Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 concerning opportunity for public comment on proposed collections of information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a copy of the information collection plans, call the SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer on (240) 276-1243.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collections of information are 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; (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 respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Proposed Project: Registration for Behavioral Health Web Site and Resources (OMB No. 0930-0313)—Extension

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is requesting OMB approval for an extension to the Behavioral Health Web site and Resources data collection. SAMHSA is authorized under section 501(d)(16) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa(d)(16)) to develop and distribute materials for the prevention, treatment, and recovery from substance abuse and mental health disorders. To improve customer service and lessen the burden on the public to locate and obtain these materials, SAMHSA has developed a Web site that includes more than 1,400 free publications from SAMHSA and its component Agencies: the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Center for Mental Health Services, the Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, and other SAMHSA partners, such as the Office of National Drug Control Policy. These products are available to the public for ordering and download. When a member of the public chooses to order hard-copy publications, it is necessary for SAMHSA to collect certain customer information in order to fulfill the request. To further lessen the burden on the public and provide the level of customer service that the public has come to expect from product Web sites, SAMHSA has developed a voluntary registration process for its publication Web site that allows customers to create accounts. Through these accounts, SAMHSA customers are able to access their order histories and save their shipping addresses. This reduces the burden on customers of having to re-identify materials they ordered in the past and to re-enter their shipping information each time they place an order with SAMHSA. During the Web site registration process, SAMHSA also asks customers to provide optional demographic information that helps SAMHSA evaluate the use and distribution of its publications and improve services to the public.

SAMHSA is employing a web-based form for information collection to avoid duplication and unnecessary burden on customers who register both for an account on the product Web site and for email updates. The web technology allows SAMHSA to integrate the email update subscription process into the Web site account registration process. Customers who register for an account on the product Web site are given the option of being enrolled automatically to receive SAMHSA email updates. Any optional questions answered by the customer during the Web site registration process automatically are mapped to the profile generated for the email update system, thereby reducing the collection of duplicate information.

SAMHSA collects all customer information submitted for Web site registration and email update subscriptions electronically via a series of web forms on the samhsa.gov domain. Customers can submit the web forms at their leisure, or call SAMHSA's toll-free Call Center and an information specialist will submit the forms on their behalf. The electronic collection of information reduces the burden on the respondent and streamlines the data-capturing process. SAMHSA places Web site registration information into a Knowledge Management database and places email subscription information into a database maintained by a third-party vendor that serves multiple Federal agencies and the White House. Customers can change, add, or delete their information from either system at any time.

The respondents are behavioral health professionals, researchers, parents, caregivers, and the general public.

There are no changes to the burden or the forms.

SAMHSA estimates the burden of this information collection as follows:

Send comments to Summer King, SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15E57-B, Rockville, Maryland 20857, OR email a copy to summer.king@samhsa.hhs.gov. Written comments should be received by August 22, 2016.