Description of changes

INFORMATION FOR OMB PRA WORKSHEET

August 20^th, 2008

Based on information learned from conducting 13 additional pretests since our initial OMB approval on 7/11/08 (OMB Control Number: 2900-0713), we would like to request minor modifications to our survey.

Burden hour estimate: The changes we propose will not affect the estimated burden hours.

Summary of proposed changes:

• Removal of 6 items assessing number of nights stayed in various treatment settings

  • Items removed (initial submission item numbers): MHSU3, MHSU5, MHSU6, MHSU8, MHSU10, MHSU11

  • Rationale: Our pretesting demonstrated that veterans have difficulty distinguishing between overnight stays at a DOM or domiciliary, residential treatment, and non-treatment housing. Nearly all veterans were familiar with psychiatric hospitals. Therefore we retained two items assessing the number of nights veterans stayed at a VA psychiatric hospital or a non-VA psychiatric hospital (revised submission item numbers: MHSU3, MHSU5) and removed items referring to the domiciliary and residential treatment facilities.

  • Minor formatting and numbering changes were made to accommodate this change.

• Addition of the 5 remaining items from the VR-12

  • Items added (revised submission item numbers): FUNCT2, FUNCT3, FUNCT4, FUNCT5, FUNCT8

  • Rationale: We initially excluded items from the physical health component score due to limitations on the length of the survey. Given that we have removed 6 items assessing overnight stays, we can add these items without increasing the burden hour. In addition, all items from the VR-12 are needed to accurately compute both the mental health component score and the physical health component score.

  • Minor formatting and numbering changes were made to accommodate this change.

• Removal of last two response options from SATISF3

  • Rationale: The removal of the last two response options encourages the veteran to express an opinion on whether he/she would prefer to receive services within the VA or outside of the VA.

• We made minor wording changes to the following items to improve clarity when administered by telephone (revised submission item numbers): DEMO5, MHSU2, MHSU3, MHSU4, MHSU5. These changes are tracked in the revised survey.

• We have also made additional minor formatting changes (e.g., bolding, capitalization, skip instructions) and training notes for our telephone interviewers. These changes do not affect the survey itself, or the burden hour, but they will ensure that the survey is administered consistently by the telephone interviewers.