[Federal Register: November 15, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 219)]
[Notices]
[Page 69343-69344]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15no05-65]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Title: Evaluation of the Refugee Social Service (RSS) and Targeted
Assistance Formula Grant (TAG) 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
[[Page 69344]]
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 an earnings outcomes; (3) two to
four 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Average
Instrument Number of responses per burden hours Total burden
respondents respondent per response hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interviews with program staff................... 60 1 1 60
Interviews with employers....................... 12 1 2 24
Survey of refugees.............................. 900 1 0.75 675
Focus group with program clients................ 70 1 2 140
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Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 899.
Additional Information
Copies of the proposed collection may be obtained 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. All requests
should be identified by the title of the information collection. E-mail
address: infocollection@acf.hhs.gov.
OMB Comment
OMB is required to make a decision concerning the collection of
information between 30 and 60 days after publication of this document
in the Federal Register. Therefore, a comment is best assured of having
its full effect if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication.
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information
collection should be sent directly to the following: Office of
Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, Attn: Desk Officer
for ACF, E-mail address: Katherine_T._Astrich@omb.eop.gov.
Dated: November 8, 2005.
Robert Sargis,
Reports Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-22625 Filed 11-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M