Justification for Change

Justification for the modification of 0920-0696, “HIV Prevention Program Evaluation and Monitoring System for Health Departments and Community-Based Organizations”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requests to add four variables to the NHM&E data set and modify the HIV test form included in the currently-approved data collection, 0920-0696 called National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring and Evaluation (NHM&E) Data (formerly HIV Prevention Program Evaluation and Monitoring System for Health Departments and Community-Based Organizations (PEMS)).

The NHM&E data are a set of standardized variables to assist CBOs and HDs in monitoring and evaluating their activities to help them develop, deliver, and refine successful HIV prevention interventions. These data are also used to report key program performance indicators to CDC to show whether the programs implemented or supported are efficient and effective in achieving their stated goals.

NHM&E data supply program managers with service-level information regarding intervention processes (e.g., who delivered what to whom, how many, where, and when) and client-level information (e.g., client demographics, behavioral risk factors, exposure to services, verified referrals into other services, and changes in risk-behaviors for selected interventions) for monitoring and enhancing local HIV prevention programs. Much of these data are already being collected by CBOs and HDs using locally developed forms.

NHM&E variables have been designed with input by representatives from HDs, CBOs, and other HIV prevention partners. The NHM&E variables were approved by OMB on 09/18/10 and will expire on 8/31/13. Under a new Funding Opportunity Announcement for Health Departments to be awarded in 2012, there will be slight changes in the required variables related to HIV testing. There are no required forms for NHM&E data collection. However, there is an optional 3-part form for the scanning of counseling and testing (CT) data and a parallel testing data entry form module in the PEMS software as a convenience to PEMS users. This form was included in the approved OMB package. This change request is to modify both the required HIV testing variables and that form.

CDC is requesting to add four variables to the NHM&E data variables and slightly modify the value choices under thirteen approved variables. In addition, on the HIV testing form, we request to remove seven variables that were determined to be not necessary or were not usable for analysis due to poor response rates and replace them with three approved variables and the four new variables in order to obtain additional data about transgender status, source of funding for the HIV test, and, for HIV positive clients, prior testing status and provision of referral to HIV prevention services and partner services. (See attached specifications of variable changes.) Since there are no significant total changes in the number of variables and no changes in the estimated number of tests or time to complete the form, we are not anticipating any change in burden or cost.