Change Justification Memo

OMB Control Number: 0584-0637

Expiration Date: 3/31/21

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Food and

Nutrition

Service

3101 Park

Center Drive

Alexandria, VA

22302-1500

DATE: June 15, 2018

TO: Steph Tatham, OMB Desk Officer

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

Office of Management and Budget

THROUGH: Ruth Brown, Desk Officer

United States Department of Agriculture

Office of Chief Information Office

FROM: Rachelle Ragland Greene, Information Collection Officer Rg

United States Department of Agriculture

Food and Nutrition Service, Planning & Regulatory Affairs

SUBJECT: Justification for additional interview screener question identifying elderly individuals with disabilities to OMB Control No: 0584-0637, Evaluation of Alternatives for SNAP Elderly Access Study

Through this memorandum, we are requesting approval to add one additional question to the interview screener protocols for the Evaluation of Alternatives for SNAP Elderly Access Study under the Information Collection Request (ICR), OMB Control No. 0584-0637 and ICR Reference Number: 201806-0584-001 which expires on March 31^st, 2021. This question is not expected to substantially increase time needed to administer the screener protocols, the wording of which is revised in Attachments D.5 and D.5.a Interview Screening Form SNAP Senior Access Evaluation Interview Information Sheet, (question #9: Disability/Discapacidad) for English and Spanish, respectively submitted with this request.

FNS is sponsoring this study to analyze the effectiveness of various SNAP policy options aimed at improving access to the eligible elderly population. These include Combined Application Projects, Standard Medical Deductions, Elderly Simplified Application Projects, Elderly and Disabled Recertification Interview Waivers, 36-Month Certification Demonstrations, and Community Partner Interview Demonstrations. This study will meet the following research objectives: 1) Present a coherent narrative about elder SNAP participation, historically and in the recent past; 2) Understand barriers to elder participation in SNAP; 3) Review the interventions designed to improve elder access to SNAP; 4) Measure the impact of each intervention on elders’ participation in SNAP; and 5) Determine which of the interventions studied have the most promising impacts related to increasing the participation of older adults in SNAP.

The interview screener sheet will collect self-reported demographic characteristics about each elderly individual interviewed about SNAP access for this study, such as their gender, age, and ethnicity. FNS would like to add one additional question that tracks self-reported disability status. With these data, interview responses on disability status can be statistically analyzed. FNS will be able to observe correlations, if any, between disability status and the questions asked during the interview, specifically those dealing disability-related access issues in SNAP. This is important information to the federal government, given the prevalence of disabilities and the lower rates of SNAP participation among the eligible elderly population. An analysis using disability status is part of the approved study plan; omitting the question in the screener interview protocols was an oversight. FNS also included a definition of “disability” to make the question clearer for readers of varying reading levels.

The overall burden for the entire study is 1380.20 hours. We do not expect any substantial change in burden hours due to the requested change. The overall total annual response for this data collection is 1,314 responses. We do not expect any substantial change in total responses due to the requested change.

If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact Rachelle Ragland-Greene, FNS Information Collection Officer for the Food and Nutrition Service, Planning & Regulatory Affairs Office at (703) 305-2586.

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