Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 52400-52402 [E8-20884]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52400-52402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-20884]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request

    Periodically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration (SAMHSA) will publish a summary of information 
collection requests under OMB review, in compliance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these 
documents, call the SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer on (240) 276-1243.

Project: Toolkit Protocol for the Crisis Counseling Assistance and 
Training Program (CCP)--Revision

    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's 
(SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) will create a toolkit 
to be used for the purposes of collecting data on the Crisis Counseling 
Assistance and Training Program (CCP). The CCP provides supplemental 
funding to states

[[Page 52401]]

and territories for individual and community crisis intervention 
services during a federal disaster.
    The CCP has provided disaster mental health services to millions of 
disaster survivors since its inception and, as a result of 30 years of 
accumulated expertise, it has become an important model for Federal 
response to a variety of catastrophic events. State CCPs, such as 
Project HOPE (after Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina), Project 
Heartland (in Oklahoma City after the Murrah Federal Building bombing), 
Project Liberty (in New York after 9/11), and Project Outreach for 
Recovery (after the Rhode Island nightclub fire) have primarily 
addressed the short-term mental health needs of communities through (a) 
outreach and public education, (b) individual and group counseling, and 
(c) referral. Outreach and public education serve primarily to 
normalize reactions and to engage people who might need further care. 
Crisis counseling assists survivors to cope with current stress and 
symptoms in order to return to predisaster functioning. Crisis 
counseling relies largely on ``active listening,'' and crisis 
counselors also provide psycho-education (especially about the nature 
of responses to trauma) and help clients build coping skills. Crisis 
counseling typically continues no more than a few times. Because crisis 
counseling is time-limited, referral is the third important function of 
CCPs. Counselors are expected to refer clients to formal treatment if 
the person has developed more serious psychiatric problems.
    Data about services delivered and users of services will be 
collected throughout the program period. The data will be collected via 
the use of a toolkit that relies on standardized forms. At the program 
level, the data will be entered quickly and easily into a cumulative 
database to yield summary tables for quarterly and final reports for 
the program. We have confirmed the feasibility of using scanable forms 
for most purposes. Because the data will be collected in a consistent 
way from all programs, they can be uploaded into an ongoing national 
database that likewise provides CMHS with a way of producing summary 
reports of services provided across all programs funded.
    The components of the toolkit are listed and described below:
     Encounter logs. These forms document all services 
provided. Completion of these logs is required by the crisis 
counselors. There are three types of encounter logs:
    (1) Individual Crisis Counseling Services Encounter Log. Crisis 
counseling is defined as an interaction that lasts at least 15 minutes 
and involves participant disclosure. This form is completed by the 
crisis counselor for each service recipient, defined as the person or 
persons who actively participated in the session (e.g., by verbally 
participating), not someone who is merely present. For families, crisis 
counselors complete separate forms for all family members who are 
actively engaged in the visit. Information collected includes 
demographics, service characteristics, risk factors, event reactions, 
and referral data.
    (2) Group Encounter Log. This form is used to identify either a 
group crisis counseling encounter or a group public education 
encounter. A check at the top identifies the class of activities (i.e., 
counseling or education). Information collected includes services 
characteristics, group identity and characteristics, and group 
activities.
    (3) Weekly Tally Sheet. This form documents brief educational and 
supportive encounters not captured on any other form. Information 
collected includes service characteristics, daily tallies and weekly 
totals for brief educational or supportive contacts and material 
distribution with no or minimal interaction.
    [cir] Assessment and Referral Tools. Generally, the forms are used 
as an interview guide with adults or children/youth (i.e., please note 
that the child/youth tool is NEW to the data toolkit) who have received 
individual crisis counseling on two or more occasions for those 
individuals that may need referral to further and more intensive 
services. However, these tools may be used at any time that a crisis 
counselor suspects that an individual is experiencing serious reactions 
to the disaster. Typically, these tools will be used beginning three 
months post-disaster and will be completed by the crisis counselor or 
team leader.
    [cir] Adult Assessment and Referral Tool--This tool includes the 
collection of information on characteristics of the encounter, risk 
categories, and demographics. The tool also includes the SPRINT-E, an 
11-item measure of post-disaster distress including but not limited to 
symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
    [cir] Child/Youth Assessment and Referral Tool (NEW)--This tool 
includes the collection of information on risk factors, demographics, 
and 15 items from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) 
Reaction Index to assess post-disaster symptoms; additional items are 
also included for the parents to rate their child's feelings and 
behavior.
     Participant Feedback. These surveys are completed by and 
collected from a sample of service recipients, not every recipient. A 
time sampling approach (e.g., soliciting participation from all 
counseling encounters one week per quarter) will be used. Information 
collected includes satisfaction with services, perceived improvements 
in self-functioning, types of exposure, and event reactions.
     CCP Service Provider Feedback. These surveys are completed 
by and collected from the CCP service providers (i.e., crisis 
counselors) anonymously at approximately six months and one year post-
event. The items on this form relate to the training, work environment, 
and level of job stress experienced by the crisis counselor. The survey 
will be coded on several program-level and worker-level variables to be 
shared with program management for review.

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                                             Number of     Responses per       Total         Hours per      Total hour                      Total hour
          Data collection point             respondents     respondent       responses       response         burden        Hourly rate        cost
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individual Crisis Counseling Services            \1\ 200         \2\ 396          79,200             .08           6,336             $20        $126,720
 Encounter Log Form.....................
Group Encounter Log Form................         \3\ 100          \3\ 99           9,900             .04             396              20           7,920
Weekly Tally Sheet......................         \1\ 200          \4\ 33           6,600             .10             660              20          13,200
Assessment & Referral Tools.............         \1\ 200         \5\ 158          31,600             .15           4,740              20          94,800
Participant Feedback....................           1,000               1           1,000             .15             150              20           3,000

[[Page 52402]]

 
CCP Service Provider Feedback...........         \6\ 100               1             100             .15              15              20             300
�����������������������������������������
    Total...............................  ..............  ..............         128,400  ..............          12,297  ..............         245,940
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\1\ 200 is based on typical average of 10 (1.00 FTE) crisis counselors per grant with an approximate average of 20 grants per year (i.e., 10 x 20 =
  200).
\2\ Average of 12 forms per week for each crisis counselor at 33 weeks that includes both Immediate Services and Regular Services Programs (i.e., 12 x
  33 = 396).
\3\ Average of 3 forms per week for a pair of crisis counselors (i.e., 2 counselors completing 1 form = 100 crisis counselors) at 33 weeks that includes
  both Immediate Services and Regular Services Programs (3 x 33 = 99).
\4\ Average of 33 weeks for each grant that includes both Immediate Services and Regular Services Programs.
\5\ On average 30% of crisis encounters may result in the use of this optional tool.
\6\ On average 50% of service providers/crisis counselors may complete or use this optional tool.

    Written comments and recommendations concerning the proposed 
information collection should be sent by October 9, 2008 to: SAMHSA 
Desk Officer, Human Resources and Housing Branch, Office of Management 
and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 
20503; due to potential delays in OMB's receipt and processing of mail 
sent through the U.S. Postal Service, respondents are encouraged to 
submit comments by fax to: 202-395-6974.

    Dated: August 28, 2008.
Elaine Parry,
Acting Director, Office of Program Services.
[FR Doc. E8-20884 Filed 9-8-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P