SUPPORTING STATEMENT - PART A
Marine Corps Safety Needs Assessment - 0712-LMSA
1. Need for the Information Collection
The Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO) has contracted the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) to conduct a study titled “Assessing the Implementation and Effectiveness of DOD’s Lethal Means Safety (LMS) Outreach Materials.” LMS, as defined by DoDI 6400.09, is a non-clinical suicide prevention activity and process of ensuring highly lethal means of suicide or other prohibited abusive and harmful acts are out of reach during times of increased stress, when risk of such acts is heightened. According to the Department of Defense (DoD) annual suicide data, Marine Corps suicide attempt rates are among the highest in the DoD, with most attempts occurring via firearm. The reach of existing LMS messaging and training with Marines is currently unknown.
In order to examine this trend and gather relevant baseline data on awareness and how current LMS programs are reaching and being received by Marines, CNA, in conjunction with the Marine Corps Marine and Family Programs Division (MFP), propose the information collection, “Marine Corps Safety Needs Assessment” survey. This voluntary survey examines current LMS program awareness, preferences for safety devices and locations, and the perceived place of safety in Marine Corps culture. This survey will assist MFP in identifying, from the perspective of Marines, the reach of current LMS efforts and the perceived acceptability of LMS programs. The results of the survey will be used by MFP and DSPO to better understand current Marine Corps LMS program awareness and which LMS activities and messages resonate with Marines, as well as serve as contributory data for future larger LMS activity effectiveness evaluations in accordance with the standards of practice framework prescribed by DoD Instruction 6490.16.
Authorities to collect this information:
P.L. 112-239, Sec. 582 – Establishes the requirement for DoD suicide prevention policy to include the means to evaluate, assess, and develop metrics on the effectiveness of the non-clinical suicide prevention and resilience programs and preventative behavioral health programs within the Armed Forces
P.L. 116-92, Sec. 741 – Requires reports on suicide prevention programs and activities of the Department of Defense
DoDI 6940.16 – “Defense Suicide Prevention Program” Reporting; Requires creation of evaluation plans to design and conduct assessments to serve information needs
DoDI 6400.09 – “DoD Policy on Integrated Primary Prevention of Self-Directed Harm and Prohibited Abuse or Harm” Requires DoD Components submit relevant plans, evidence summaries, or data for primary prevention activities or assessments on primary prevention efforts
10 U.S.C. 5041 – Headquarters, Marine Corps: function; composition
2. Use of the Information
The respondent population for the Marine Corps Safety Needs Assessment is active-duty Marines. The collection is voluntary and anonymous, and respondents are only asked to complete the survey one time. No personally identifiable information (PII) is collected. Respondents are made aware of the survey via social media posts, recruitment posters and Marine Corps bulletins containing information about the collection and a QR code/ link to the survey, as well recruiting materials that will be added to slides presented during regular Marine Corps training. The respondents follow the survey link or QR code on any computer or personal media device (i.e., phone, tablet, or personal computer) to the survey hosted on Qualtrics. No paper copies of the survey are available. The collection instrument contains structured survey response questions to examine respondent awareness of lethal means safety programs, preferred lethal means safety measures, communication preferences, and perceptions about the role of lethal means safety within the Marine Corps culture. Subjects must agree to the consent sheet to enter the survey. A copy of the consent sheet is provided with this package. Respondents can choose not to respond to individual questions within the survey and can choose to stop participation at any time. Upon completion of the survey, respondents electronically submit and exit the survey.
The data is gathered and stored on the Qualtrics platform and extracted by CNA for analysis. CNA will provide the final survey data results report to MFP to provide insight on Marines’ awareness and perception of current LMS messaging and training. Results will be used to identify current LMS program awareness and preferences among Marines and will be used as a key factor to tailor LMS messaging and training to more effectively engage the unique Marine Corps population. Increased delivery and effectiveness of messaging is aimed to increase Marine Corps familiarity and utilization of LMS practices, and, ultimately, contribute to the principal goal to reduce Marine suicide attempts and completion.
3. Use of Information Technology
All respondents access, complete, and submit the survey 100% electronically using the Qualtrics survey platform.
4. Non-duplication
The proposed collection, “Marine Corps Safety Needs Assessment,” is part of the DSPO’s effort to assess the implementation and effectiveness of DoD’s LMS outreach materials. Under the broader effort, the Marine Corps Safety Needs Assessment is specific to identifying the reach and acceptability of current LMS messaging and programs within the Marine Corps population and will only be distributed to active-duty Marines. As part of the larger DSPO effort, the Department of the Navy has also developed a survey for Sailors to assess Gun Lock Distribution and Lethal Means Safety programs within their Component. Although the Navy has adopted several of the LMS messaging questions from the Marine Corps collection instrument, the Navy’s collection differs from the Marine Corps in both research purpose and affected respondent population. Data obtained from the collections is distinct to the unique needs of each Component and would not be universally applicable or shared among all Components within the DoD.
5. Burden on Small Businesses
This information collection does not impose a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or entities.
6. Less Frequent Collection
The survey will be administered on occasion, less than yearly. Based on the responses received in this baseline assessment, future modifications to the collection instrument may be required to reflect new LMS training concepts, messaging and resources. Any proposed substantiative changes to the collection will be submitted for OMB review prior to implementation.
7. Paperwork Reduction Act Guidelines
This collection of information does not require collection to be conducted in a manner inconsistent with the guidelines delineated in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).
