Agency Information Collection Activities: Assessing Equity in Work Requirements and SNAP Employment & Training
| Court | Agriculture Department,Food And Nutrition Service |
| Citation | 88 FR 60913 |
| Published date | 06 September 2023 |
| Record Number | 2023-19113 |
| Section | Notices |
Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 171 (Wednesday, September 6, 2023)
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60913-60919]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19113]
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Notices
Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 6, 2023 /
Notices
[[Page 60913]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Assessing Equity in
Work Requirements and SNAP Employment & Training
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment
on this proposed information collection for the Assessing Equity in
Work Requirements and SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program]
Employment & Training study. This is a new information collection
request. This study informs the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) about feasible options for assessing
and monitoring equity in the administration of SNAP work requirements
and SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) services.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 6, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Kristen Corey, USDA Food and
Nutrition Service, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place,
Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via email to
[email protected]. Comments will also be accepted through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and
follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will
be a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection should be directed to Kristen
Corey at (703) 305-2517.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on (a) whether the
proposed collection of information is 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, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
that were used; (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 those who are to respond, including
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Title: Assessing Equity in Work Requirements and SNAP Employment
and Training.
Form Number: Not applicable.
OMB Number: 0584-NEW.
Expiration date: Not yet determined.
Type of request: New collection.
Abstract: Section 17 [7 U.S.C. 2026] (a)(1) of the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, provides general legislative
authority for the planned data collection. It authorizes the Secretary
of Agriculture to enter into contracts with private institutions to
undertake research that will help improve the administration and
effectiveness of SNAP.
FNS is conducting this study to identify data available from SNAP
State agencies, their E&T provider partners, and other sources that can
be used to develop measures to assess equity in the administration of
SNAP work requirements and E&T services. The developed measures can be
used to determine how and whether States are providing equitable access
to SNAP through the administration of work requirements, achieving
equitable participation in education and training opportunities through
the SNAP E&T program, and adopting program option and discretionary
policies and procedures that influence disparities. FNS has identified
four objectives for this study:
(1) Identify areas in the administration of work requirements in
SNAP and in SNAP E&T program administration and access where equity
issues could occur.
(2) Identify and describe the data that could be used to assess
access and outcomes in the areas identified in Objective 1.
(3) Describe how State agencies address equity in administering
work requirements in their SNAP and SNAP E&T programs.
(4) Develop recommendations on how FNS should assess and measure
equity in the administration of work requirements in SNAP and in SNAP
E&T program administration and access.
The study will gather data through a web-based survey and document
review of all 53 SNAP State agencies and key informant interviews in
six States. The web-based survey will provide information on current
practices addressing equity and data available to assess equity. The
web-based survey questions will be limited to those not answerable
through the document review. The document review will include extant
documents, manuals, guides, and other data sources from all 53 SNAP
State agencies. We will identify nine SNAP State agencies and recruit
as necessary to ensure the completion of key informant interviews in
six States. The key informant interviews will include staff from each
of the six study States at (1) the SNAP State agency office and (2) the
SNAP local office; interviews will also include (3) SNAP E&T providers
and (4) relevant interested parties, who may be government employees or
representatives of academic and business interests (e.g., community-
based organizations, community college consortium, American Job
Centers). We will pretest the web-based survey with individuals with
previous experience working in SNAP State agencies. We will pretest the
key informant interviews with State and local office staff from a SNAP
State agency not selected as a study State.
This study aligns with President Biden's January 20, 2021,
Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved
Communities Through the Federal Government and the goal of equitable
implementation of Federal programs.\1\ These data will
[[Page 60914]]
ultimately result in recommendations on how FNS can assess and measure
equity in the administration of work requirements and SNAP E&T. The
data collected will be kept private and will not be shared with anyone
outside the study team and FNS research and administrative staff.
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\1\ The White House. (2021). Executive order on advancing racial
equity and support for underserved communities through the Federal
Government. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
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Affected public: Members of the public affected by the data
collection include State, local, and Tribal governments; business (for
profit and not for profit); and individuals.
