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Public Comment Request on Centers for Independent Living Program Performance Report

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This proposed revision of a currently approved information collection request (ICR Rev) solicits comments on the information collection requirements related to the Centers for Independent Living (CILs) under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 701, et seq. (the Act).

Review and send comments about the CIL PPR Instrument:

CIL PPR Instrument

DATES:

Comments on the collection of information must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. (ET) or postmarked by January 28, 2025.

ADDRESSES:

Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: Peter Nye at OILPPRAComments@acl.hhs.gov. Submit written comments on the collection of information to Administration for Community Living, Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Peter Nye.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Nye, Administration for Community Living, Washington, DC 20024, (202) 795-7606 or OILPPRAComments@acl.hhs.gov.

Proposed Information Collection: State Annual Long-Term Care Ombudsman Report

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This IC extension solicits comments on the information collection requirements relating to the State Annual Long-Term Care Ombudsman Report (OMB Control Number 0985-0005).

Comments on the collection of information must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by October 7, 2024.

Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: Beverley Laubert, Beverley.Laubert@acl.hhs.gov. Submit written comments on the collection of information to Administration for Community Living, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Beverley Laubert.

For more information contact Beverley.Laubert@acl.hhs.gov, (202) 740-0801.

Proposed Instruments:

Supplemental Information: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. The PRA requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, ACL is publishing a notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document. With respect to the following collection of information, ACL invites comments on our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including: (1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of ACL's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to determine burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including using automated collection techniques when appropriate, and other forms of information technology.

The State Annual Long-Term Care Ombudsman Report is needed to comply with Administration for Community Living/Administration on Aging reporting requirements in the Older Americans Act (OAA); and 45 CFR 1324.21(b)(1) and (b)(2)(v). The long-term care ombudsman report is used to measure the services and strategies that are provided to assist residents in the protection of their health, safety, welfare, or rights; advocate at the state and federal levels for changes needed to improve the quality of life and care in long-term care facilities; and effectively manage the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program at the state and federal level.

The National Ombudsman Reporting System (NORS) was developed in response to these needs and directives. Section 712(c) of the OAA requires the state agency to establish a statewide uniform reporting system to: (1) Collect and analyze data relating to resident complaints and conditions in long-term care facilities for the purpose of identifying and resolving significant problems. and (2) Submit the data on a regular basis to the state licensing/certifying agency, other state and federal entities that the Ombudsman determines to be appropriate, the Assistant Secretary for Aging, and the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center.

Proposed Information Collection: State Plan of Assistive Technology

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This collection of information extension solicits comments on the information collection requirements relating to the State Plan of Assistive Technology (OMB Control Number 0985–0048).

Federal Register Notice Proposed Information Collection: State Plan for AT Instrument and Instructions

Comments on the collection of information must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EDT) or postmarked by May 28, 2024. Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: Rob Groenendaal Robert.Groenendaal@acl.hhs.gov. Submit written comments on the collection of information to Administration for Community Living, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Rob Groenendaal

For more information contact Rob Groenendaal, Robert.Groenendaal@acl.hhs.gov, (202) 795–7356.

Supplementary information: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. The PRA requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, ACL is publishing a notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document. With respect to the following collection of information, ACL invites comments on our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including: (1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of ACL's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to determine burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including using automated collection techniques when appropriate, and other forms of information technology. Section 4 of the 21st Century Assistive Technology Act (AT Act) provides grants to States and Territories to operate comprehensive statewide assistive technology programs (Statewide AT Programs) that increase access to and acquisition of AT devices and services for individuals with disabilities and older Americans. States and Territories are required to apply to ACL in order to receive funds under this grant program. Section 4(d) of the AT Act requires that this application contain: (1) information identifying and describing the lead agency and implementing entity (if applicable) responsible for carrying out the Statewide AT Program and a description of how the implementing entity (if applicable) coordinates and collaborates with the State; (2) a description of how public and private entities were involved in the development of the application and will be involved in implementation of the grant, including the resources to be committed by these entities (3) a description of how the Statewide AT Program will implement the activities required under the grant, which include State financing, device reutilization, device loans, device demonstrations, training, technical assistance, and public awareness. Statewide AT Programs must conduct these activities in coordination and collaboration with other appropriate entities; (4) an explanation of how the grant funds will be allocated, used, and tracked; (5) a set of assurances; and (6) a description of the activities that will be supported with State funds.

