Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Public Comment Request; The Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship (AENT) Program Specific Data Collection Forms

AGENCY:

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate below, or any other aspect of the ICR.

DATES:

Comments on this ICR should be received no later than January 9, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments to paperwork@hrsa.gov or mail the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 14N39, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and draft instruments, email paperwork@hrsa.gov or call the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-1984.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

When submitting comments or requesting information, please include the information request collection title for reference.

Information Collection Request Title: The Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship (AENT) Program Specific Data Collection Forms.

OMB No. 0915-0375, Revision

Abstract: The Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Program is a new program that incorporates elements of the AENT and the Advanced Nursing Education Programs. The current OMB approved Program Specific Data Collection Forms for the former AENT Program will be simplified and used for the ANEW program.

HRSA provides advanced education nursing grants to educational institutions to increase the numbers of advanced education nurses through the ANEW Program. The ANEW Program is authorized by Title VIII, Section 811(a)(2) of the Public Health Service Act, (42 U.S.C. 296j(a)(2)), as amended by Section 5308 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Public Law 111-148. This renewal with revision request includes the Project Abstract, Program Narrative, Attachments, and Tables. The proposed ANEW tables are very similar to the previous AENT tables and include information on program participants such as the projected number of enrollees/trainees receiving traineeship support, projected number of graduates receiving traineeship support for the previous fiscal year, the types of programs they are enrolling into and/or from which enrollees/trainees are graduating, and the distribution of primary care nurse practitioners, primary care clinical nurse specialists, and nurse-midwives who plan to practice in rural and underserved settings. To reduce the reporting burden for applicants, HRSA simplified the tables to focus on the types of providers and practice settings that are included in the statute to determine whether applicants qualify for the preference or special consideration in making awards for this program.

Need and Proposed Use of the Information: The Project Abstract is often distributed to provide information to the public and Congress. HRSA will use this information in determining the eligibility for the statutory funding preference and special consideration and to succinctly capture data for the number of projected students for subsequent years in the project period.

Likely Respondents: Likely respondents are potential applicants for the ANEW program. Eligible applicants for the ANEW program include entities that provide registered nurses with primary care nurse practitioner (NP), primary care clinical nurse specialist (CNS), and nurse-midwife education. Such programs may include accredited schools of nursing, nursing centers, academic health centers, state or local governments, and other public or private nonprofit entities authorized by the Secretary of HHS to confer degrees to RNs for primary care NP, primary care CNS, or nurse-midwife education. Federally recognized Indian Tribal Government and Native American Organizations as well as faith-based or community-based organizations may apply if they are otherwise eligible.

Eligible state government entities include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide the information requested. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for this Information Collection Request are summarized in the table below.

Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours:

HRSA specifically requests comments on (1) the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden, (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.