Assumptions for Calculation of Burden Estimates
The following assumptions were used for the calculation of burden estimates.
Applicant Characteristics
Burden for program applicants. From July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2020, 228,199 individuals were enrolled by HMRF grantees and completed the Applicant Characteristics Survey1, an average of 57,050 per year. With 136 grants to be awarded to the 2020 cohort (an increase from 85 in the 2015 cohort), we project a 60 percent increase in enrollment, and an even distribution of grant awards for HM and RF programs based on the types of FOAs released by ACF. This accounts for the client populations served by HM adult, HM youth, and RF programs. Based on this, we estimate an average enrollment of 91,280 individuals each year over the three-year renewal period, with 45,640 individuals per year in RF programs and 45,640 individuals per year in HM programs (273,840 total).
Although changes have been made to the Applicant Characteristics Survey, the overall length remains similar. We analyzed metadata on actual survey completion times to more precisely estimate burden for individual applicants completing the survey moving forward. We focused on metadata for surveys completed during the first 6 months of 2019 and excluded any surveys completed in under one minute to eliminate low outliers2. Of the 30,979 surveys included in our analysis, 90 percent completed in under 15 minutes, and the average completion time was 8.36 minutes. However, grantees reported that some clients struggled with the survey and needed additional time to complete; we will therefore calculate burden based on the previous estimate of 15 minutes. Assuming it takes 15 minutes (0.25 hours) for each individual applicant (as well as each individual member of a couple who applies to a couples program) to complete the applicant characteristics instrument, the total burden for applicants to enroll into HMRF programs is 68,460 hours (0.25 * 273,840) and the annual burden is 22,820 hours (0.25 * 91,280).
With an estimated annual burden for DCS-1 (program applicants) of 22,820 hours (68,460 total), the estimated annualized cost is $165,445.00 using the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
Burden for program staff. We assume that 3 staff per grantee conduct intake (408 staff in total across 136 grantees). With a total of 91,280 intakes annually, each of the 408 staff members conducts an average of 224 intakes annually (average 672 total). Although changes have been made to the instrument, the overall length remains similar. We therefore retain the previously approved assumption of 6 minutes (0.1 hours) to enroll each individual applicant (as well as each individual member of a couple who applies to couples-based programs), such as screening for intimate partner violence and collecting contact information. The total burden for program staff to enroll individuals into HMRF programs is thus 27,418 hours (0.1 * 408 * 672), and 9,139 annual hours.
With an estimated annual burden of 9,139 hours for DCS-1 (program staff), the estimated total annualized cost equals $271,336.91 using an hourly rate of $29.69 obtained from May 2019 National OES data (the most recent available) for social workers (OES 21-1029)3.
Program Operations
Burden for program staff. Grantees are required to report performance in three operational areas: (1) marketing/outreach/recruitment; (2) quality assurance and monitoring (staff qualifications, staff training, staff supervision, and direct observations of workshop facilitation); and (3) implementation challenges. For the 2020 grantee cohort, several questions were added to the instrument, which we estimate will extend its length by 72 percent. We assume that one staff person per grantee enters these data. We previously estimated that it would take 15 minutes for the first entry and 10 minutes each quarter thereafter, for a total of 45 minutes (0.75 hours) per year per grantee. We analyzed metadata on actual survey completion times in 2019 to estimate burden for each grantee; after eliminating outliers with very low completion times, 75 percent of those remaining were completed in under 15 minutes. We will therefore use the original burden estimate of 0.75 hours as the basis for calculating burden for the longer version of the survey developed for the 2020 grantee cohort. Increasing the current burden estimate by 72 percent, to reflect the additional questions, yields a new estimated burden per year of 1.29 hours (0.75 * 1.72), an average of 0.32 hours for each quarterly response. The estimated burden for the 2020 cohort for DCS-2 (program staff) is therefore equal to 522 hours (136 respondents * 0.32 hours per quarterly response * 12 responses), or 174 annual hours. The estimated total annualized cost equals $6,098.70 using an average hourly rate of $35.05 obtained from May 2019 National OES data (the most recent available) for Social and Community Service Managers (OES 11-9151)4.
Service Delivery Data
Burden for program staff. Staff from all grantees document service delivery for performance reporting and for local and cross-site analyses. We assume that 94 percent, or 85,803, of the 91,280 annual enrollments will receive program services which program staff will need to document.
