NonSub Change - # Respondents for 2nd Round Site Visits

To: Kelsi Feltz

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Mary Mueggenborg

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: June 9, 2023

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Supporting Youth to be Successful in Life (SYSIL) (OMB #0970-0574)

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to the approved information collection, Supporting Youth to be Successful in Life (SYSIL) Study (OMB #0970-0574).

Background

OMB approved the impact and implementation studies and instruments for the OPRE Study, Supporting Youth to be Successful in Life (SYSIL) on July 27, 2021. As part of the implementation study, the initial approval included two rounds of site visits and two “check-in” calls. Our initial plans for site visits were for 1.5-hour interviews with an average of 3 staff in each of 12 sites (6 Pathways and 6 comparison). The original request approved by OMB included 30 respondents for each condition (total of 60 respondents) across both rounds of site visits. During the first round of site visits, sites requested that we include additional staff in the interviews. As a result, we interviewed 22 staff in Pathways sites and 29 staff in comparison sites (51 site staff total for just the first round of visits). We now need to plan for the second round of site visits and estimate a similar number of respondents for the second round of interviews. As such, we need to increase the estimated number of respondents to the interviews.

Additionally, through a January 2022 non-substantive request, we were approved to speak with a total of 16 respondents across both conditions (one respondent per site¹) for the check-in calls for each of the two rounds. Similar to the first round of site visits, we received requests from sites to include more than one person in the check-in call. We need to account for an increase from what was originally estimated for the number of participants on check-in calls.

Finally, during data collection some youth and young adults have requested to participate in a one-on-one interview instead of a focus group. We would like to accommodate the requests of these potential respondents.

Overview of Requested Changes

Interview Guides for Pathways Sites (Treatment Sites) Comparison Sites: To account for the additional respondents in round one interviews and the anticipated additional respondents in round two interviews, we have updated Supporting Statement A to increase the total estimated number of respondents to these interviews from 30 to 60 for each condition. This will result in an increase in the estimated annual burden of 15 hours for each condition. There have been no changes to the actual interviews and time per response for individuals remains the same.

Program Director Check-ins for Pathways sites (Treatment Sites) and Comparison Sites: To account for the additional respondents in round one check-ins and the anticipated additional respondents in round two check-ins, we have updated Supporting Statement A to increase the total estimated number of respondents. Specifically, we request to increase the total number of Pathways respondents from 10 to 54 and the total number of comparison respondents from 6 to 36. This will result in an increase in the estimated annual burden of 5 hours for the Pathways sites. For the comparison sites, the estimated estimated annual burden has increased by 4 hour. There have been no changes to the actual content of the check-ins and time per response for individuals remains the same.

Focus Group Discussion Guide for Pathways Youth (Treatment Youth) and Comparison Youth: We also request a change to offer youth and young adults the opportunity to request a one-on-one interview instead of a focus group. These interviews would use the same instruments: the Focus Group Discussion Guide for Pathways Youth (Treatment Youth) instrument and the Focus Group Discussion Guide for Comparison Youth instrument. This change does not result in any changes to burden.

Updated Supporting Statement A accompanies this memo.

1 The YARH Summative evaluation includes 37 counties that form 16 sites (10 intervention and 6 comparison) due to coordination of services across small adjacent counties.