Final - Family Options Study_Part B

Supporting Statement Part B for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission

Family Options 12 Year Study: Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection

1. Describe (including a numerical estimate) the potential respondent universe and any sampling or other respondent selection methods to be used. Data on the number of entities (e.g., establishments, State and local government units, households, or persons) in the universe covered by the collection and in the corresponding sample are to be provided in tabular form for the universe as a whole and for each of the strata in the proposed sample. Indicate expected response rates for the collection as a whole. If the collection had been conducted previously, include the actual response rate achieved during the last collection.

The Family Options Study was conducted as a randomized experiment. From September 2010 through January 2012, the research team enrolled 2,282 families experiencing homelessness into the study in 12 sites nation-wide. Each family was randomly assigned to one of four interventions: 1) a non-time-limited permanent housing subsidy (SUB), 2) project-based transitional housing (PBTH), 3) community-based rapid re-housing (CBRR), or 4) usual care (UC).

Over the course of the past 11 years, the research team has maintained contact with study families through a variety of approaches and has conducted three rounds of data collection:

1. 20-month followup survey: administered roughly 20 months after random-assignment (OMB #2528-0259, Expiration Date: 3/31/2015); achieved an 81% response rate.

2. 37-month followup survey: administered roughly 37 months after random-assignment (OMB #2528-0259, Expiration Date: 3/31/2017); achieved a 78% response rate.

3. 78-month tracking survey: administered roughly 78 months after random assignment (OMB #2528-0259, Expiration Date: 8/31/2020); achieved a 49% response rate¹.

Universe of Households and Survey Samples

This Information Collection Request (ICR) supports the Family Options 12 Year Study: Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection. The Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection includes three components:

• Welcome Back Newsletter and Participant Contact Update Form

• 12 Year Tracking Survey

• Information Release Form

The universe for the Welcome Back Newsletter and Participant Contact Update Form, and the 12 Year Tracking Survey is 2,241 respondents—this number represents the head of household from 2,241 study families. This number is derived from the full sample of 2,282 families who were originally enrolled in the study, less the 41 adult respondents known to be deceased at the time of the 72-month tracking survey. There are no sample selection requirements as all enrolled families are eligible to participate in the Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection.

The universe for the Information Release is 1,272 respondents. Study participants completed a participation agreement at the time of random assignment, providing their informed consent to participate in all aspects of the research study—follow-up surveys and administrative data collection. As part of the 37- and 78-month follow-up data collection period, the research team also obtained consent to release personally identifiable information (PII) collected through the study to HUD for the purposes of additional statistical analysis. Not all study participants were interviewed during those prior data collection efforts, so there are still 1,272 families who have not yet provided consent to release their PII to HUD. Only these 1,272 respondents will be administered the Information Release form during the Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection.

This tracking effort is the first attempt to connect with study participants in 4.5 years. We anticipate that some study participants will be difficult to locate after such a long period without contact. The tracking, intended to help re-engage study participants in advance of the 12 Year Survey, will be completed only by telephone over a four month period. The expected response rate to the Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection is 40 percent.

We will conduct more extensive efforts to maximize the response rates during the 12 Year Survey effort, including contact flyers, outreach to secondary contacts including friends and relatives, and in-person follow-up.

2. Describe the procedures for the collection of information including:

• Statistical methodology for stratification and sample selection,

• Estimation procedure,

• Degree of accuracy needed for the purpose described in the justification,

• Unusual problems requiring specialized sampling procedures, and

• Any use of periodic (less frequent than annual) data collection cycles to reduce burden.

Statistical Methodology for Stratification and Sample Selection

The study sample for the Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection is all 2,241 families enrolled in the study (excluding adult respondents know to be deceased). Therefore, no sampling or stratification is required for this information collection request.

Estimation Procedures

The objective of the 12 Year Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection is to attempt to locate the study sample, update contact information, collect updates on a small number of items collected previously during earlier data collection, and get signed information release forms from participants who have not yet signed that form in prior waves of data collection. No impact analysis is planned. The data collected will be used to support the 12 Year Study survey (part of a forthcoming information collection request), planned to begin in October 2022. The data items to be collected in the tracking survey will be appended to the longitudinal database established for the Family Options Study to augment the research platform.

Degree of Accuracy Required

No impact analysis is planned at this stage. The objective of Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection —reengaging study participants, collecting updated contact information, and conducting the tracking survey—is to help ensure the success of the second component of the study—the long-term followup survey of Family Options Study participants and their families.

Unusual Problems Requiring Specialized Sampling Procedures

There are no unusual problems associated with the samples for this information collection request.

Any Use of Periodic Data Collection Cycles to Reduce Burden

The research team will use two types of administrative data to provide additional contact information for tracking and locating the study sample. These data do not impose any respondent burden. The research team will obtain data from HUD’s Inventory Management System/PIH Information Center (IMS/PIC) and Tenant Rental Assistance Characteristics (TRACS) data systems to obtain historical data on the receipt of housing assistance. PIC and TRACs will also provide address information for families who receive housing assistance that is reported in these systems.

3. Describe methods to maximize response rates and to deal with issues of nonresponse. The accuracy and reliability of information collected must be shown to be adequate for intended uses. For collections based on sampling, a special justification must be provided for any collection that will not yield "reliable" data that can be generalized to the universe studied.

