Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Understanding the Rates, Causes, and Costs of Churning in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), 79648-79649 [2011-32799]
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79648
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 246 / Thursday, December 22, 2011 / Notices
ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS—Continued
Number of respondents
Respondent
Number of responses per
respondent
4,806
........................
4,806
Total ..............................................................
Dated: December 15, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–32798 Filed 12–21–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request—Understanding the
Rates, Causes, and Costs of Churning
in the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP)
Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and
other public agencies to comment on
this proposed information collection.
This collection is a new collection for
research on the rates, causes, and costs
of churning in SNAP.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before February 21, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on:
(a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden of the proposed collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions that
were used; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments may be sent to: Steven
Carlson, Office of Research and
Analysis, Food and Nutrition Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101
Park Center Drive, Room 1014,
Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may
also be submitted via fax to the attention
of Steven Carlson at (703) 305–2576 or
jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
19:17 Dec 21, 2011
Jkt 226001
via email to
Steve.Carlson@fns.usda.gov. Comments
will also be accepted through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to
https://www.regulations.gov, and follow
the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for
public inspection at the office of the
Food and Nutrition Service during
regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to
5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101
Park Center Drive, Room 1014,
Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for Office of Management and Budget
approval. All comments will be a matter
of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection
should be directed to Steven Carlson at
(703) 305–2017. Information requests
submitted through email should refer to
the title of this proposed collection and/
or the OMB approval number in the
subject line.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Understanding the Rates,
Causes, and Costs of Churning in SNAP.
Form Number: [If applicable, insert
number].
OMB Number: 0584–NEW.
Expiration Date: [Insert date or Not
Yet Determined].
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: The Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly
known as the Food Stamp Program) is
the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
(USDA’s) largest nutrition program,
enabling millions of low-income
Americans to purchase groceries. It
served an average of 40.3 million people
per month in Fiscal Year 2010, growing
from 17.1 million in Fiscal Year 2000.
The program is designed to respond to
broad economic and individual
circumstances as they change over time.
For this reason, households move on
and off the program as they become
benefit-eligible and then lose eligibility
because of changing income and
household circumstances. A new job, a
reduction in work hours, the addition of
a household member, someone moving
out, or other changes in household
income or composition can affect
PO 00000
Average
burden per
response
(in hours)
Estimated total
annual responses
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
..........................
Total burden
(in hours)
1,373.56
eligibility and lead naturally to program
entry and exit.
There are also times, however, when
households leave the program despite
remaining eligible. Eligible households
not receiving SNAP benefits are of
concern to the program because of their
reduced access to nutritious foods.
The Office of Research and Analysis
(ORA) in USDA’s Food and Nutrition
Service (FNS) has undertaken a study
on the causes and costs of churning in
SNAP. Churning occurs when a SNAP
participant leaves the program and
returns within a short period of time,
defined here as four months or less.
Churning is a policy concern because of
its presumed adverse effects on
participants and on the administering
agencies. When churn occurs, agency
staff must re-collect paperwork and recomplete the application process for
households whose eligibility may not
have changed since they left the
program and who thus may have
incurred a loss of benefits. The study
seeks to better understand (1) the rates
and patterns of churning; (2) why
participants churn; (3) what happens
administratively when a participant
returns to SNAP after a brief spell of
non-receipt, and (4) the costs of churn
to both programs and participants.
The study includes a quantitative
research component involving the use of
administrative data in six states and a
qualitative research component
involving on-site staff interviews and
participant focus groups in six study
sites. At each of the six sites, hour-long
semi-structured interviews will be
conducted with state and local SNAP
administrators, SNAP caseworkers, and
directors of community-based
organizations involved with SNAP
outreach. Also at each site, two focus
groups will be conducted with SNAP
participants who have experienced
churn. Each group will consist of five
individuals and will last one hour.
Recruitment for each focus group will
require three-minute telephone calls to
ten individuals.
Affected Public: (State, Local, Tribal
Government, Business (Not-for-Profit),
Individual/Households).
Respondent groups identified include:
(1) SNAP administrators; (2) SNAP
caseworkers; (3) directors of
E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM
22DEN1
79649
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 246 / Thursday, December 22, 2011 / Notices
community-based organizations; (4)
SNAP participants—attempted focus
groups; and (5) SNAP participants—
completed focus groups.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
The total estimated number of
respondents is 234. This includes: (1) 12
SNAP administrators; (2) 30 SNAP
caseworkers; (3) 12 directors of
community-based organizations; (4) 180
SNAP participants recruited (120 SNAP
participants—attempted focus groups;
and (5) 60 SNAP participants—
completed focus groups.)
