SSA Youth Outreach 032417

Goal of the study: It is the goal of this generic to facilitate outreach efforts in the fields of math and science to young people (K through college) and those who support them.
Intended use of the resulting data: Data collected will be analyzed to inform future NCHS planning activities.
Methods to be used to collect: Data will be collected using a combination of methodologies appropriate to each proposed project. These are anticipated to include application forms, letters of recommendation, evaluation forms, surveys, and focus groups utilizing in-person, telephone, automated and electronic technologies (e.g. email and Web-based communications)
Subpopulation to be studied: Young people (K through college) and those who support them, such as parents, teachers, and counselors.
How data will be analyzed: Information collected will be analyzed dependent on the specifics of each proposed project; however, it will not be used to make generalizable statements about the population of interest or to inform public policy.

This is a request for a New Generic Clearance entitled Youth Outreach Generic Clearance for the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). While the initially published 60-day notice used the title “The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Youth Outreach Program”, the revised title with the inclusion of the terms “generic clearance” will help to more readily identify this information collection tool to potential users. A three-year clearance is requested.

A. Justification

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) places a high priority on providing outreach and quality products and services to the public. In anticipation of increased involvement with the community and a desire to expand on activities that help young people gain more exposure to math and science fields, the NCHS is requesting a New Generic Clearance. This Generic Clearance would be for outreach to young people (K through college) and those who support them, such as parents, teachers, and counselors.

NCHS is authorized to collect data under Section 306 of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC 242k) (Attachment A).

Background

NCHS has a history of reaching out to young people to encourage their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Examples of past involvement include adopting local schools, speaking at local colleges, conducting a Statistics Day for High School Students and most recently conducting the first NCHS Data Detectives Camp for middle school students. The success of these programs has inspired NCHS leadership and staff to want to look for new and continuing opportunities to positively impact the lives of young people and expand their interest and involvement in the sciences. This might include:

Hosting the Data Detectives Camp annually or bi-annually
Hosting Statistics Day annually
Creating youth poster sessions for professional conferences (such as the NCHS National Conference on Health Statistics or the American Statistical Association Conference etc.)
Hosting a statistical or health sciences etc. fair or other STEM related competitions
Organizing a Stem Career Day or similar activity
Developing web-based sites or materials with youth focus
Other programs developed to meet future youth outreach needs, particularly activities that encourage STEM

Data will be collected using a combination of methodologies appropriate to each program. These may include: registration forms, letters of recommendation, evaluation forms, mail surveys, focus groups, automated and electronic technology (e.g. e-mail, Web-based surveys), and telephone surveys.

NCHS will submit to OMB individual project requests (in the form of GenICs) under this generic clearance to achieve these goals.

2. Purpose and Use of the Information Collection

NCHS places the highest priority on providing quality products and services to our customers. We will use our outreach programs to provide participants with:

Exposure to STEM fields of study
Awareness of STEM career opportunities
Awareness of NCHS and its missions
Mentoring and leadership development
Academic enrichment and curriculum reinforcement experiences
Opportunities to develop team building, public speaking and presentation skills, etc.

The proposed outreach projects would be STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) related activities focusing on enriching student learning and experiences.

Statistics and probability concepts as well as other STEM topics are included in K-12 curriculum standards, in particular the Common Core State Standards (http://www.corestandards.org/).

NCHS youth outreach activities will cover concepts designed to reinforce such core learning standards. Information and experience obtained during such activities will also inform and guide NCHS staff and management etc. in future program planning for young people.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

The data collection instruments will employ the most up-to-date information technology to process the incoming information. They will be conducted electronically when feasible. In those cases, respondents will submit their responses electronically; and these responses will be tallied electronically and put into a database by survey software. Electronic collection will minimize the burden on respondents and facilitate the most rapid processing of results. This, in turn, provides NCHS the most efficient means for making decisions and improvements based on participant feedback. In some instances, however, the most appropriate methodology will involve written or oral responses to brief questionnaires, interviews, applications and focus groups.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

NCHS has only conducted youth outreach activities on a limited basis, such as one Statistics Day with high schoolers and the first NCHS Data Detectives Camp (OMB No. 0920-0729, Exp. Date 05/31/17). Conducting such programs on a recurring basis will be a new activity for the Center. We are aware, however, of a CDC Disease Detective Camp being offered annually to high school-aged children in a different geographic location (i.e., Atlanta, Georgia).

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

Small businesses will not be among the applicants to NCHS youth outreach programs/activities.

6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

Previously, the NCHS Data Detectives Camp was originally approved and conducted as a one-time activity involving approximately 30 young people as a GenIC under the NCHS Customer Surveys Generic Package (OMB. No. 0920-0729, Exp. Date 05/31/17). In order to respond to community interests and needs as well as to reach more young people, it would be advantageous to offer similar outreach activities at more than one point in time.

7. Specific Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

This request fully complies with the regulation 5 CFR 1320.5.

8. Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside Agency

Federal Register Notice

A 60-day Federal register Notice was published in the Federal Register on January 6, 2017, vol. 82, No. 4, pp 1744-1745(Attachment B). CDC did not receive public comments related to this notice.

Consultation

Consultations related to specific projects will be provided in those respective request submissions.

9. Explanation of Any Payment or Gift to Respondents

Currently, there are no intentions to provide payments to respondents; however, this topic will be addressed within each submitted GenIC. Outreach activity participants may receive free t-shirts, that will be used for child safety and identification purposes at all day events such as the camps.

10. Protection of the Privacy and Confidentiality of Information Provided by Respondents

The NCHS Privacy Act Coordinator and the NCHS Confidentiality Officer have reviewed this package and have determined that the Privacy Act is applicable. This study is covered under Privacy Act System of Records Notice 09-20-0169, Users of Health Statistics.

The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) “requires the safeguarding of individuals”, and Section 308(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 242m) requires the safeguarding of both individuals and establishments against invasion of privacy. Contractors who collect information identifying individuals and/or establishments must stipulate the appropriate safeguards to be taken regarding such information. The Privacy Act also provides for the confidential treatment of records of individuals, which are maintained by a Federal agency according to either individual’s name or some other identifier. This law also requires that such records in NCHS are to be protected from “uses other than those purposes for which they were collected.”

The confidentiality of individuals participating in any NCHS Youth Outreach activity is protected by section 308(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC 242m), which states:

"No information, if an establishment or person supplying the information or described in it is identifiable, obtained in the course of activities undertaken or supported under section...306,...may be used for any purpose other than the purpose for which it was supplied unless such establishment or person has consented (as determined under regulations of the Secretary) to its use for such other purpose and (1) in the case of information obtained in the course of health statistical or epidemiological activities under section...306, such information may not be published or released in other form if the particular establishment or person supplying the information or described in it is identifiable unless such establishment or person has consented (as determined under regulations of the Secretary) to its publication or release in other form..."

In addition, legislation covering confidentiality is provided according to section 513 of the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA) (PL-107-347), which states:

“Whoever, being an officer, employee, or agent of an agency acquiring information for exclusively statistical purposes, having taken and subscribed the oath of office, or having sworn to observe the limitations imposed by section 512, comes into possession of such information by reason of his or her being an officer, employee, or agent and, knowing that the disclosure of the specific information is prohibited under the provisions of this title, willfully discloses the information in any manner to a person or agency not entitled to receive it, shall be guilty of a class E felony and imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or fined not more than $250,000, or both.”

Also NCHS makes the following Confidentiality Pledge:

We take your privacy very seriously. All information that relates to or describes identifiable characteristics of individuals, a practice or an establishment will be used only for statistical purposes. NCHS staff, contractors and agents will not disclose or release responses in identifiable form without the consent of the individual or establishment in accordance with section 308 (d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC 242m) and the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA), Title 5 of Public Law 107-347). In accordance with CIPSEA every NCHS employee, contractor and agent have taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,0000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about you. In addition, NCHS complies with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015. This law requires the Federal government to protect its information by using computer security programs to identify cybersecurity risks against federal computer networks.

Consequently, all information collected by NCHS will be kept confidential, with an exception for suspected child abuse and requirements of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015.

11. Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Justification for Sensitive Questions

Each GenIC submitted under the Youth Outreach Generic Clearance will include NCHS Ethics Review Board documentation specific to that project. No sensitive questions are anticipated; however, any collection of a sensitive nature will be described in that collection’s submission.

12. Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours and Costs

Table 1 presents annualized estimates of both the respondent numbers and burden hours for youth outreach activities over the three-year period. Specific information will be provided with individual project submissions.

Table 1. Estimates of Annualized Burden Hours for NCHS Youth Outreach Program

Type of Respondents	Form Name	Number of Respondents	Number of responses/ respondent	Average Burden/ response (in hours)	Response Burden (in hours)
Students	Questionnaires/ Applications	800	1	30/60	400
Parents	Applicants Questionnaires/Applications	800	1	30/60	400
School Officials/ Community Representatives	School Officials of Applicants	1200	1	30/60	600
Student / Youth; Parent/Guardian; School Officials; Other	Focus Groups	50	1	60/60	50
Student / Youth; Parent/Guardian; School Officials; Other	Other Program Surveys	600	1	30/60	300
Total					1,750

13. Estimates of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record Keepers

There are no additional costs to the respondents other than their time to participate.

14. Annualized Cost to the Federal Government

While actual annualized costs will vary dependent on the scope of future project submissions, it is anticipated that the costs related to staff salaries for planning and implementing the future surveys might average $85,000.

15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

This is a new Generic Information Collection request.

16. Plans for Tabulation and Publication and Project Time Schedule

Data collected will be analyzed to inform NCHS planning activities.. Summary data may be provided to OMB and DHHS.

17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

Display of OMB expiration date is appropriate.

18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to the certification.

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SSA Youth Outreach 032417

SSA Youth Outreach 032417.docx

Youth Outreach Generic Clearance for the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

OMB: 0920-1185

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