0720-0058_ssa_08.29.19

SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A

(Department of Defense Suicide Event Report – OMB Control Number 0720-0058)

1. Need for the Information Collection

This data system provides integrated enterprise and survey data to be used for direct reporting of military suicide events and ongoing military population-based health surveillance activities. These surveillance activities include the systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of outcome-specific data for use in planning, implementation, evaluation, and prevention of suicide behaviors within the Department of Defense. Data is collected on active duty and reserve members of the military that engage in reportable suicide and self-harm behavior (to include suicide attempts, self-harm behavior, and suicidal ideation). Records are integrated from enterprise systems and created and revised by civilian and military personnel in the performance of their official duties.

Authorities:

• 10 U.S.C. 136, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness

• 10 U.S.C. 3013, Secretary of the Army

• 10 U.S.C. 5013, Secretary of the Navy

• 10 U.S.C. 8013, Secretary of the Air Force

• 10 U.S.C. Chapter 55, Medical and Dental Care

• 29 CFR Part 1960, Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee Occupational Safety and Health Programs and Related Matters

• DoDD 6490.02E, Comprehensive Health Surveillance

• DoDD 6490.16, Defense Suicide Prevention Program

• AR 600-63, Army Health Promotion, Rapid Action Revision 7 Sep 10, Paragraph 4-4 Suicide prevention and surveillance

• OPNAV Instruction 1720.4A, Suicide Prevention Program, 5.d, Reporting

• AFPAM 44-160, The Air Force Suicide Prevention Program, XI, Epidemiological Database and Surveillance System

• Executive Order 9397

• Executive Order 13822

2. Use of the Information

Form completers are behavioral and medical health providers, military unit leadership or their designees, all of whom are carrying out their official duties. The Department of Defense Suicide Event Report (DoDSER) DD-2996 form is used to collect and report information regarding suicide events of military service members. Form completers collect information via a records review of military personnel records, military medical records, enterprise data systems within the DoD, and may also choose to obtain information from willing individuals (respondents) familiar with the event details. Respondents include but are not limited to family members, friends, unit members, unit leadership and clergy members. If a form completer chooses to contact a respondent, they make contact either in person or via telephone. Once information has been collected, it is submitted via an on-line, web-based data collection form (available at https://dodser.t2.health.mil/). The DoDSER form data is used to produce ad hoc reports for services leadership and the DoDSER Annual Report. The Annual Report is a comprehensive analysis and presentation of the collected data which provides information for DoD suicide prevention efforts.

3. Use of Information Technology

All (100%) DoDSER forms are completed and submitted electronically by the Form Completer (a behavioral or medical health provider, military unit leader, or their designees). The form is submitted via a secure, web-based data collection portal available at https://dodser.t2.health.mil/. Form Completers’ access is validated via their CAC credentials and all data transmission occurs via DIACAP approved networks and servers to ensure sensitive and private information is protected.

4. Non-duplication

The information obtained through this collection is unique and is not already available for use or adaptation from another cleared source.

5. Burden on Small Businesses

This information collection does not impose a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or entities.

6. Less Frequent Collection

This data collection only occurs following identification of suicide related behavior via a medical examiner’s cause of death determination or a hospitalization associated with a suicide attempt. Thus, the data collection is only as frequent as the occurrence of the target behavior. Suicide is a low base-rate event, overall; collecting fewer than 100% of the military cases of suicide would severely impact the integrity of the data and undermine the purpose of the DoD’s Suicide Event Report program.

7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines

This collection of information does not require collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines delineated in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

8. Consultation and Public Comments

Part A: PUBLIC NOTICE

A 60-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Monday, May 20, 2019. The 60-Day FRN citation is 84 FRN 22832-22833. No comments were received.

A 30-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Thursday, August 29, 2019. The 30-Day FRN citation is 84 FRN 45481.

Part B: CONSULTATION

Stakeholders from each of the military Services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force) as well as representatives from the National Guard and the Defense Suicide Prevention Office were consulted regarding the requested information, frequency of collection, clarity of instructions, etc. Additional representatives from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Defense were presented with this information and provided opportunity to comment, though consultation was not formally requested. Consultation occurred from May 2017 through November 2017. Finally, public commentary will be solicited through the 60-Day Federal Register Notice for this submission.

9. Gifts or Payment

No payments or gifts are being offered to respondents as an incentive to participate in the collection.

10. Confidentiality

This collection does require a Privacy Act Statement (PAS). The PAS is provided, electronically, to all users that access the DoDSER data collection website (located at https://dodser.t2.health.mil/) and attempt to start a new DoDSER report. Users are given the option to print a physical copy of the PAS as well.

