[Federal Register: April 27, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 80)]
[Notices]               
[Page 22632-22633]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27ap99-68]

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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

    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, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration will publish periodic summaries of proposed 
projects. To request more information on the proposed projects or to 
obtain a copy of the information collection plans, call the SAMHSA 
Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-7978.
    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.

Proposed Project: Persistent Effects of Treatment for a National 
Sample of Treatment Recipients

    (New) The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) is 
undertaking a major initiative to study the long-term course of 
substance abuse within the context of receipt of substance abuse 
treatment. Research indicates that success in treating substance abuse 
may require multiple episodes of treatment. The Persistent Effects of 
Treatment Studies (PETS) will be a family of studies structured to 
provide data on a wide range of populations and treatment approaches 
over a three-year period following admission to a substance abuse 
treatment program in a community setting. The family of studies will be 
built on existing studies currently being conducted by other 
organizations (including Federal, State, and local governments) in 
order to minimize costs and response burden. Collectively, the PETS 
studies are expected to provide valuable insights into the factors that 
lead to long-term success in treatment of substance abuse.
    Persistent Effects of Treatment Studies in a National Sample of 
Treatment Recipients offers an opportunity for PETS to include a 
prospective national study among its family of studies. This study 
would permit PETS to answer research questions on the extent to which 
results on treatment effectiveness generalize to a more nationally 
representative universe of persons receiving substance abuse treatment. 
As such, it would provide national benchmarks on treatment outcomes 
that one could use for placing the results of the state and local 
studies in context.
    This study, also known as the National Evaluation of Substance 
Abuse Treatment or NESAT, is an ongoing national treatment outcome 
study that was funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy 
(ONDCP) and would continue under funding from CSAT. It includes a 
national probability of sample of 164 privately and publicly funded 
service delivery units (SDUs) and 2,100 clients who received services 
at those SDUs. The sample includes approximately equal numbers of SDUs 
in each of five treatment modalities: (a) therapeutic community, (b) 
residential, (c) methadone, (d) outpatient-intensive, and (e) 
outpatient-nonintensive. The populations to be studied will be diverse 
in the nature and severity of

[[Page 22633]]

their substance abuse, and in their personal characteristics and 
circumstances.
    Beginning in 1997, NESAT collected detailed baseline information 
from both the participating SDUs and clients. It also collected 
information, primarily on service utilization, from the clients at 30 
days following the initial data collection. A 12-month follow-up data 
collection from the participating SDUs and clients is currently 
underway. This data collection entails interviewing the clients, as 
well as gathering biological specimens (hair, urine, and breath) from 
the clients. The proposed project would extend data collection from 
clients (interviews and biological specimens) to 24 months and 36 
months following the initial data collection.
    The estimated response burden over the three-year period of 
approval is summarized below.

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                                                                     Number of
                 Data collection                     Number of     responses per     Hours per     Total burden
                                                    respondents       client         response         (hours)
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24- and 36-month................................            1785               2             1.5           5,355
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    Send comments to Nancy Pearce, SAMHSA Reports Clearance Officer, 
Room 16-105, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. 
Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

    Dated: April 20, 1999.
Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, SAMHSA.
[FR Doc. 99-10469 Filed 4-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P