Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Evaluation of Public Health AmeriCorps, 8184-8185 [2024-02275]

Agencies

• Corporation for National and Community Service

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8184-8185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-02275]


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CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Evaluation of Public Health AmeriCorps

AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service, operating 
as AmeriCorps, has submitted a public information collection request 
(ICR) entitled Evaluation of Public Health AmeriCorps for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the individual and office 
listed in the ADDRESSES section by March 7, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of this ICR, with applicable 
supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling Nicole Jones, 202-
569-3638, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB is particularly interested in 
comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of CNCS, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information,

[[Page 8185]]

including the validity of the methodology and assumptions;
     Propose ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and
     Propose ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments

    A 60-day Notice requesting public comment was published in the 
Federal Register on September 7, 2023 at 88 FR 61575. This comment 
period ended November 6, 2023. One public comment was received from 
this notice. The comment received inquired about (1) data collection 
and data ownership, (2) the purpose and need for the Public Health 
AmeriCorps Technical Assistance and Training Form, and (3) the length 
of the Public Health AmeriCorps Outcome Evaluation Draft survey. 
Responses are:
     All data collected will be managed and securely stored by 
the contractor and delivered to the AmeriCorps Office of Research and 
Evaluation (ORE) in aggregate form during the contract term, and after 
the contract ends, will be delivered to ORE as a de-identified public 
use data file and a restricted use data file. ORE will securely store 
the data and AmeriCorps programs will not have access to the data 
except in aggregate form, upon request.
     The Public Health AmeriCorps Technical Assistance and 
Training form was a requested instrument from the program team. This 
instrument will allow for the contractor to distill any information 
that wasn't already collected in the grantee survey or focus group 
guide. The instrument will be used as a supplemental tool to capture 
any additional information that wasn't collected in other activities.
     The evaluation team has been mindful of the length and 
burden of the member survey. The survey has gone through several 
iterations and has been shortened. The contractor piloted the 
instrument with up to nine members and conducted cognitive interviews 
after the members completed the survey. The version the contractor 
piloted took participants on average less than 30 minutes to complete 
and participants did not express dissatisfaction with the length of the 
survey. The reason for keeping questions that are also found in the 
Member Exit Survey (MES) is that participants in the Public Health 
AmeriCorps evaluation might not complete the MES, and consequently it 
would not be possible to merge the two surveys. It is important for the 
Public Health AmeriCorps survey to include complete data to address the 
evaluation questions and to create more complete datasets across the 
agency. We want to ensure we close any gaps (intake information and 
member surveys) and confirm information already received. The purpose 
of reaching out to members who exited early is to better understand 
their experience and the challenges they encountered in completing 
their service. This data may inform programmatic changes with the aim 
of minimizing attrition among members. We will also benchmark the 
Public Health AmeriCorps survey to other similar public health program 
to see how Public Health AmeriCorps is achieving the goal of creating a 
pathway to public health careers.
    Title of Collection: Evaluation of Public Health AmeriCorps.
    OMB Control Number: 3045-NEW. Type of Review: New.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and Households (AmeriCorps 
Members) and Businesses and Organizations (Grantees).
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 2,198.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 2,097.
    Abstract: The evaluation will examine the extent to which Public 
Health AmeriCorps is progressing toward its goals to address public 
health needs and develop the next generation of public health leaders. 
The evaluation will answer questions about the challenges and successes 
with program implementation, recruitment and retention of members, 
partnership between grantees and other organizations such as state and 
local health departments, members' career intentions, and members' 
professional development. This information collection request includes 
several information collection instruments: a member alumni survey, an 
early exit survey, a grantee survey, a training and technical 
assistance form, grantee focus group questions, early exit interview 
questions, and partner interview questions. The burden hour per 
response for each of these instruments ranges from 15 minutes to an 
hour and a half. Throughout the evaluation design process, AmeriCorps 
received feedback and guidance from partners and advisory groups, 
including AmeriCorps staff, CDC staff, and public health and public 
health workforce professionals. This is a new information collection.

Mary Hyde,
Director, Office of Research and Evaluation.
[FR Doc. 2024-02275 Filed 2-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6050-28-P