Notice2026-07476
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 17, 2026
Issuing agencies
Health and Human Services DepartmentSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 74 (Friday, April 17, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 74 (Friday, April 17, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20696-20698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07476]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA), Department of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Notice.
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Proposed Project: Evaluation of the Projects for Assistance in
Transition From Homelessness (PATH) Program--Reinstatement
In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 concerning opportunity for public comment on proposed
collections of information, (SAMHSA will publish periodic summaries of
proposed projects. To request more information on the
[[Page 20697]]
proposed projects or to obtain a copy of the information collection
plans, email the SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer at:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cfbcaea2a7bcaebfbdae8fbcaea2a7bcaee1a7a7bce1a8a0b9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="80f3e1ede8f3e1f0f2e1c0f3e1ede8f3e1aee8e8f3aee7eff6">[email protected]</span></a>.
Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collections of
information are 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; (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 respondents,
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology.
SAMHSA is conducting the federally mandated Evaluation of the PATH
program. The PATH grant program, created as part of the Stewart B.
McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1990, is administered by
SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services' Division of State and
Community Systems Development. The PATH program is authorized under
Section 521 et seq. of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended.
The PATH program funds each fiscal year the 50 states, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, and four U.S. Territories (the U.S. Virgin
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands). The PATH grantees make grants to local, public and
non-profit organizations to provide PATH-allowable services.
The SAMHSA Assistant Secretary is required under Section 528 of the
PHS Act to evaluate the expenditures of PATH grantees at least once
every 3 years to ensure they are consistent with legislative
requirements and to recommend changes to the program design or
operations.
The primary task of the PATH evaluation is to meet the mandates of
Section 528 of the PHS Act. The second task of the PATH evaluation is
to conduct additional data collection and analysis to further
investigate the sources of variation in key program output and outcome
measures that are important for program management and policy
development. The PATH evaluation builds on the previous evaluation
which was finalized in 2016 and was conducted as part of the National
Evaluation of SAMHSA Homeless Programs. Previously, the data
collections activities also included PATH Intermediary Web Survey, a
PATH Provider Web Survey, and a PATH Telephone Interview Guide. The
current PATH evaluation will be limited to the State PATH Contact (SPC)
Web Survey and PATH Site Visit Discussion Guides to facilitate the
collection of information regarding the structures and processes in
place at the grantee and provider level. The SPC Web Survey was
shortened from 82 to 49 questions. Data regarding the outputs and
outcomes of the PATH program will be obtained from grantee
applications, providers' intended use plans and PATH annual report
data, which is also required by Section 528 of the PHS Act and is
approved under OMB No. 0930-0205.
Web Surveys will be conducted with all SPCs. The Web Surveys will
capture detailed and structured information in the following topics:
selection, monitoring, and oversight of PATH providers; populations
served; the PATH allowable or eligible services provided; sources for
match funds; provision of training and technical assistance;
implementation of Evidence Based Practices and innovative practices
including the Supplemental Security Income/Social Security Disability
Insurance Outreach, Access, and Recovery program; data reporting, use
of data and the Homeless Management Information System; and
collaboration, coordination and involvement with Continuums of Care and
other organizations. The SPCs for all grantees (56) will be contacted
to complete the web surveys. The Web Surveys will be administered once
per triennial evaluation cycle.
Site Visits will be conducted with a purposive sample of PATH
grantees and providers to collect more nuanced information than will be
possible with the web survey. Semi-structured discussions will take
place with the SPCs, grantee staff, PATH provider staff, outreach
workers, case managers and other clinical treatment staff, and
consumers. Five grantees will be selected for Site Visits and visited
within each grantee will be one to two PATH providers. The Site Visits
will be utilized to collect information on provider and state
characteristics; practices and priorities; context within which the
grantees and providers operate; and services available within the areas
the providers operate. The successes, barriers, and strategies faced by
PATH grantees and providers will also be discussed. Focus groups will
be held with current or former consumers of the PATH program to obtain
consumer perspectives regarding the impact of the programs. The Site
Visits will be conducted once per triennial evaluation cycle.
The estimated burden for the reporting requirements for the PATH
evaluation is summarized in the table below.
Annual Burden Table
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Number of Responses per Total Hours per Total hour Hourly wage Total hour
Instrument/activity respondents respondent responses response burden rate cost ($)
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Web Surveys
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SPC Web Survey.......................... 56 1 56 1 56 $37.61 $2,106.16
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Site Visit Interviews
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Opening Session with SPC Staff.......... 25 1 25 2 50 37.61 1,880.50
SPC Session............................. 5 1 5 2 10 37.61 376.10
State Stakeholder Session............... 25 1 25 1.5 37.5 37.61 1,410.38
Provider Stakeholder Session............ 50 1 50 1.5 75 37.61 2,820.75
Provider Leadership Staff............... 50 1 50 2 100 37.61 3,761.00
PATH Provider Direct Care Staff Session. 50 1 50 2 100 24.54 2,454.00
[[Page 20698]]
Consumer Focus Groups................... 100 1 100 1.5 150 7.25 1,087.50
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Total............................... 361 .............. 361 .............. 578.5 .............. 15,896.39
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\1\ 1 respondent * 56 SPCs = 56 respondents.
\2\ 5 respondents * 5 site visits = 25 respondents.
\3\ 1 respondent * 5 site visits = 5 respondents.
\4\ 5 respondents * 5 site visits = 25 respondents.
\5\ 5 respondents * 10 site visits (2 providers per state) = 50 respondents.
\6\ 5 respondents * 10 site visits (2 providers per state) = 50 respondents.
\7\ 1 respondent * 10 site visits (2 providers per state) = 10 respondents.
\8\ 5 respondents * 10 site visits (2 providers per state) = 50 respondents.
\9\ 10 respondents * 10 site visits (10 Consumers per provider (2 providers per state) = 100 respondents.
Please send comments to the SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 5600
Fishers Lane, Room 15E45, Rockville, Maryland 20857, OR email a copy
to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bdcedcd0d5cedccdcfdcfdcedcd0d5cedc93d5d5ce93dad2cb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fb889a9693889a8b899abb889a9693889ad5939388d59c948d">[email protected]</span></a>. Written comments should be received by
June 15, 2026.
Tanya Geiger,
Social Science Analyst.
[FR Doc. 2026-07476 Filed 4-16-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P
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