FastTrack GenIC - Peer Group Focus Groups

Request for Approval under the “Generic Clearance for the Collection of Routine Customer Feedback” (OMB Control Number: 0970-0401)

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Peer Group Focus Group Protocol

PURPOSE: The purpose of the Peer Group Focus Group Protocol is to gather feedback about the nature of the Capacity Building Collaborative’s Center for States (Center’s) peer groups (please see https://capacity.childwelfare.gov/states/about/peer-groups). This includes feedback to provide context for surveys group members complete related to their goals¹ as well as feedback on the technology used to host the peer groups.

More specifically, these focus groups will allow us to better understand findings from the existing peer group and event surveys, by exploring the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind perceived outcome achievement, and how members make and maintain connections to peers. Feedback on the technology used for peer groups and suggestions about how to improve the overall experience will also be collected. Results will be used for continuous quality improvement purposes related to topics such as methods, formats, and technology used to engage and connect peer members during events, and to inform development of peer event objectives and peer group goals.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONDENTS: Individuals who participate in the Center’s Peer Groups primarily include child welfare professionals who work for state/territory or local governments.

TYPE OF COLLECTION:

[ ] Customer Comment Card/Complaint Form [ ] Customer Satisfaction Survey

[ ] Usability Testing (e.g., Website or Software [ ] Small Discussion Group

[X] Focus Group [ ] Other:__________

CERTIFICATION:

I certify the following to be true:

1. The collection is voluntary.

2. The collection is low-burden for respondents and low-cost for the Federal Government.

3. The collection is non-controversial and does not raise issues of concern to other federal agencies.

4. The primary purpose of the results is not for public dissemination.

5. Information gathered will not be used for the purpose of substantially informing influential policy decisions.

6. The collection is targeted to the solicitation of opinions from respondents who have experience with the program or may have experience with the program in the future.

Name and affiliation: Beth Claxon, Child Welfare Program Specialist, ACF Administration on

Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) 

To assist review, please provide answers to the following questions:

Personally Identifiable Information:

1. Is personally identifiable information (PII) collected? [ ] Yes [X] No

2. If Yes, will any information that is collected be included in records that are subject to the Privacy Act of 1974? [ ] Yes [ ] No

3. If Yes, has an up-to-date System of Records Notice (SORN) been published? [ ] Yes [ ] No

Gifts or Payments:

Is an incentive (e.g., money or reimbursement of expenses, token of appreciation) provided to participants? [ ] Yes [X] No

BURDEN HOURS

Information Collection	Category of Respondent	Annual No. of Respondents	Annual No. of Responses per Respondent	Estimated Time per Response	Annual Burden Hours
Peer Group Focus Group Protocol	Child Welfare Professionals who work for state/territory or local governments	30	1	1	30

FEDERAL COST: The estimated annual cost to the Federal government is: $ 3,671

If you are conducting a focus group, survey, or plan to employ statistical methods, please provide answers to the following questions:

The selection of your targeted respondents

1. Do you have a customer list or something similar that defines the universe of potential respondents and do you have a sampling plan for selecting from this universe? [X] Yes [ ] No

If the answer is yes, please provide a description of both below (or attach the sampling plan)? If the answer is no, please provide a description of how you plan to identify your potential group of respondents and how you will select them?

Peer Group Focus Groups will be conducted with approximately 4 to 5 of the 22 total peer groups with approximately 6 people in each focus group. Peer Group selection for the focus groups will be informed by the Peer Group Leads as well as the overall participant burden such as other planned activities and events currently occurring within each Peer Group.

Administration of the Instrument

1. How will you collect the information? (Check all that apply)

[X] Web-based or other forms of Social Media

[ ] Telephone

[ ] In-person

[ ] Mail

[ ] Other, Explain

2. Will interviewers or facilitators be used? [X] Yes [ ] No

Please make sure that all instruments, instructions, and scripts are submitted with the request.

1 These surveys (Peer Learning Group Survey and Brief Event Survey) are approved under OMB #0970-0576, Evaluation of the Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative.

3