Agency Information Collection Activities, Comments Request: Evaluation of Alternatives To Improve Elderly Access, 24664-24667 [2017-11028]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Food and Nutrition Service

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24664-24667]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11028]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities, Comments Request: 
Evaluation of Alternatives To Improve Elderly Access

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on the proposed collection of information for the Evaluation of 
Alternatives to Improve Elderly Access. This is a NEW information 
collection. This study will provide FNS with a better understanding of 
the barriers to serving elderly populations in the Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the extent to which available 
policy options improve program access, whether certain program models 
or combinations are more effective than others, and what tradeoffs 
exist between program simplification/access goals and ensuring benefit 
adequacy.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 31, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Kameron Burt, Social Science Policy 
Analyst, Office of Policy Support, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 
3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may 
also be submitted via fax to the attention of Kameron Burt at 703-305-
2576 or via email to kameron.burt@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 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: To request more information on the 
proposed project, or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans 
contact Kameron Burt, Social Science Policy Analyst, Office of Policy 
Support, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
1014, Alexandria, VA 22302; Fax: 703-305-2576; Email: 
kameron.burt@fns.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    Title: Evaluation of Alternatives to Improve Elderly Access.
    Form Number: [If applicable, insert number].
    OMB Number: Not yet assigned.
    Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), under authorization 
of SEC. 17. [7 U.S.C. 2026] of the FOOD AND NUTRITION ACT OF 2008, as 
amended, intends to conduct the Evaluation of Alternatives to Improve 
Elderly Access. FNS is interested in exploring whether policy options 
designed to improve access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program (SNAP) for the elderly are effective. The objective of the 
study is to better understand how to maximize elder (60+) access to 
SNAP. The evaluation will have four key components:
    (1) Exploratory Study: To ground the study plan and subsequent 
components of the study, the project began with an initial exploratory 
research phase to determine what is known about elder SNAP 
participation levels and caseload dynamics over time, factors 
influencing elder participation in SNAP, and the scope, range, and 
effects of State interventions for elders to date. The exploratory 
study drew primarily on existing data, including SNAP Quality Control 
(QC) data from Fiscal Years 2010 to 2015 and an index of State policy 
options, and a literature review, supplemented by discussions with FNS 
Regional and National office staff and experts from advocacy groups.
    (2) Study of State Interventions: The Study of State Interventions 
will document the design, implementation, and operation of 
interventions intended to increase access to SNAP among the elderly 
population in the selected States. This component will provide a 
comprehensive understanding of the interventions, helping us to 
interpret the effects or lack thereof observed in the Study of 
Intervention Effects, draw lessons on how aspects of the interventions 
may be improved, and assess whether the interventions, if implemented 
in other locations or contexts, might yield similar outcomes. The 
primary source of data for this study component will be the extensive 
information collected during three-day site visits to each of the ten 
selected States.
    (3) Study of elder participant perspectives: The purpose of the 
study is to gather direct input from elders about their awareness of 
SNAP, perceptions of the program, and experiences applying for and 
receiving SNAP benefits. Key data collection activities for this 
component will include: Phone screenings with elderly individuals to 
confirm eligibility and schedule interviews (560 individuals will be 
screened to result in 280 scheduled interviews); semi-structured 
interviews with 200 elderly eligible individuals (out of the 280 
scheduled interviews) grouped into three categories (SNAP participants, 
non-participating applicants, and non-participants). FNS plans to 
contact or recruit another 115 individuals 60+ to participate in the 
focus group. Out of the 115 contacted, 80 will go on to participate in 
the actual focus group. These focus groups will be used to validate and 
explore key themes that emerge in the interviews. Overall, the 
expectation is that out of the total 675 elderly individuals contacted, 
395 will not respond or choose not to take part in the study.
    (4) Study of State Intervention Effects: The objective of the Study 
of State Intervention Effects is to assess the relative association 
between State interventions and key program outcomes, including elderly 
SNAP application trends and caseloads, and rates of churning. The focus 
of this analysis will be on the interventions that are specifically 
targeted to elderly households (in addition to the Community Partner 
Interview Demonstration (CPID)). The study team identified the 
following interventions as being of particular interest to the study 
because they either aim at increasing the enrollment of elderly 
participants or hold particular promise in this regard: Elderly 
Simplified Application Project (ESAP); Standard Medical Deduction 
(SMD); CPID; Combined Application