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: Each respondent will be
asked to participate in one interview,
telephone call, or focus group.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
234.
Estimated Time per Response:
38.5 minutes (0.64 hours). The
estimated time of response varies from
3 minutes to 60 minutes depending on
the respondent group, as shown in the
table below.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 7,380 minutes (123
hours). See the table below for estimated
total annual burden for each type of
respondent.
REPORTING BURDEN
(e)
Est. total
annual
responses
per respondent
(c × d)
(d)
Frequency
of response
interview ....................
12.00
1.00
12.00
1.00
12.00
SNAP Caseworkers ..
interview ....................
30.00
1.00
30.00
1.00
30.00
...................................
...................................
42.00
1.00
42
....................
42.00
SNAP Participants ....
Recruited—Declined
120.00
1.00
120.00
0.05
6.00
...................................
...................................
Recruited—Accepted
Focus Group .............
60
60.00
1.00
1.00
60
60.00
0.05
1
3.00
60
...................................
...................................
180.00
1.00
180.00
Directors of community-based organizations.
interview ....................
12.00
1.00
12.00
1.00
12.00
...................................
...................................
234.00
....................
234.00
....................
123.00
Respondent type
(b)
Survey instruments
State, Local and Tribal Agencies.
SNAP Administrators
Subtotal ..............
Individuals & Households.
Subtotal ..............
Business (not-forprofit).
Grand Total ........
December 15, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–32799 Filed 12–21–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting
of the Arizona Advisory Committee
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to
the provisions of the rules and
regulations of the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights (Commission), and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), that two meetings of the
Arizona Advisory Committee
(Committee) to the Commission will be
held on Wednesday, January 4, 2012, at
the Harmon Library, 1325 S. 5th
Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003. The first
meeting is administrative in purpose
and will convene at 1 p.m. and adjourn
at approximately 2 p.m.; the purpose of
the administrative meeting is for
members of the newly chartered
Committee to receive orientation and
ethics training. The second meeting is
VerDate Mar<15>2010
19:17 Dec 21, 2011
Jkt 226001
planning in purpose and will convene at
2 p.m. and adjourn at approximately
3:30 p.m.; the purpose of the planning
meeting is for the Committee to plan
future Committee activity.
Members of the public are entitled to
submit written comments. The
comments must be received in the
Western Regional Office by February 5,
2012. The mailing address is Western
Regional Office, U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights, 300 N. Los Angeles St.,
Suite 2010, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Persons wishing to email their
comments may do so to
atrevino@usccr.gov. Persons that desire
additional information should contact
Angelica Trevino, Administrative
Assistant, Western Regional Office, at
(213) 894–3437.
Hearing-impaired persons who will
attend the meeting and require the
services of a sign language interpreter
should contact the Regional Office at
least ten (10) working days before the
scheduled date of the meeting.
Records generated from this meeting
may be inspected and reproduced at the
Western Regional Office, as they become
available, both before and after the
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(f)
Hours per
response
(g)
Total
burden
hours
(e × f)
(c)
Number
respondents
(a)
Affected public
—
69.00
meeting. Persons interested in the work
of this advisory committee are advised
to go to the Commission’s Web site,
www.usccr.gov, or to contact the
Western Regional Office at the above
email or street address.
The meeting will be conducted
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the Commission and
FACA.
Dated in Washington, DC, December 19,
2011.
Peter Minarik,
Acting Chief, Regional Programs
Coordination Unit.
[FR Doc. 2011–32797 Filed 12–21–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6335–01–P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting
of the Louisiana Advisory Committee
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to
the provisions of the rules and
regulations of the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights (Commission), and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), that a planning meeting of the
E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM
22DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 246 (Thursday, December 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79648-79649]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32799]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--Understanding the Rates, Causes, and Costs of Churning
in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment
on this proposed information collection. This collection is a new
collection for research on the rates, causes, and costs of churning in
SNAP.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before February 21,
2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions that were used; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
(d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments may be sent to: Steven Carlson, Office of Research and
Analysis, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may
also be submitted via fax to the attention of Steven Carlson at (703)
305-2576 or via email to Steve.Carlson@fns.usda.gov. Comments will also
be accepted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for public inspection at the
office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours
(8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive,
Room 1014, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will
be a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection should be directed to Steven
Carlson at (703) 305-2017. Information requests submitted through email
should refer to the title of this proposed collection and/or the OMB
approval number in the subject line.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Understanding the Rates, Causes, and Costs of Churning in
SNAP.