This assumption is based on the first four years of activity by the 2015 cohort of HMRF grantees (July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2020); during this time frame, 94 percent of all enrolled clients went on to complete the Entrance Survey and receive program services. Specifically, during this time frame 93 percent of RF clients and 95 percent of HM clients completed the Entrance Survey and received program services.
Using the RF and HM annual enrollment estimates outlined in DCS-1, we estimate that 42,445 RF clients (45,640 RF enrollees * 0.93) and 43,358 HM clients (45,640 HM enrollees * 0.95) will participate in some program service each year, for a total of 85,803 individuals.
While the amount of service information recorded varies across grantees, for each individual, we assume weekly service data entry for up to 12 weeks (the estimated average length of a workshop), with quarterly service updates thereafter, for a total of 15 data entries per participant annually. While analysis of the 2015 cohort found that client participation averaged at most 6 weeks in duration5, depending on program type, the 2020 cohort of grantees will be required to offer workshops that are longer in duration than the 2015 cohort. Assuming each data entry will take 2 minutes (0.033 hours, rounded), it will take 0.50 hours (15 x 0.033 hours, rounded) for grantee staff to enter each participant’s service data annually.
We assume that up to 15 staff at each grantee (2,040 total across 136 grantees) will have the ability to enter these data, based on the average number of staff at each grantee in the 2015 cohort who have the ability to update client records. Each of these staff may enter service data for 42 clients per year on average (85,803/2,040) or 126 clients across the three-year period. Thus, the total burden for entering individual-level service delivery data is 128,520 hours (2,040 staff * 126 clients * 0.50 hours) across the 136 grantees in the 2020 cohort (42,840 hours per year).
With an estimated 42,840 annual burden hours for entering individual-level service data, we estimate total annualized costs of $717,141.60 using an hourly rate of $16.74 obtained from May 2019 National OES data (the most recent available) for Data Entry Keyers (OES 43-9021)6.
Entrance and Exit Surveys
Burden for program clients. Every participant will self-administer an entrance and exit survey during the first and last workshop session (or one month after the entrance survey for programs shorter than one month), respectively. As outlined in the assumptions for DCS-3 above, we estimate that 85,803 program clients (42,445 RF clients and 43,358 HM clients) will complete the entrance survey each year. Based on exit survey completion rates from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2020, we assume that 63.2 percent of RF clients completing entrance surveys (42,445 * 0.632=26,825), and 68.8 percent of HM clients completing entrance surveys (43,358 * 0.688=29,830)—or a total of 56,655 individuals—will complete the exit survey annually. This results in a total of 142,458 annual entrance and exit survey administrations (85,803 entrance + 56,655 exit).
We analyzed metadata on actual survey completion times to inform burden estimates for individuals completing the entrance and exit surveys. Like the analysis described previously, we focused on metadata for surveys completed during the first 6 months of 2019 and excluded those completed in under 1 minute. Looking across all types of entrance surveys, the average completion time was 12.45 minutes for the entrance survey and 17.36 minutes for the exit survey. Several questions were added to the various types of entrance and exit instruments for the 2020 cohort, which we estimate will increase survey lengths by between 4 and 15 percent. Based on these survey updates, as well as reports from grantees that some clients needed additional time to complete surveys, we will retain the existing burden estimate and assume each entrance and exit survey will take 25 minutes (0.42 hours), for a total estimated burden of 59,832 hours (142,458 * 0.42 = 59,832; or 36,037 (85,803 * 0.42) hours for entrance surveys and 23,795 (56,655 * 0.42) hours for exit surveys).
As described above, we assume that 85,803 individuals (42,445 RF and 43,358 HM) will complete the entrance survey annually, which is 257,409 individuals across the three-year renewal period. Using the approved average burden per response of 0.42 hours the entrance survey burden for clients is 108,112 hours across the three year renewal period (36,037 per year). With the federal minimum wage of $7.25, this equals $261,268.25 per year.
As described above, we assume that 56,655 individuals (26,825 RF and 29,830 HM) will complete the exit survey annually, which is 169,965 individuals across the three-year renewal period. Using the approved average burden response of 0.42 hours and the federal minimum wage of $7.25, this equals 71,385 hours across the three-year renewal period, with total annual burden for the exit survey of 23,795 hours and $172,513.75.
