ADMINISTRATION OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
SECTION 510 STATE ABSTINENCE EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM
PROGRAM PROGRESS REPORTS
SUPPORTING STATEMENT
1. Circumstances That Make The Collection Of Info Necessary
This is a request for OMB collection approval for revised forms (Exhibit 1) to be used in reporting on program activities for the Abstinence Education Grant Program under U.S.C. Title 42, Section 710 and 706 (see Worksheet Part 1, Information Collection Request). Section 710 defines abstinence education and references the application of Section 506 to the program. Section 506 requires the block grant recipients to submit progress reports as directed by HHS.
A total of 59 States and Territories are eligible to apply for grants under this program, including the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the following 8 Territories: American Samoa, Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.. This is also a request for OMB approval to use an online version of the collection of such forms.
The State Abstinence Education program was originally authorized by Section 912 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 (Public Law 104‑193) and is currently authorized by Senate Bill 1701, whose title is, “A bill to provide for the extension of transitional medical assistance (TMA) and the abstinence education program through the end of fiscal year 2007, and for other purposes.” The President’s Budget request for this program for fiscal year (FY) 2008 is $50 million.
The Abstinence Education Grant Program was previously administered by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) in the Health Resources and Services Agency (HRSA). In 2004, the program was transferred to the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), which is responsible for administering this program and for collecting, reviewing and using program data. The OMB Control number was changed from 0915-0291 to 9070-0271 with the transfer.
According to the Terms of Clearance of OMB Control No. 0970-0271, the program’s administering agency is required to submit to OMB an information collection change form when it is ready to create an online version of the collection, which was anticipated to happen prior to the expiration date of September 30, 2007. ACF is currently developing plans to create such an online collection system, the timing of which coincides with the approaching expiration of the collection approval.
2. Use Of Data
ACF will use the annual progress report and online data collection system to collect comparative data required to account for the annual expenditure of $50 million in Federal funds, assess the progress and impact of federally funded state abstinence education programs against ACF’s Strategic Plan goals, and provide feedback to assist State grantees.
The annual program progress report required from grantees fulfills statutory requirements for annual reports. The data collected in the progress report also fulfills requirements of OMB for setting of performance targets and assessment and validation of accomplishments.
3. Use Of Improved Information Technology To Reduce Burden
The progress report will be available electronically in a regular Word document and in a fillable Word format. Also, ACF is preparing to create an online system for the reporting of aggregate data. (The information collection is attached in the proposed SF-PPR and SF-PPR- D formats as Exhibit 1.) States are allowed to submit the forms through mail or by emailing a PDF copy and through the online system that is in development.
4. Efforts to Identify Duplication
The State Abstinence Education Grant Program collects data that, other than the organizational information, is unique to the program activities surrounding abstinence.
5. Methods To Minimize Burden
Under HRSA, State agencies funded under the State Abstinence Education Grant Program were required to report annually in their progress report on four national performance measures developed by MCHB and a minimum of two State‑developed performance measures. This was in order to fulfill public health goals that addressed Healthy People 2010. In addition, States submitted a form that tracked data on Federal and State performance measures, an activities profile, a funding profile, and forms devoted to reporting client data (unduplicated count and total encounters received) and communities served.
ACF does not collect in the annual progress report the following information which were collected by HRSA:
trend data on four national performance measures that were collected in order to address MCHB’s mission to address Healthy People 2010, which is not a part of ACF’s performance plan;
trend data on at least two state-identified performance measures
an activities profile; and
a funding profile.
ACF will also minimize burden among grantees by implementing an online data collection system.
6. Consequences To Federal Programs Or Policy Activities If The Collection Of Info Is Not Conducted
FYSB will be unable to exercise oversight and stewardship if collection of information is not conducted. It will not be able to report the program’s effectiveness or to meet the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) requirements. It will be unable to determine whether target populations are reached, identify barriers to service effectiveness and other areas of concern, or focus technical assistance and monitoring where needed.
7. Special Circumstances
None are applicable.
8. Public comments
Federal Register: On May 29, 2007, we initiated the regular clearance process with a 60 day notice in the Federal Register (Vol. 72, No. 102 / Tuesday, May 29, 2007 / Notices). No comments were received.
Federal Register: On September 5, 2007, we published a 30 day notice for comments to OMB for their review within the Federal Register (Vol. 72, No. 171 /September 5, 2007 / Notices). No comments were received.
Payment or Gifts to Respondents
There is no remuneration of any kind for respondents.
10. Assurance of Confidentiality
This instrument only acquires aggregate caseload information. Protection of privacy and individual case files is a responsibility of the agency, but FYSB may examine agency diligence in this regard through onsite monitoring or other means.
11. Justification of Questions of a Sensitive Nature
There are no questions of a sensitive nature in the State Abstinence Education Grant Program progress report.
12. Estimates of Respondent Burden
The burden estimate for the original information collected by HRSA was 130 hours, based upon information provided by six pilot States. Based on a reduction in forms collected, the estimated total average is now 122 hours per progress report. ACF increased the number of respondents from the number that applied in a given year (51) to the total possible (59).
Instrument |
Number of Respondents |
Response per Respondent |
Average Burden Hours per Response |
Total Burden Hours |
Wage Rate |
Total Hour Cost |
SF-PPR Performance Narrative Report |
59 |
1 |
42 |
2,478 |
20 |
49,560 |
SF-PPR-D Table of Activities |
59 |
1 |
80 |
4,720 |
20 |
94,400 |
Total |
59 |
1 |
122 |
7,198 |
20 |
143,960 |
13. Estimates Of Annualized Cost Burden To Respondents
The current OMB inventory of annualized cost burden to respondent indicates that there are no capital or startup costs associated with this data collection. Therefore, there is no cost burden to respondents.
14. Estimates Of Annualized Cost To The Federal Government
There is no cost burden to the federal government.
15. Reasons For Change In Burden
The burden estimate for the original information collected by HRSA was based upon information provided by six pilot States. The estimated total average was 130 hours per progress report per State or Jurisdiction. Under ACF, four forms have been deleted from the annual progress report. Therefore, the burden hours per response have been reduced by 8 hours for the annual reports, the approximate amount of time the deleted forms took to complete. Remaining forms are more complicated and include data collected from sub-grantees.
However, the total burden hours increased from 6,630 to 7,198 because ACF increased the number of respondents.
16. Time
Schedule, Publication And Analysis Plan
The grant application document for this block grant program is published annually by May 15 and includes the program progress report. Applications by grantees are due annually on July 15 and are reviewed in subsequent months, with applicants being notified of award by September 15. Annual reports by grantees are due annually on December 29.
Aggregation of data from annual reports will begin each year in January after receipt of reports from grantees. It is estimated that data analysis and verification will take two to three months to complete, allowing for ample contact with grantee personnel to verify data, make any corrections, or resolve issues or questions.
17. Expiration Date
The expiration date will be displayed.
18. Exceptions To Certifications, Certification Requirements And Employing Statistical Methods
There are no exceptions to the certification statement identified in item 19 of the OMB 83-I; this project meets all requirements of 5 CFR 1320.9. This information collection does not employ statistical methods as indicated in OMB 83-I item 17.
ATTACHMENTS TO SUPPORTING STATEMENT
Exhibit 1—Draft Program Progress Report Forms
SF-PPR (HHS/ACF/FYSB/Abstinence Education Program) and
SF-PPR-D Table of Activity Results, Sections A-D
| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | REQUEST FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL UNDER THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT AND 5 CFR 1320 |
| Author | Computer User |
| File Modified | 2007-09-17 |
| File Created | 2007-09-12 |