Form Number: [If applicable, insert number].
OMB Number: 0584-NEW.
Expiration Date: [Insert date or Not Yet Determined].
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP,
formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) is the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's (USDA's) largest nutrition program, enabling millions of
low-income Americans to purchase groceries. It served an average of
40.3 million people per month in Fiscal Year 2010, growing from 17.1
million in Fiscal Year 2000.
The program is designed to respond to broad economic and individual
circumstances as they change over time. For this reason, households
move on and off the program as they become benefit-eligible and then
lose eligibility because of changing income and household
circumstances. A new job, a reduction in work hours, the addition of a
household member, someone moving out, or other changes in household
income or composition can affect eligibility and lead naturally to
program entry and exit.
There are also times, however, when households leave the program
despite remaining eligible. Eligible households not receiving SNAP
benefits are of concern to the program because of their reduced access
to nutritious foods.
The Office of Research and Analysis (ORA) in USDA's Food and
Nutrition Service (FNS) has undertaken a study on the causes and costs
of churning in SNAP. Churning occurs when a SNAP participant leaves the
program and returns within a short period of time, defined here as four
months or less. Churning is a policy concern because of its presumed
adverse effects on participants and on the administering agencies. When
churn occurs, agency staff must re-collect paperwork and re-complete
the application process for households whose eligibility may not have
changed since they left the program and who thus may have incurred a
loss of benefits. The study seeks to better understand (1) the rates
and patterns of churning; (2) why participants churn; (3) what happens
administratively when a participant returns to SNAP after a brief spell
of non-receipt, and (4) the costs of churn to both programs and
participants.
The study includes a quantitative research component involving the
use of administrative data in six states and a qualitative research
component involving on-site staff interviews and participant focus
groups in six study sites. At each of the six sites, hour-long semi-
structured interviews will be conducted with state and local SNAP
administrators, SNAP caseworkers, and directors of community-based
organizations involved with SNAP outreach. Also at each site, two focus
groups will be conducted with SNAP participants who have experienced
churn. Each group will consist of five individuals and will last one
hour. Recruitment for each focus group will require three-minute
telephone calls to ten individuals.
Affected Public: (State, Local, Tribal Government, Business (Not-
for-Profit), Individual/Households).
Respondent groups identified include: (1) SNAP administrators; (2)
SNAP caseworkers; (3) directors of
[[Page 79649]]
community-based organizations; (4) SNAP participants--attempted focus
groups; and (5) SNAP participants--completed focus groups.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of
respondents is 234. This includes: (1) 12 SNAP administrators; (2) 30
SNAP caseworkers; (3) 12 directors of community-based organizations;
(4) 180 SNAP participants recruited (120 SNAP participants--attempted
focus groups; and (5) 60 SNAP participants--completed focus groups.)
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Each respondent will
be asked to participate in one interview, telephone call, or focus
group.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 234.
Estimated Time per Response: 38.5 minutes (0.64 hours). The
estimated time of response varies from 3 minutes to 60 minutes
depending on the respondent group, as shown in the table below.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 7,380 minutes (123
hours). See the table below for estimated total annual burden for each
type of respondent.
Reporting Burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(e) Est.
total
(c) Number (d) annual (f) Hours (g) Total
(a) Affected public Respondent type (b) Survey instruments Frequency responses per burden
respondents of response per response hours (e x
respondent f)
(c x d)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State, Local and Tribal Agencies..... SNAP Administrators.... interview.............. 12.00 1.00 12.00 1.00 12.00
SNAP Caseworkers....... interview.............. 30.00 1.00 30.00 1.00 30.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal......................... ....................... ....................... 42.00 1.00 42 ........... 42.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals & Households............. SNAP Participants...... Recruited--Declined.... 120.00 1.00 120.00 0.05 6.00
....................... Recruited--Accepted.... 60 1.00 60 0.05 3.00
....................... Focus Group............ 60.00 1.00 60.00 1 60
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal......................... ....................... ....................... 180.00 1.00 180.00 -- 69.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Business (not-for-profit)............ Directors of community- interview.............. 12.00 1.00 12.00 1.00 12.00
based organizations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Grand Total..................... ....................... ....................... 234.00 ........... 234.00 ........... 123.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December 15, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-32799 Filed 12-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
