SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (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. In addition, the PRA also requires federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a proposed data collection as described below.

The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:

1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including ( printed page 32974) whether the information will have practical utility;

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses; and

5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

The National Survey of Syringe Services Programs (NSSSP) (OMB Control No. 0920-1359, Exp. 1/31/2027)—Revision—National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Background and Brief Description

The primary purpose of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs (NSSSP) is to strengthen and improve the ability of CDC and local and state partners to monitor and evaluate syringe services programs (SSPs) nationally, with the overall goal of supporting, sustaining, and improving SSPs nationwide and reducing infectious disease and other harms related to drug use. Findings from the 2022-2025 survey successfully characterized operational characteristics and services, funding resources, community relations, and key operational successes and challenges. The 2026 survey is currently being implemented. Revisions are being requested to address the increasing number of SSPs nationwide, updated infectious disease and substance use prevention, testing, and treatment modalities, additional SSP services provided, and additional information on overdose prevention and reversals.

The project will include all SSPs that are listed in a publicly available directory of all known SSPs in the United States maintained by the North American Syringe Exchange Network (NASEN; https://nasen.org). The project will also include SSPs in NASEN's directory that do not wish to be publicly listed but have agreed to be contacted for research purposes, SSPs belonging to NASEN's buyers' club that are not part of the directory, respondents to prior RTI Arnold Ventures Surveys of SSPs that are not part of NASEN's directory, and other SSPs proactively identified through searching state health department websites, funding agencies, state and regional networks, regional conferences, partner organization networks or webinars and via social media. SSPs will be sent a letter of invitation to participate in a 35-minute program survey. Participating programs will have the option of completing the survey via different modalities to enhance feasibility and comfort in completing the survey, for example via the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) or a similarly secure web-based application. Other modalities for survey administration will include a coordinated telephone or videoconferencing interview. SSPs will be sent reminder letters for an approximately 6-month data collection period.

The survey will include questions on operational characteristics and services, funding resources, community relations, and key operational successes and challenges. Approximately 1000 SSPs will be able to participate in the survey. We anticipate that approximately 20% of SSPs will decline to complete the survey, yielding approximately 800 completed surveys per year. However, given that it is challenging to predict future response rates, we are requesting enough burden hours to allow 100% of SSPs to respond to the survey. We estimate that it will take 35 minutes to complete the survey, regardless of how the respondent chooses to complete it ( i.e., self-administered online or interviewer-administered by phone or videoconferencing). SSPs that do not respond to the initial survey invitation will be given reminders to complete the survey over the duration of the survey implementation period. CDC requests OMB approval for an estimated 583 annual burden hours. There are no costs to respondents other than their time.