Justification

SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

Disaster Behavioral Health Customer Feedback Survey

A. Product/Activity To Be Assessed

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is requesting approval to conduct SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) Customer Feedback Survey. This was previously approved under OMB No. 0930-0325, which is due to expire on January 31, 2020.

The SAMHSA DTAC Customer Feedback Survey (CFS) is designed to allow the agency to collect feedback on the overall effectiveness of the services provided by SAMHSA DTAC, as well as ongoing data regarding disaster behavioral health (DBH) (mental health and substance use-related) needs at the national level and areas that require enhanced training and technical assistance (TA) services. Data from this effort will continue to be used to improve services to jurisdictions, which will lead to (1) better integration of DBH needs with all-hazards disaster preparedness and response and (2) improved outcomes at the state, territory, tribal, and local levels with less burden on participants.

Beginning in 2010, SAMHSA DTAC began collecting customer feedback data on an annual basis. The results from these surveys have assisted SAMHSA DTAC in better supporting current needs and challenges in the DBH field. They also have provided ongoing feedback on the training and resource materials produced, the effectiveness of the various methods through which SAMHSA DTAC staff engage with individuals in the field, and the need for materials and TA covering emerging crisis counseling topics.

B. Purpose and Use of the Information Collected

The data to be collected will provide SAMHSA DTAC with comprehensive feedback on the services it provides. The proposed data collection will provide feedback on how to maximize the usefulness of SAMHSA DTAC’s services as well as identify needs at the national, state, and local levels that require enhanced training and TA services. The ever-changing needs of the DBH field require continual feedback to ensure SAMHSA DTAC provides training and TA that addresses current needs.

The SAMHSA DTAC CFS (Attachment A1) will gather data from SAMHSA DTAC’s existing and potential customers to ensure that the assistance SAMHSA DTAC provides is up to date, applicable, useful, and well-received. The CFS will collect the experiences and perspectives of (1) those who have requested TA and/or training (e.g., DBH coordinators, project coordinators, and local providers); (2) those who subscribe to SAMHSA DTAC’s e-communications; and (3) individuals who are aware of SAMHSA DTAC but may not have used the resources available, i.e., potential customers. The SAMHSA DTAC CFS will collect information on the following:

• Familiarity with and use of SAMHSA DTAC services and resources

• Satisfaction with SAMHSA DTAC TA, the SAMHSA DTAC website, SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series resources, SAMHSA DTAC web-based training, and SAMHSA DTAC e-communications

• Need for additional DBH materials and training

• Recommendations for enhancement of SAMHSA DTAC services and resources

• Participant background and demographics

C. Use of Information Technology

Through the use of technology, SAMHSA DTAC has made every effort to limit the burden on individual respondents. The CFS will be administered via the web using software that employs skip logic to avoid questions not relevant to that respondent.

Web-based Data Collection and Management

The web-based survey will be programmed to include simplified screens and intuitive navigational controls (e.g., previous and next page buttons, progress bar) to achieve greater accuracy in response entry and greater participant usability. Web-based administration allows for the use of sophisticated branching so that each respondent will be presented with only those questions relevant to his or her experiences with SAMHSA DTAC; irrelevant questions will be masked through skip logic. The look and feel of the web survey instrument will be customized using SAMHSA logos and colors, as appropriate.

Data for the web-based administrations will be electronically gathered through the internet. The electronic data will be stored on our secure server in a password-protected folder. In addition, all survey sample lists will be maintained in password-protected folders. Only authorized staff will be given access to the files.

D. Assurance of Confidentiality

Web-based data collection will be utilized for the CFS. Each respondent will be sent a personalized link to the survey to facilitate reminder emails by targeting the reminder emails to only those participants who have not yet completed the survey; however, the survey sample list and survey responses will be stored in separate password-protected folders on the contractor’s secure server. Descriptive information will be collected from respondents, but no identifying information will be entered or stored in the web-based data repository.

The CFS is a web-based instrument. Sample lists used to contact survey participants will be maintained in password-protected folders separate from those containing survey responses. Survey participants will not be asked to provide personally identifiable information in the survey, and all survey sample lists and participant responses will be maintained in password-protected folders. Only authorized staff from the IQ research team will be given access to the files. IQ staff members who are involved in data analysis are required to undergo security awareness training annually.

No plans to publish any data.

E. Estimates of Annualized Burdens and Costs

Table 1 shows the estimated burden associated with CFS data collection activities and the associated costs. It is anticipated that the survey will be administered once each year.

