NonSub Change Memo - 12-18 Month Follow Up Tailored for IPS Prog

To: Kelsi Feltz

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Megan Reid

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: December 12, 2023

Subject: Nonsubstantive Change Request – Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (OMB #0970-0537)

This memo requests approval of a nonsubstantive change for the approved information collection, Building Evidence on Employment Strategies (BEES) (OMB #0970-0537). Specifically, updates to a follow up survey instrument to tailor for a recruited site.

Background

The goal of the BEES study is to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative programs designed to boost employment and earnings among Americans with low incomes. OMB initially approved data collection instruments for the BEES Study in November 2019. As described in the justification package for this study, approved instruments may be tailored to specific sites as they are recruited. Multiple BEES sites focused on delivering employment services using the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model. This request includes a tailored 12-month follow-up survey (Attachment K: 12- to 18-Month Follow-Up Participant Survey) for participants in one of these sites that offers IPS services to TANF and SNAP recipients.

Overview of Requested Changes
We request to tailor the previously approved Attachment K-1: 12-to 18-Month Follow-Up Participant Survey for the IPS site mentioned above and the relevant program content and local context (See Attachment K-3).

Updates include the following:

• Customized language in questions and response categories throughout related to the local context and available program services.

• Added introductory language and prompts throughout for the online version of the survey, to be used when applicable.

• Reorganized or grouped individual questions (or series of questions) and added skip logic to improve the administration of the survey to participants.

• Dropped a section, and questions in an earlier section, related to substance use disorder treatment and recovery.