Request for Information: Elder Justice Coordinating Council Priorities

The Administration for Community Living is seeking your best thoughts and ideas on the most important topics and issues for the Elder Justice Coordinating Council to focus. The Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC) wants to hear from the American public, researchers, practitioners, and especially survivors of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation to know what the EJCC should prioritize over the next decade. To read about this Request for Information, please see the Federal Register Notice.

Comments should be submitted electronically to ejpubliccomments@acl.hhs.gov with “EJCC Priorities” in the subject line.

To be assured consideration, comments must be be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EDT) April 24, 2024.

For further information contact Stephanie Whittier Eliason, (202) 795-7467 Stephanie.WhittierEliason@acl.hhs.gov.

The ejpubliccomments@acl.hhs.gov email is a resource mailbox established to receive public input regarding the Elder Justice Coordinating Council and should not be used to request information beyond the scope of this public input opportunity. Please do not use this mailbox to report suspicions of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Please note: This invitation is for information and planning purposes only. It should not be construed as a solicitation or an obligation on the part of the federal government or the Administration for Community Living (ACL).ACL does not intend to issue any grant or contract awards based on responses to this invitation, or to otherwise pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the government's use of such information. ACL will not be able to respond to submissions that are not within the scope of this public comment opportunity. Do not use this mailbox to report suspicions of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Report any suspected abuse, neglect or financial exploitation to your state’s Adult Protective Services.

ACL is not authorized to receive personally identifiable information through this public comment opportunity, beyond the contact information of the person submitting input. Please do not include any other personally identifiable information in your comment. For example, do not include the name, address, phone number or Social Security number of any individual you believe has experienced abuse, neglect or financial exploitation. We will immediately delete and not review any submission that includes personally identifiable information.

Background

Passed in 2010, the Elder Justice Act establishes the Elder Justice Coordinating Council (Council) to coordinate activities related to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation across the federal government. The Council is directed by the Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary serves as the Chair of the Council. The HHS Secretary has assigned responsibility for implementing the Council to the Administration on Aging (AoA) within ACL. AoA has long been engaged in efforts to protect older individuals from elder abuse including financial exploitation, physical abuse, neglect, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse.

The Council is a permanent group, which meets twice a year, with the goal of effectively coordinating the federal response to elder abuse. The Elder Justice Act also names the Attorney General (A.G.) of the U.S. as a permanent member of the Council. In addition to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the A.G., the statute provides for inclusion as Council members the heads of each federal department, agency, or governmental entity identified as administering programs related to abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. The Coordinating Council receives input and support from an Elder Justice Interagency Working Group, a group of federal employees in Cabinet-level departments and federal agencies with expertise in the field of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.

You can visit the Elder Justice Coordinating Council website for more information about the EJCC’s past and current activities and products.

What We Hope to Learn from this Invitation

In 2014, the Council adopted “Eight Recommendations from the Elder Justice Coordinating Council for Increased Federal Involvement in Addressing Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation.” The eight recommendations represent a focused, yet balanced, approach for establishing greater federal leadership in the area of elder justice and for improving the federal response to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. These recommendations have served as a guide for federal agencies in planning their elder justice work in the 10 years since adoption.

Through this invitation, ACL seeks to hear how public and professional elder justice stakeholders believe the Elder Justice Coordinating Council can be the most beneficial to promoting elder justice and have the greatest positive impact for survivors of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and their communities. Specifically, we would like to hear from respondents: 1) how the Council can benefit the larger elder justice community; 2) the areas of elder justice in which the Council should focus their attention, and 3) the activities, tools, resources, or components that would best help states and communities create and strengthen their systems of services and supports in order to maximize the independence, well-being, and health of people at risk for elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, their family members, and their support networks.

Please review the Federal Register Notice for a list of submission questions and additional information on this request for information.

Proposed Information Collection Extension: Performance Data for State Grants for Assistive Technology Program Annual Progress Report

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This information collection (IC) extension solicits comments on the information collection requirements relating to the Performance Data for State Grants for Assistive Technology Program Annual Progress Report (OMB Control Number 0985–0042).

Comments on the collection of information must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by February 26, 2024.

Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: Rob Groenendaal ( Robert.Groenendaal@acl.hhs.gov). Submit written comments on the collection of information to Administration for Community Living, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Rob Groenendaal. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Groenendaal, Administration for Community Living, Robert.Groenendaal@acl.hhs.gov, (202) 795–7356.

Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506) Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. The PRA requires Federal agencies provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, ACL is publishing a notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document. With respect to the following collection of information, ACL invites comments on our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including: (1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of ACL's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to determine burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including using automated collection techniques when appropriate, and other forms of information technology. The Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (AT Act) (29 U.S.C. 3003) authorizes grants to public agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (states and outlying areas). With these funds, states and outlying areas operate “Statewide AT Programs” that conduct activities to increase access to and acquisition of assistive technology (AT) for individuals with disabilities and older Americans. As a condition of receiving a grant to support their Statewide AT Programs, the states and outlying areas must provide to ACL an application and annual progress reports on their activities. Applications: The application required of states and outlying areas is a three-year State Plan for Assistive Technology (State Plan for AT or State Plan) (OMB No. 0985–0048). The content of the State Plan for AT is based on the requirements in 29 U.S.C. 3003(d). Annual Reports: In addition to submitting a State Plan, every three years, states and outlying areas are required to submit annual progress reports on their activities. The data required in that progress report is specified at 29 U.S.C. 3003(f). National aggregation of data related to measurable goals is necessary for the Government Performance and Results Act (31 U.S.C. 1115) as well as an Annual Report to Congress. Therefore, this data collection instrument provides a way for all 56 grantees—50 U.S. states, DC, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to collect and report data on their performance in a consistent manner, including a uniform survey to be given to consumers. This uniform survey is included as part of the data collection package. The AT Act (29 U.S.C. 3006(d)) requires that ACL submit to Congress an annual report on the activities conducted under the Act and an analysis of the progress of the states and outlying areas in meeting their measurable goals. This report must include a compilation and summary of the data collected under Section 3003(f). In order to make this possible, states and outlying areas must provide their data uniformly. This data collection instrument was developed to ensure that all 56 states and outlying areas report data in a consistent manner in alignment with the requirements of Section 3003(f). As stated above, ACL will use the information collected via this instrument to: (1) Complete the annual report to Congress required by the AT Act; (2) Comply with reporting requirements under the Government Performance and Results Act; and (3) Assess the progress of states and outlying areas regarding measurable goals. Data collected from the grantees will provide a national description of activities funded under the AT Act to increase the access to and acquisition of AT devices and services through statewide AT programs for individuals with disabilities and older adults. Data collected from grantees will also provide information for usage by Congress, the Department, and the public. In addition, ACL will use this data to inform program management, monitoring, and technical assistance efforts. States will be able to use the data for internal management and program improvement.

Proposed Information Collection: Prevention and Public Health Fund Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Program

Federal Register Notice

Proposed instruments:

Comments on the collection of information must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by February 12, 2024.

Submit electronic comments on the collection of information to: Donna Bethge ( Donna.Bethge@acl.hhs.gov). Submit written comments on the collection of information to Administration for Community Living, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC, 20201, Attention: Donna Bethge.

For more information, contact Donna Bethge, Administration for Community Living, Donna.Bethge@acl.hhs.gov, (202) 795–7659.

Supplementary Information:

Under the PRA, Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined as and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. The PRA requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, ACL is publishing a notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.

With respect to the following collection of information, ACL invites comments on our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including:

(1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of ACL's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to determine burden estimates;

(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents; and

The Evidence-Based Falls Prevention Grant Program is financed through the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF). The statutory authority for cooperative agreements under the most recent program announcement (FY2023) is contained in the Older Americans Act, title IV; and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 42 U.S.C. 300u–11 (Prevention and Public Health Fund). The Falls Prevention Grant Program awards competitive grants to implement and promote the sustainability of evidence-based Falls Prevention programs that have been proven to provide older adults and adults with disabilities with education and tools to help them reduce falls and/or their risk of falls and fall-related injuries and supports a National Falls Prevention Resource Center that provides technical assistance, education, and resources for the national Falls Prevention network of partners.

OMB approval of the existing set of Falls Prevention data collection tools (OMB Control Number, 0985–0039) expires on 04/30/2024. This data collection continues to be necessary for the monitoring of program operations and outcomes.

ACL currently uses and proposes to continue to use the following tools to collect information for each program:

(1) a Program Information Cover Sheet and an Attendance Log, completed by the program leaders, to record the location of agencies that sponsor programs and will allow mapping of the delivery infrastructure; and

(2) a Participant Information Form and a Participant Post Program Survey to be completed by participants.

ACL intends to continue using an online data entry system for the program and participant survey data.

During the 60-day public comment period, ACL intends to analyze public comments received, conduct focus groups that include a sub-set of current Falls Prevention grantees, as well as consult with subject-matter experts to gather feedback and determine if changes to the data collection tools are warranted.