Memo - Nonsub Change - Random Assignment

DATE: March 15, 2018

TO: Steph Tatham

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

FROM: Caryn Blitz

Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Angie Webley

Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

SUBJECT: Request for Non-Substantive Change to the Evaluation of the Transitional Living Program (TLP) (0970-0383).

This memo requests a nonsubstantive change to the information collection for the Evaluation of the Transitional Living Program (TLP) (0970-0383). The Evaluation of the TLP is focused on identifying short-term and longer-term outcomes for youth. The study will provide information on services available to youth during and after exiting the program, including assistance in locating and retaining permanent housing and referrals to other residential programs, and services for employment, education, health, and mental health.

Nonsubstantive change request

Overview

Data collection began in October 2016. At baseline, the target sample was 1250 youth participants evenly distributed between the treatment and control group. At nine months, we reviewed the study enrollment rate (12.8 percent across the treatment and control groups) and the 3-month follow up rate (20 percent across the treatment and control groups) and determined it would not feasible to reach the target sample size of 1250 youth within the time frame for study completion.

We propose to the following changes: 1) drop the control group; 2) decrease the sample size to roughly half the number of participants originally proposed (i.e., to 600 youth); and 3) focus resources on fewer follow up data collection points. Instead of six follow up points, we propose three: baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. We will implement the same follow up survey – Young Adult 12-Month Follow Up Survey – at 6 and 12 months. We do not propose any changes to the content of the surveys.

Table 1. Currently approved burden table, updated to reflect nonsubstantive change request

Instrument	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Average Burden Hours per Response	Total Burden Hours
Site Visit Interviews
Program Overview Survey: Executive Director Interview Guide (1 Executive Director respondent per grantee)	14	1	1	14
Program Overview Survey: Program Staff Interview Guide (4 Program Staff respondents per grantee)	56	1	2	112
Youth Development Survey Interview Guide (1 Executive Director and 1 Program Staff respondent per grantee)	28	1	0.50	14
Young Adult Surveys
Young Adult Baseline Survey	600	1	0.62	372
Young Adult 3-Month Follow Up Survey			0	4
Young Adult 6-Month Follow Up Survey	600	1	0.61	366
Young Adult 9-Month Tracking Survey			0
Young Adult 12-Month Follow Up Survey	600	1	0.61	366
Young Adult 15-Month Tracking Survey			0
Young Adult 18-Month Follow Up Survey			0
Total				1,244

Table 2. Burden table updated to reflect current status of data collection and nonsubstantive change
Instrument	Total/Annual Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Average Burden Hours per Response	Total Burden Hours
Site Visit Interviews
Program Overview Survey: Executive Director Interview Guide (1 Executive Director respondent per grantee)	Data collection complete
Program Overview Survey: Program Staff Interview Guide (4 Program Staff respondents per grantee)	Data collection complete
Youth Development Survey Interview Guide (1 Executive Director and 1 Program Staff respondent per grantee)	Data collection complete
Young Adult Surveys
Young Adult Baseline Survey	600	1	0.62	372
Young Adult 3-Month Follow Up Survey	No longer planned
Young Adult 6-Month Follow Up Survey	600	1	0.61	366
Young Adult 9-Month Tracking Survey	No longer planned
Young Adult 12-Month Follow Up Survey	600	1	0.61	366
Young Adult 15-Month Tracking Survey	No longer planned
Young Adult 18-Month Follow Up Survey	No longer planned
Estimated Total Burden Hours				1,104

Table 3. Simplified Burden Table: Current Burden Status with Nonsubstantive Change Request Approved

Instrument	Total/Annual Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Average Burden Hours per Response	Total/Annual Burden Hours
Young Adult Baseline Survey	600	1	0.62	372
Young Adult 6-Month Follow Up Survey	600	1	0.61	366
Young Adult 12-Month Follow Up Survey	600	1	0.61	366
Total				1,104