The research team conducted intensive tracking with study families from enrollment throughout the initial three-year follow-up period. That data collection ended in December 2014. The tracking approach was designed to maintain contact with the study sample every three months during that time, which was essential to achieving the highest possible response rates for the 20- and 37-month follow-up surveys. The success of this approach was reflected in the high response rates achieved. In both follow-up efforts, the research team exceeded the target 75 percent response rate for the head of household survey with overall completion rates of 81 percent and 78 percent respectively.

The last contact with the study families occurred during the 78-month tracking data collection, which ended in 2018. Four to five years will have elapsed since last contact for many families by the time Abt Associates resumes efforts to reengage families (April 2022). This is a substantial gap in communication for any longitudinal study of families but even more so for a sample of families who have experienced homelessness and thus may have unstable housing. The Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection —the subject of this first information collection request—is intended to help update the contact information for all families. Based on prior waves of tracking for this study, the evaluation contractor expects about 40 percent of the sample will respond to this tracking survey.

Prior to beginning any reengagement efforts, the research team will assess the existing contact information for study families. The research team will develop a comprehensive history of all respondent’s information collected via study activities thus far (e.g., baseline survey, all interwave tracking components, the 20-and 37-month follow-up efforts, the 78-month tracking process, as well as secondary contacts and any relevant notes collected during the tracking efforts. The research team will then review administrative data sources to obtain any additional updates in contact information before beginning the reengagement process.

The full sample of 2,241 families will be released for the participant contact updates and the 12 year tracking survey at the beginning of the field period, projected to be April 2022. Interviewers will attempt to locate respondents and complete the 12 Year Tracking Survey by telephone in June and July 2022. The tracking surveys will take place about four months before the start of the 12 Year Survey projected to begin in October 2022. The 12 Year Survey will be part of a forthcoming information collection request. Abt Associates field interviewers will conduct the tracking surveys. Interviewers will first call respondent contact phone numbers. If they reach the participant, they will complete the interview. If they do not reach the respondent, interviewers will continue to attempt to contact families by phone, using secondary contacts, as well as attempting to reach out to participants via email and mail. Wherever possible, once an interviewer locates the participant—an immediate attempt will be made to complete the 15-minute tracking survey.

Exhibit B-1: Information Collection Timeline and Contents

12-Year Study Data Collection Phase

Information collection anticipated

October 2022 – September 2023

• Adult Head of Household 12 Year Survey

• Child Survey (Ages 10-17)

• Web-based Survey of now Adult Children (Ages 18+)

Tracking and Re-engagement Phase

Information collection anticipated

April 2022 – September 2022

• Welcome Back Newsletter and Participant Contact Update Form

• 12 Year Tracking Survey

• Information Release Survey

As noted in Part A.9, the research team will again use incentives to thank participants for their time responding to the reengagement and tracking data collection effort. Adult respondents will receive $15 for returning the contact update forms and $20 for completing the tracking survey.

4. Describe any tests of procedures or methods to be undertaken. Testing is encouraged as an effective means of refining collections of information to minimize burden and improve utility. Tests must be approved if they call for answers to identical questions from 10 or more respondents. A proposed test or set of tests may be submitted for approval separately or in combination with the main collection of information.

The Tracking Survey to be administered during the Tracking and Reengagement Data Collection is almost identical to the survey previously approved under OMB #2528-0259, which expired on 8/31/2020. The interview length used to calculate the burden estimates in Section A12 of this Information Collection Request are based on the actual experience with the prior tracking interviews and 78-month tracking interview administration efforts. Given the high response rates to prior efforts, we do not anticipate any challenges for respondents to respond to the included survey questions. The only new questions on the survey are those asking for the contact information for now adult children so the evaluation team can obtain their consent to participate in the study. Therefore, we do not believe a pretest will be necessary for this data collection.

5. Provide the name and telephone number of individuals consulted on statistical aspects of the design and the name of the agency unit, contractors, grantees, or other person(s) who will actually collect or analyze the information for the agency.

This data collection effort involves the entire study sample and does not include sampling or estimation. HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research will work with the contractor, Abt Associates, on the execution of this information collection.

Inquiries regarding the statistical aspects of the analysis planned for the long-term follow-up should be directed to:

Ms. Lauren Dunton Project Director, Abt Telephone: 301-634-1779

Ms. Michelle Wood Co-Principal Investigator, Abt Telephone: 301-634-1777

Dr. Daniel Gubits Co-Principal Investigator, Abt Telephone: 301-634-1854

Dr. Marybeth Shinn Project Advisor, Vanderbilt Telephone: 615-322-8735

University

Anne Fletcher Contracting Officer’s Telephone: 202-402-4347

Representative, HUD

References

Gubits, Daniel et al., Interim Report, Family Options Study, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, March 2013. http://www.huduser.org/portal/publications/homeless/hud_503_FOS_interim_report.html

Gubits, Daniel et al., Family Options Study, 3-Year Impacts of Housing and Services Interventions for Homeless Families. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, October 2016. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/Family-Options-Study-Full-Report.pdf

1 NOTE: The 78-month survey had a much shorter data collection period, and far fewer resources to conduct location of study families, than either the 20-month or 37-month followup surveys. The research team identified an additional 26% of the sample with viable contact information that were not surveyed due to lack of resources.

Part B: Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods ▌pg. 5