Respondent groups identified include the following:
(1) State, local, and Tribal government: The web-based survey will
be completed by all 53 SNAP State agency Directors with input from SNAP
E&T Directors and SNAP State agency data analysts who are familiar with
SNAP data and data systems. Submission of files for document review
will be completed by the SNAP State agency Directors and data analysts.
Staff from the SNAP State office, the SNAP local office, and an
interested party will pretest the interview instruments. The key
informant interviews will be conducted in the six study States with
SNAP State agency Directors, State agency data analysts, SNAP E&T
Directors, staff from two local offices, SNAP E&T providers, and
interested parties, such as staff at American Job Centers.
(2) Business (for profit and not for profit): One SNAP E&T provider
will pretest the interview instrument. SNAP E&T providers and
interested parties, such as staff at community-based organizations from
the six study States, will participate in key informant interviews.
(3) Individuals: Six individuals will pretest the web-based survey
instrument.
Pretesting: We anticipate 100 percent participation from the
respondents involved in pretesting the web-based survey and the key
informant interview guides. Six individuals with previous experience
working in SNAP State agencies will pretest the web-based survey. Key
informant interview instruments will be pretested by one SNAP State
Director, one local SNAP E&T administrator, one interested party, and
one SNAP E&T provider.
Survey: We will contact all 53 SNAP State agency Directors to
request that they complete the survey. FNS anticipates 100 percent
participation from the SNAP State agency Directors. Each SNAP State
agency Director may designate up to two staff to complete sections of
the survey, accounting for up to an additional 106 State agency staff
participating as respondents (159 SNAP State agency staff respondents
total). This is the highest possible number of survey respondents.
Document review: When recruited for participation in the survey,
SNAP State agencies will also be asked to submit documents for a
document review; FNS anticipates 100 percent participation. We will
reach out to 53 SNAP State agency Directors to submit documents;
Directors will be assisted by one staff member (i.e., data analyst) to
identify the necessary documents.
Key informant interviews: We will identify nine candidate States
and conduct key informant interview in six States. The key informant
interviews will involve semi-structured interviews with program
administrators and staff of SNAP State agencies and SNAP local
agencies, businesses or other agencies providing SNAP E&T services, and
interested parties representing other government agencies or
businesses. After FNS and the study team recruit the six States, FNS
expects all selected local SNAP agencies, SNAP providers, and
interested parties to participate.
Estimated number of respondents: The total estimated number of
respondents is 264 as follows: 203 State, local, and Tribal government
staff; 55 business (for profit and not for profit) staff; and 6
individuals. Of the 264 contacted, 264 are estimated to be responsive,
and three are estimated to be nonresponsive. The breakout of
respondents follows:
(1) State, local, and Tribal government staff: Of the 159 SNAP
State agency staff contacted, 159 are estimated to be responsive, and
three will be nonresponsive. The web-based survey will be completed by
53 SNAP State Directors, 53 data analysts, and 53 SNAP E&T Directors;
we expect them all to be responsive. The submission of files for
document review will be completed by 53 SNAP State Directors and 53
data analysts; we expect them all to be responsive. Before beginning
key informant interviews, we will pretest the interview instruments
with a SNAP State Director, a local SNAP E&T administrator, and an
interested party working for the government; we expect them all to be
responsive. We will conduct key informant interviews in six study
States. To successfully recruit six study States, FNS and the study
team will contact up to nine SNAP State Directors; six SNAP State
Directors will agree to participate in the interviews and three will be
nonresponsive. Other State staff joining the SNAP State Directors for
the key informant interviews will be six data analysts and six SNAP E&T
Directors, who will all be responsive, and zero will be nonresponsive.
Other local government staff will include 12 local SNAP E&T
administrators, 24 local office staff, and six interested parties
working for the government will be contacted and be responsive; zero
will be nonresponsive.
