[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 245 (Friday, December 20, 2013)] [Notices] [Pages 77136-77137] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2013-30286] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Public Comment Request AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects (Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the ICR. DATES: Comments on this Information Collection Request must be received within 60 days of this notice. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments to [email protected] or mail the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer, Room 10-29, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and draft instruments, email [email protected] or call the HRSA Information Collection Clearance Officer at (301) 443-1984. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: When submitting comments or requesting information, please include the information request collection title for reference. Information Collection Request Title: NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program OMB No. 0915-0140--Revision Abstract: The NURSE Corps Loan Repayment Program (NURSE Corps LRP), formerly known as the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP), assists in the recruitment and retention of professional Registered Nurses (RNs), including advanced practice RNs (i.e., nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse-midwives, clinical nurse specialists), dedicated to working at eligible health care facilities with a critical shortage of nurses (i.e., a Critical Shortage Facility) or working as nurse faculty in eligible, accredited schools of nursing, by decreasing the financial barriers associated with pursuing a nursing profession. The NURSE Corps LRP provides loan repayment assistance to these nurses to repay a portion of their qualifying educational loans in exchange for full-time service at a public or private nonprofit Critical Shortage Facility or in an eligible, accredited school of nursing. Need and Proposed Use of the Information: The need and purpose of this information collection is to obtain information for NURSE Corps LRP applicants and participants. The information is used to consider an applicant for a NURSE Corps LRP contract award and to monitor a participant's compliance with the service requirements. Individuals must submit an application in order to participate in the program. The application asks for personal, professional, educational, and financial information required to determine the applicant's eligibility to participate in the NURSE Corps LRP. The semi-annual employment verification form asks for personal and employment information to determine if a participant is in compliance with the service requirements. Likely Respondents: Professional RNs or advanced practice RNs (i.e., nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse-midwives, clinical nurse specialists) who are interested in participating in the NURSE Corps LRP, and official representatives at their service sites. Burden Statement: Burden in this context means the time expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide the information requested. This includes the time needed to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able to respond to a collection of information; to search data sources; to complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or otherwise disclose the information. The total annual burden hours estimated for this Information Collection Request are summarized in the table below. Total Estimated Annualized Burden Hours: The estimates of reporting burden for applicants are as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Responses/ Total Hours per Total burden Instrument respondents respondents responses response hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NURSE Corps LRP Application *... 5,500 1 5,500 2.0 11,000 Authorization to Release 5,500 1 5,500 .10 550 Information Form............... Authorization to Release 5,500 1 5,500 .10 550 Employment Information......... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total....................... 5,500 1 16,500 .733 12,100 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Please note that the burden hours associated with this instrument account for both new and continuation applications. Additional (uploaded) supporting documentation is included as part of this instrument and reflected in the burden hours. [[Page 77137]] The estimates of reporting burden for Participants are as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Participant Semi-Annual 2,300 2 4,600 .5 2,300 Employment Verification Form... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total....................... 2,300 2 4,600 .5 2,300 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total for Applicants and 18,800 .............. 21,100 .682 14,400 Participants................... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HRSA specifically requests comments on (1) the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden, (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden. Dated: December 12, 2013. Bahar Niakan, Director, Division of Policy and Information Coordination. [FR Doc. 2013-30286 Filed 12-19-13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4165-15-P