[[Page 24665]]

Project (CAP); participating in a 36-Month Certification Demonstration; 
and having a 36-month certification or recertification interview 
waiver.
    The key data source for this study will be a longitudinal file for 
each State that will be built by requesting caseload data from each 
study State for a period of time beginning 12 months before the 
implementation of an intervention and continuing through 12 months 
after implementation.
    Affected Public: Respondent categories of affected public and the 
corresponding study participants will include: State and Local or 
Tribal Government [Agency SNAP Directors and selected State and county 
government staff], Non-profit Business organizations [Organizations 
serving elderly individuals and Community Based Organizations], and 
Individuals & Households [Elderly 60+ Recipients, Non-recipients, and 
Non-participating applicants].
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,018 (675 Individuals/Households, 
90 Businesses and 253 State employees).
    Out of the 1,018 contacted, 660 are estimated to participate as 
respondents and 358 are estimated to not partake, who are considered 
our non-respondent group. The break out is as follows: The total 
estimated number of respondents includes: Out of 13 State SNAP 
Directors, 10 State SNAP Directors will participate; out of 70 State 
SNAP Administrative Staff, 70 State SNAP Administrative Staff will 
participate; out of 675 Individuals/Households, 360 Individuals 
Households (Elderly SNAP Recipients 60+ and Non-recipients, and Non-
participating applicants) will participate; out of 50 Non-profit 
Organizations (Organizations serving elderly individuals) contacted, 40 
will participate; out of 20 County Government SNAP Directors contacted, 
20 will participate; out of 50 State and County Staff (Partner 
Agencies) contacted, 30 will participate; out of 100 County SNAP Staff 
contacted, 100 will participate; and out of 40 Non-profit Organizations 
(Community Based Organizations) contacted, 30 will.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.28.
    The estimated number of responses per State Government SNAP 
Director is two: 10 State SNAP Directors will complete a Memorandum of 
Understanding with the research team; the same 10 State SNAP Directors 
will also take part in an interview lasting approximately 1 hour.
    The estimated number of responses per State SNAP Administrative 
Staff is one: 20 respondents will prepare and provide caseload data 
files; 50 other respondents will take part in an interview.
    The estimated number of responses per Individual Household (Elderly 
SNAP Recipients and Non-recipients) is one: 200 respondents will take 
part in an interview; 80 other respondents will take part in a focus 
group discussion (additionally, 395 other elderly individuals will be 
screened and/or have an interview or focus group scheduled but will not 
complete that activity).
    The estimated number of responses per Non-profit Organization 
(Organizations serving elderly individuals) is one: 40 respondents will 
provide assistance with recruiting participants for interviews and 
focus groups.
    The estimated number of responses per Non-profit Organizations 
(Community Based Organizations) is one: 30 respondents will participate 
in interviews as part of the study of State interventions.
    The estimated number of responses per County Government SNAP 
Director is one: 20 respondents will take part in an interview.
    The estimated number of responses per State and County Staff 
(Partner Agencies) is one: 30 respondents will take part in an 
interview.
    The estimated number of responses per County SNAP Staff is one: 100 
respondents will take part in an interview.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1,308.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.0515 hours.
    The estimated time of response varies from one to 20 hours 
depending on respondent group and data collection activity, as shown in 
the table below, with an average estimated time of 1.53 hours for all 
participants (the average estimated time is .10 hours for non-
respondents). Twenty State SNAP Administrative Staff will spend an 
estimated 20 hours to prepare and provide caseload data files, and 10 
State Government SNAP Directors will spend an estimated 10 hours to 
complete a Memorandum of Understanding with the research team. All 
other data collection activities produce a burden of 1.5 hours or less.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,375.40 hours.
    See Table 1 below for estimated total annual burden for each type 
of respondent.

    Dated: May 18, 2017.
Jessica Shahin,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P

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[FR Doc. 2017-11028 Filed 5-26-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-C