Q. Consent Form for Focus Group With SNAP Participants revised

OMB Number: 0584-0659

Expiration Date: 10/31/2023

Appendix Q. Consent Form for
Virtual Focus Group With SNAP Participants

OMB No. 0584-0659

Modernizing Channels of Communication
With SNAP Participants

February 12, 2020

Project Officer: Andrew Burns

Office of Policy Support

Food and Nutrition Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1320 Braddock Place

Alexandria, VA  22314

703.305.1091 [email protected]

Modernizing Channels of Communication With SNAP Participants:
Consent Form for Virtual Focus Group with SNAP Participants

PURPOSE: This form will be used to document each participant’s consent to participate in the virtual focus group and be recorded. Insight will review this form with participants at the start of the focus group and obtain verbal consent.

You have been selected to participate in a research study being conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). The purpose of this study is to highlight best practices and lessons learned from various mobile communication strategies tested in State SNAP agencies through case studies.

If you agree to participate, here are some things you should know:

• Your participation is completely voluntary (not required) and will not affect your SNAP benefits in any way.

• Your name will never be used in any reports about this focus group.

• All information collected during this study will be kept private, and your responses will not be identified individually in any way; except as required by law.

• With your permission, the discussion will be audio- and/or video-recorded. We are talking with SNAP participants from many States, so this will help us keep track of and accurately report who said what. We will not share the recording with anyone outside the research team, and we will destroy the recording when the study is over.

• Your input will help FNS and States improve communication with clients and identify best practices that lead to improved program outcomes. This information is particularly important today because advances in mobile communications can help States streamline their operations while improving communication with SNAP participants.

• You may choose not to answer any questions. You may also leave the discussion at any time. You will not be affected in any way if you stop the discussion or decide not to answer a question.

• The discussion leader will answer any questions you have about the discussion.

• The focus group will take about 90 minutes. It will include questions about how you use mobile communications (for example, the SNAP website or an app on your phone), suggestions for improvement, how satisfied you are with the features of your State’s mobile communication strategy, and the ways mobile communications have changed your SNAP application and benefit management experience.

• You will receive a $45 Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Discover gift card at the end of the focus group as a token of appreciation.

Contact Information: USDA/FNS has authorized Insight Policy Research to conduct this study. If you have any concerns about your participation in this discussion or have any questions about the study, please contact the Project Officer, Andrew Burns, at [email protected] or 703.305.1091.

Certification: By verbally agreeing to particpate, you are certifying that we have reviewed this agreement. [FACILITATOR OBTAIN VERBAL CONSENT PER FOCUS GROUP PROTOCOL]

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0659. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 3 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the following address: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place Alexandria, VA 2231, ATTN: PRA (0584-0659). Do not return the completed form to this address.

Modernizing Channels of Communication With SNAP Participants, Appendix Q. Consent Form for Focus Group 1
With SNAP Participants