months and other families for one year. Families in
the two treatment groups will retain eligibility for subsidies over the
two-year study period, provided their income remains below the
experimental limit and they comply with other requirements (e.g.,
continue to work). Outcomes will be measured through administrative
records and periodic interviews with parents.
Washington. In Washington State, the study will test a co-payment
schedule that smoothes out what are currently abrupt increases in co-
payments that occur when a family moves from one income category to the
next and reduces the co-payment burden for many
[[Page 55403]]
families. Families that apply (or reapply) for subsidies and are
determined to be eligible under current rules will be randomly assigned
to the experimental co-payment schedule or the existing schedule.
(Families with co-payments from the experimental schedule will either
pay the same amount, or less, than families whose co-payments are
calculated using the existing schedule.) Families will retain the same
co-payment schedule for two years, provided they continue to be
eligible for subsidies. Outcomes will be measured through analysis of
administrative data and periodic interviews with parents.
Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, the study is an experimental test
of the effectiveness of a developmental curriculum implemented in
family child care homes. Family child care providers who serve
subsidized and other low-income children and are linked to family child
care networks will be randomly assigned to a treatment or control
group. Providers in the treatment group will use the developmental
curriculum and be trained through regular visits to the home by
specially trained mentors. These providers will receive materials to
use with children from 0 to 5 years of age. Providers in the control
group will receive the more general technical assistance and support
visits that they currently receive. Impacts on provider behavior and
the home environment will be measured through direct observations in
the homes. Child assessments will be conducted through provider reports
for the younger children and through standardized tests for children 30
months and older.
Respondents: Illinois. Parents who apply (or reapply) for subsidies
and are eligible and agree to be in the study will be interviewed by
telephone up to three times in the 24 months after they enter the
study.
Washington State. Parents who apply (or reapply) for subsidies and
are eligible and agree to be in the study will be interviewed by
telephone up to three times over the 24 months of the study.
Approximately 30 state employees working at the Department of Health
and Human Services in the Division of Child Care and Early Learning or
the Division of Community Service will be interviewed as part of the
implementation study.
Massachusetts. Children will be assessed 7 months after
implementing the curriculum, after 11 months, and after 23 months.
Providers will be asked to respond to a brief survey 7 and 23 months
after the study begins.
Annual Burden Estimates
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Average
Instrument Number of responses per burden hours Total burden
respondents respondent per response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Illinois parent survey......................... 5,000 1.5 .58 4,350
Washington parent survey....................... 2,000 1.5 .58 1,740
Washington process study interview............. 30 .5 .5 8
Massachusetts child assessments................ 700 1.5 .5 525
Massachusetts provider questionnaire........... 350 1 .16 56
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 6,679.
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 colleciton 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: September 15, 2005.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance, Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-18771 Filed 9-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M