Burden for program staff. We have assumed that a small number of grantees (8 each of RF and HM, for a total of 16 grantees, or 12 percent of a projected 136 grantees) will not be able to administer the applicant characteristics, entrance, or exit surveys using nFORM. Using the survey completion rates described above this results in annual estimated data entry for 13,789 RF surveys (45,640 applicant characteristics + 42,445 entrance + 26,825 exit = 114,910 completed RF surveys * 0.12). For HM, this results in annual estimated data entry for 14,259 HM surveys (45,640 applicant characteristics + 43,358 entrance + 29,830 exit = 118,828 completed HM surveys * 0.12). This totals 28,048 (13,789 RF + 14,259 HM) data entered surveys per year. Grantees will administer these surveys on paper or by phone; a staff person will then enter the survey responses manually into nFORM. We assume that this process takes 6 minutes (0.1 hours) per instrument (applicant characteristics, entrance, and exit); the estimated total annual burden is therefore 2,804.8 hours (28,048 * 0.1). We also assume that each grantee has two data entry staff (totaling 32 staff across 16 grantees). Each of these staff would enter data for an average of 877 instruments (28,048 surveys/32 staff).
With 2,804.8 estimated annual burden hours, estimated annualized costs equal $46,952.35 using an average hourly wage of $16.74 obtained from May 2019 National OES data (the most recent available) for Data Entry Keyers (OES 43-9021)7.
However, given the public health emergency that began in 2020, and the need for grantees to adapt program operations accordingly, there may be a greater reliance on paper surveys and staff administering the surveys over the phone while data entering the responses during the initial year of the grant. Doubling the estimate for year 1 may cover this potential situation. With a possible 56,096 surveys in year 1 (28,048 * 2), the three year total increases to 112,192 data entered surveys. Each of 32 data entry staff would enter 3,506 surveys over 3 years. Estimated burden hours would be 11,219 (32 * 3,506 * 0.10) or 3,740 hours and $62,607.60 per year.
Semi-annual Performance Progress Report (PPR)
Burden for program staff. Grantees will be required to report on a subset of the DCS performance measures twice per year for the semi-annual submission of their PPRs, as well as provide narrative updates on activities, accomplishments, and challenges. The quantitative summary of performance measures will be generated by nFORM. We assume that one staff person per grantee will require an average of 3 hours twice a year (6 hours per year per grantee) to prepare the quantitative and narrative components of the semi-annual report. The estimated annual burden is thus 816 hours (6 hours per grantee * 136 grantees) and estimated total burden is 2,448 hours (816 hours per year * 3 years).
This equals total annualized costs of $28,600.80 using an hourly rate of $35.05 obtained from May 2019 National OES data (the most recent available) for Social and Community Service Managers (OES 11-9151)8.
Quarterly Performance Report (QPR)
Burden for program staff. Grantees will be required to report on a small subset of the DCS performance measures twice per year. As with the PPR, the quantitative summary of performance measures will be generated by nFORM and grantees will provide a narrative on activities and context for the performance measures. We assume that one staff person per grantee will require an average of one hour twice a year (2 hours per year per grantee) to prepare the semi-annual report. The estimated annual burden is thus 272 hours across 136 grantees, and the total estimated burden is 816 hours (272 hours per year * 3 years).
This equals a total annualized cost of $9,533.60 using an hourly rate of $35.05 obtained from May 2019 National OES data (the most recent available) for Social and Community Service Managers (OES 11-9151)9.
Continuous quality improvement (CQI) plan
Burden for program staff. Grantees will be required to develop CQI plans and update them on a regular basis to reflect changes in operations and service delivery. Because grantees will begin collecting client and program data mid-way through their first grant year, and that data will be used for CQI planning and implementation, we estimate a burden of four hours in grantees’ first year to develop the initial CQI plan. Thereafter, plan updates are estimated to require one hour per quarter, for a total of four hours per year. Over the three-year renewal period, this will total 12 hours per grantee * 136 grantees equals 1,632 burden hours (or 544 burden hours for each of the three years of the renewal period). Most likely, staff who are completing the PPR or QPR described above, or staff with similar experience, will complete and update the CQI plan. Thus, the estimated annualized cost is 544 hours * $35.05 or $19,067.20 per year. This hourly rate was obtained from the May 2019 National OES data (the most recent available) for Social and Community Service Managers (OES 11-9151)10.
The estimated total annual burden during the three-year renewal period is thus 140,177 hours, and the total annual respondent cost is $1,713,613.41.
1 This includes all 85 grantees, plus an additional 4 grantees who served clients during a subset of the grant period before having their grants removed. One of the 90 awarded grantees did not begin serving clients.
2 This falls between two periods during which system updates were made. Low outliers are likely grantee staff submitting the survey for clients who declined to respond but still wanted to enroll in the program.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Robin Dion |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-03-02 |