8. Consultation and Public Comments
Part A: PUBLIC NOTICE
A 60-Day Federal Register Notice (FRN) for the collection published on Monday, April 17, 2023. The 60-Day FRN citation is 88 FR 23414.
No comments were received during the 60-Day Comment Period.
A 30-Day Federal Register Notice for the collection published on Thursday, June 13, 2024. The 30-Day FRN citation is 89 FR 50319.
Part B: CONSULTATION
The USMC Survey Office and MFP Division were consulted for review and development of the collection and instrument. The USMC MFP Division letter of support is included with this package. The DoD Office of General Counsel (OGC) was also consulted due to survey subject matter. The DoD OGC concurrence for the collection is included with this package.
Gifts or Payment
No payments or gifts are being offered to respondents as an incentive to participate in the collection.
10. Confidentiality
A Privacy Act Statement is not required for this collection because it is not requesting individuals to furnish personal information for a system of record.
A System of Record Notice (SORN) is not required for this collection because records are not retrievable by PII.
A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) is not required for this collection because PII is not being collected electronically.
GRS 2.6 010 – Records Schedule 12000-60 (DAA-GRS-2016-0014-0001) Non-mission employee training program records, which includes records about planning, assessing, managing, and evaluating an agency’s training program; plans, reports and program evaluations; and organizational and occupational needs assessments and employee skills assessments. Destroy when 3 years old, or 3 years after superseded or obsolete, whichever is appropriate, but longer retention is authorized if required for business use.
11. Sensitive Questions
The content of this survey, LMS and firearms is considered sensitive subject matter. In accordance with Section 1057 of P.L. 112-239, as amended, a DoD Component, as a general rule, will not issue any requirement relating to (or collect or record any information relating to) lawful acquisition, possession, ownership, carrying, or other use of privately owned firearms, ammunition, or other weapons by a Service member on property that is not on a military installation or other DoD-owned or operated property. This prohibition does not apply if the Service member is engaged in official duties on behalf of the DoD. DoD Components are encouraged to promote the voluntary use of gun locks and other safe storage methods for privately owned firearms on property that is not on a military installation or other DoD-owned or operated property. The survey is voluntary, anonymous, and the questions presented are essential to improving LMS messaging to Marines.
12. Respondent Burden and its Labor Costs
Part A: ESTIMATION OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instrument(s)
USMC Lethal Means Safety Needs Assessment
Number of Respondents: 9,048
Number of Responses Per Respondent: 1
Number of Total Annual Responses: 9,048
Response Time: 15 minutes
Respondent Burden Hours: 2,262 hours
Total Submission Burden
Total Number of Respondents: 9,048
Total Number of Annual Responses: 9,048
Total Respondent Burden Hours: 2,262
Part B: LABOR COST OF RESPONDENT BURDEN
Collection Instrument(s)
USMC Lethal Means Safety Needs Assessment
Number of Total Annual Responses: 9,048
Response Time: 15 Minutes
Respondent Hourly Wage: $19.75
Labor Burden per Response: $4.94
Total Labor Burden: $44,674.50
Overall Labor Burden
Total Number of Annual Responses: 9,048
Total Labor Burden: $44,675
Respondent hourly wage was assessed using the average of expected respondents’ salaries from the Defense Finance and Accounting Services Military Service Members basic pay tables https://www.dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/payentitlements/Pay-Tables/Basic-Pay/EM/.
13. Respondent Costs Other Than Burden Hour Costs
There are no annualized costs to respondents other than the labor burden costs addressed in Section 12 of this document to complete this collection.
14. Cost to the Federal Government
Part A: LABOR COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Collection Instrument(s)
USMC Lethal Means Safety Needs Assessment
No labor burden is incurred by the Federal employees. Data processing and analysis is conducted by DSPO’s authorized contractor, CNA. CNA’s contract encompasses analytical support for DSPO efforts for each of the Services, and funding is not specifically allocated to individual efforts. The contract would exist independent of this collection, and there is no additional cost per response incurred for processing the survey.
Overall Labor Burden to the Federal Government
Total Number of Annual Responses: 9,048
Total Labor Burden: 0
Part B: OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COSTS
Cost Categories
Equipment: $0
Printing: $0
Postage: $0
Software Purchases: $0
Licensing Costs: $0
Other: $0
Total Operational and Maintenance Cost: $0
Part C: TOTAL COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Total Labor Cost to the Federal Government: $0
The cost for processing of responses is assumed within the general scope of the CNA contract with DSPO. Funding is not specifically allocated to individual efforts. The contract would exist independent of this collection, and there is no additional cost per response incurred for processing the survey.
Total Operational and Maintenance Costs:
Operational and maintenance costs are assumed within the general scope of the CNA contract with DSPO. Funding is not specifically allocated to individual efforts. The contract would exist independent of this collection, and there is no additional cost per response incurred for processing the survey.
Total Cost to the Federal Government:
All costs are assumed within the general scope of the CNA/DSPO contract, and there are no additional or exclusive costs imposed to the Federal government to implement, process, or analyze responses for this collection.
15. Reasons for Change in Burden
This is a new collection with a new associated burden.
16. Publication of Results
The results of this information collection will not be published.
17. Non-Display of OMB Expiration Date
We are not seeking approval to omit the display of the expiration date of the OMB approval on the collection instrument.
18. Exceptions to “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Submissions”
We are not requesting any exemptions to the provisions stated in 5 CFR 1320.9.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Kaitlin Chiarelli |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2024-07-20 |