(2) Business (for profit and not for profit) staff: One SNAP E&T
provider will be recruited to pretest the key informant interview
instrument, and they will be responsive. Of the 48 SNAP E&T providers
contacted for key informant interviews in the six study States, 48 are
estimated to be responsive, and zero will be nonresponsive. Six
interested parties employed by businesses will be contacted for key
informant interviews; we expect all six to be responsive and zero to be
nonresponsive.
(3) Individuals: Of the six individuals recruited to pretest the
web-based survey, all six are estimated to be responsive, and zero will
be nonresponsive.
Estimated number of responses per respondent: 3.67--based on 981
total annual responses (978 responsive and 3 nonresponsive) made by the
264 respondents (264 responsive and three nonresponsive). See table 1
for the estimated number of responses per respondent for each type of
respondent.
The estimate breakout follows:
(1) State, local, and Tribal government staff:
(a) SNAP State Staff (159): The estimated number of responses per
SNAP State staff is 4.23:
--Fifty-three SNAP State Directors will receive recruitment emails from
FNS and the study team for the web-based survey. They will all respond
and complete the web-based survey. The SNAP State Directors will
coordinate with their staff to support the accurate completion of the
survey; 53 data analysts and 53 SNAP E&T Directors will assist in the
completion of the web-based survey.
--Fifty-three SNAP State Directors will respond to the request for the
submission of files for document review, including reading advance
materials and preparation of the files for submission. SNAP State
Directors will coordinate with their staff to obtain the necessary
files; 53 data analysts will assist in the preparation of documents.
--One SNAP State Director will be recruited and will pretest the key
[[Page 60915]]
informant interview instrument that will be used with SNAP State office
staff.
--Up to nine SNAP State Directors will receive and respond to an email
invitation to participate in key informant interviews. SNAP State
Directors in selected States will receive an introductory email from
the study team and have a meeting to schedule interviews and ask
questions. Of the up to nine SNAP State Directors, six will agree to
participate in the virtual key informant interviews and up to three
will decline to participate.
--Six SNAP E&T Directors and six data analysts will also participate in
virtual key informant interviews.
(b) Local SNAP office staff (37): The estimated number of responses
per local SNAP office staff is 2.97:
--One local SNAP E&T administrator will be recruited and will pretest
the key informant interview instrument that will be used with SNAP
local office staff.
--Twelve local SNAP E&T administrators will respond to scheduling and
take part in virtual key informant interviews; 24 additional local SNAP
office staff will take part in virtual key informant interviews.
(c) Non-SNAP State and local government agency staff (7): The
estimated number of responses per non-SNAP State and local staff is
2.86:
--One interested party will be recruited and will pretest the key
informant interview instrument that will be used with interested
parties.
--Six interested parties employed by either State or local government
agencies will respond to scheduling and take part in virtual key
informant interviews.
(2) Business (for profit and not for profit) SNAP E&T providers
(55): The estimated number of responses per business stakeholder staff
is 2.98:
--One SNAP E&T provider will be recruited and will pretest the key
informant interview instrument that will be used with E&T providers.
--Forty-eight business E&T provider staff will respond to scheduling
and participate in virtual key informant interviews.
--Six interested parties employed by a for-profit or not-for-profit
business will respond to scheduling and participate in virtual key
informant interviews.
(3) Individuals (6): The estimated number of responses per
individuals is 2.00:
--Six individuals will be recruited and will pretest the web-based
survey that will be administered to all 53 SNAP State agencies.
Estimated total frequency response per respondent. FNS anticipates
3.67 responses per respondent.
Estimated total annual responses: 981 (978 annual responses for
responsive participants and 3 annual responses for nonresponsive
participants).
Estimated time per response: 0.3796 hours (0.38 hours for
responsive participants and 0.25 hours for nonresponsive participants).
Among respondents, the estimated time of response varies from 0.03
hours to 1.50 hours depending on respondent group and activity, as
table 1 shows.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents and nonrespondents:
372.41 hours (371.66 hours for responsive participants and 0.75 hours
for nonresponsive participants). See table 1 for estimated total annual
burden for each type of respondent.
Tameka Owens,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
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[FR Doc. 2023-19113 Filed 9-5-23; 8:45 am]
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