Table 1. Annualized Estimate of Respondent Burden

Instrument	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Total Number of Responses	Hours per Response per Respondent	Total Burden Hours	Hourly Wage Rate ($)1	Total Cost ($)
SAMHSA DTAC Customer Feedback Survey	200	1	200	0.3	60	$25.10	$1,506

¹Wage data sources:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics. National compensation survey. Retrieved September 24, 2019 from https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm ($25.12)

F. Estimates of Annualized Cost to the Government

CMHS has planned and allocated resources for the management, processing, and use of the collected information in a manner that will enhance its utility to agencies and the public. Table 2 shows the associated government costs for the SAMHSA DTAC CFS.

It is estimated that CMHS will allocate 0.30 of a full-time equivalent each year for government oversight of the data collection. Assuming an annual salary of $80,000, these government costs will be $24,000 per year. The estimated annual cost for survey development and maintenance, data collection, and analysis is $160,000.

Table 2. Annualized Estimate of Government Costs

Task	Total Cost
Government Oversight	$24,000
Contract Costs for Survey Development and Maintenance, Data Collection, Analysis, and Report Writing	$160,000
Annual Total	$184,000

Total annual costs, including respondent burden and government costs, are estimated at $184,000.

G. Statistical Methods

1. Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods

SAMHSA DTAC Customer Feedback Survey (CFS). Participation in the CFS will be solicited from customers in all 50 states, the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. Prior to data collection, the SAMHSA DTAC database will be reviewed to generate a list of technical assistance (TA) recipients as well as subscribers to SAMHSA DTAC’s e-communication resources, the SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin or The Dialogue. The CFS will be administered once per year of the SAMHSA DTAC contract.

2. Procedures for Collection of Information

The SAMHSA DTAC survey team will be responsible for managing all data collection activities.

The CFS will be a census of those who have requested TA within the previous 12 months and of those subscribed to SAMHSA DTAC’s e-communications, the SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin or The Dialogue. The lists of potential respondents will be generated from the SAMHSA DTAC TA database and lists of subscribers to the SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin and The Dialogue. The two lists will be compared by email address, and duplicate addresses will be removed. Upon survey launch, an email will be sent to all prospective participants, with a link to the web survey and information on the purpose of the survey. The first page of the survey will contain the consent to participate form that participants will be required to read and agree to before starting the survey. This form will contain language about voluntary participation. Only participants who agree to participate by checking the “Start Survey” box on the survey landing page will be directed to the survey. Three follow-up reminder emails will be sent to study participants who have not yet completed the survey, as needed during the data collection period.

3. Methods To Maximize Response

To maximize response rates, SAMHSA DTAC will develop customized introductory emails with a survey link, functionality to start and stop the survey without losing responses, and reminder emails. A paper version of the survey will be available to anyone who requests it. Throughout the period that the survey is open, a survey helpdesk email address ([email protected]) and toll-free number (1–800–308–3515) will be available to participants to address any questions they may have as they are completing the survey.

4. Tests of Procedures

The current SAMHSA DTAC contractor, IQ Solutions, Inc., piloted the previous version of the CFS in 2017. Pilot testing was conducted in environments and settings similar to those in which intended CFS respondents will complete the new survey. As part of pilot testing and survey development, the data collection tools were refined to make them as clear as possible. In addition, all survey data collection materials, including recruitment notifications, were reviewed by survey research experts and TA specialists for quality of content and methodology. The CFS was also tested to determine average burden estimates.

The survey will continue to employ skip logic to minimize the number of inapplicable questions asked of each respondent.

5. Statistical Consultants

SAMHSA DTAC has full responsibility for the development of the overall statistical design and assumes oversight responsibility for data collection and analysis. The following individual is responsible for overseeing instrument design and data collection:

Abigail Woodroffe, Ph.D.

Senior Program Evaluator

SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center

C/O IMPAQ International

60 William St., Suite 100

Wellesley, MA 02481

Tel. 781–772–3742

[email protected]

The following SAMHSA project officers are responsible for receiving and approving deliverables:

Nikki Bellamy, Ph.D.

Center for Mental Health Services

SAMHSA

5600 Fishers Lane, 14E05D
Rockville, MD 20857

Tel. 240–276–2418

[email protected]

Erik Hierholzer

Project Management Officer

SAMHSA

5600 Fishers Lane, 14E01D
Rockville, MD 20857

Tel. 240–276–0408

[email protected]

List of Attachments

Attachment A: Customer Feedback Survey

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