This collection also requires a System of Record Notice (SORN). The DoDSER SORN (EDHA 20 DoD) is currently published and is available at http://dpcld.defense.gov/Privacy/SORNsIndex/DOD-wide-SORN-Article-View/Article/570683/edha-20-dod/.

This collection also requires a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA). The DoDSER PIA is currently published and is available at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/DownloadDocument?objectID=63754201.

"Records retention instructions:

DoDSER System Master File

Cutoff: Cut off annually upon separation or retirement of service member.

Retention Period: Transfer to inactive storage when 25 years old. Destroy when 75 yrs old.

DoDSER System Annual Reports

Cutoff: Cutoff annually after· report is published

Retention Period: Permanent. Transfer to the National Archives 3 year(s) after cutoff

Authority: DAA-0330-2013-0006

NARA Disposition Authority Schedule Location: https://www.archives.gov/files/records-mgmt/rcs/schedules/departments/department-of-defense/office-of-the-secretary-of-defense/rg-0330/daa-0330-2013-0006_sf115.pdf."

11. Sensitive Questions

The DoDSER data collection form does query sensitive topics, including:

• Sexual behavior or attitudes

• Religious beliefs

• Race and/or ethnicity

• Collection of Social Security Number (to include only the last four digits)

• Medical and behavioral health diagnosis and treatment history

These questions are asked in order to assess risk factors and context associated with military suicide. Social Security Numbers are collected to ensure that cases can be validated as having died by suicide.

The DoDSER system has obtained a Social Security Number Justification Memo which has been provided along with this statement.

12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs

a. Estimation of Respondent Burden

1. DD-2996

a. Number of Respondents: 1,563

b. Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1

c. Number of Total Annual Responses: 1,563

d. Response Time: 10 Minutes

e. Respondent Burden Hours: 260.5 hours

2. Total Submission Burden

a. Total Number of Respondents: 1,563

b. Total Number of Annual Responses: 1,563

c. Total Respondent Burden Hours: 260.5 hours

b. Labor Cost of Respondent Burden

1. DD-2996

a. Number of Total Annual Responses: 1,563

b. Response Time: 10 Minutes

c. Respondent Hourly Wage: $21.43

d. Labor Burden per Response: $3.57

e. Total Labor Burden : $5,582.51

2. Overall Labor Burden

a. Total Number of Annual Responses: 1,563

b. Total Labor Burden: $5,582.51

The Respondent hourly wage was determined by using the Department of Labor Wage Website (http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/index.htm)

13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs

There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.

14. Cost to the Federal Government

a. Labor Cost to the Federal Government

1. DD-2996

a. Number of Total Annual Responses: 1,563

b. Processing Time per Response: 0 hours

c. Hourly Wage of Worker(s) Processing Responses: n/a

d. Cost to Process Each Response: n/a

e. Total Cost to Process Responses: $0

2. Overall Labor Burden to Federal Government

a. Total Number of Annual Responses: 1563

b. Total Labor Burden: $0

b. Operational and Maintenance Costs

1. Equipment: $0

2. Printing: $0

3. Postage: $0

4. Software Purchases: $0

5. Licensing Costs: $0

6. Other: $40,000 - Hosting of DoDSER website on DoD Servers.

g. Total: $40,000

1. Total Operational and Maintenance Costs: $40,000.00

2. Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $0.00

3. Total Cost to the Federal Government: $40,000.00

15. Reasons for Change in Burden

There has been a slight increase in burden since the last OMB review in 2016. The estimated number of respondents has increased from 1,375 to 1,563. The approved burden hours estimate (229) and cost burden ($3,266.00) have increased to 260.5 hours and $5,582.51. This change is due to increased use of the DoDSER.

16. Publication of Results

The total number of reports received over the course of a calendar year are de-identified, organized, analyzed, and reported on via the DoDSER Annual Report. Each Annual Report is completed by 31 July of the year following the year that is being reported on.

Data are provided on both the occurrence of suicide, and risk factors for suicide, as well as suicide attempts and the associated risk factors. Suicide rates are calculated for the year and then compared to previous years as well as the general population. There are then specific chapters that report on data for the DoD as a whole as well as a chapter for each Service, and the National Guard. Each chapter has a series of descriptive tables that give the counts and percentage of cases that experienced a given suicide related risk factor.

17. Non-Display of OMB Expiration Date

We are not seeking approval to omit the display of the expiration date of the OMB approval on the collection instrument.

18. Exceptions to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions”

We are not requesting any exemptions to the provisions stated in 5 CFR 1320.9.