The Administration on Aging (AoA)
through the Older Americans Act(OAA)programs provide a
comprehensive and coordinated system of home-and community-based
services to assist older adults stay in their community. The OAA
Title III-C Elderly Nutrition Services Program(ENSP) is part of
these comprehensive home-and community-based services. It is
intended to reduce hunger and food insecurity, reduce social
isolation and improve the health and well-being of the older adult
who participate. The Older Americans Act requires AoA to conduct
evaluations of OAA programs. Specifically, their effectiveness in
achieving stated goals, and in relation to their cost, their impact
on related programs, their effectiveness in targeting services to
vulnerable older individuals, and their structure and mechanisms
for delivery of services, including, comparisons with appropriate
control groups composed of persons who have not participated in
such programs. The purpose of this data collection is to fulfill
this requirement and understand how well this program is meeting
its goals and mission through the conduct of a process and outcome
evaluation that is a rigorous and independent assessment of the
Program's progress, efficiency and effectiveness. This information
collection will be used by AoA to measure how well and under what
circumstances the ENSP meets its legislative intent and goals. The
evaluation design is comprised of three primary components, but
this data collection request is only for the Process evaluation and
cost study: 1. A process study, which examines the strategies,
activities, and resources of the program at each level of the Aging
Network - State Unit on Aging (SUA), Area Agency on Aging (AAA),
and Local Service Provider (LSP); 2. A cost study, which determines
the cost per meal by cost category and program type at the local
level; and 3. A client outcome study, which examines the health and
social effects of the program on participants compared to
non-participants. Included is an analysis of the nutrient quality
of the meals provided.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.