[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 247 (Thursday, December 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 105170-105173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30764]
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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
[Docket No: SSA-2024-0055]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request
The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of
information collection packages requiring clearance by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 104-13, the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. This notice
includes one new request, as well as extensions and revisions of OMB-
approved information collections.
SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and ways to minimize burden
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. Mail, email, or fax your
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following
addresses or fax numbers.
(OMB) Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA
(SSA) Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance
Director, Mail Stop 3253 Altmeyer, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD
21235, Fax: 833-410-1631, Email
[[Page 105171]]
address: [email protected]
Or you may submit your comments online through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain by clicking on Currently under
Revie--Open for Public Comments and choosing to click on one of SSA's
published items. Please reference Docket ID Number [SSA-2024-0055] in
your submitted response.
The information collections below are pending at SSA. SSA will
submit them to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. To be
sure we consider your comments, we must receive them no later than
February 24, 2025. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection
instruments by writing to the above email address.
1. Request for Hearing by Administrative Law Judge--20 CFR 404.929,
404.933, 416.1429, 404.1433, 418.1350, and 42 CFR 405.722--0960-0269.
When SSA denies applicants', claimants', or beneficiaries' requests for
new or continuing disability benefits or payments, the Act entitles
those applicants, claimants, or beneficiaries to request a hearing to
appeal the decision. To request a hearing, individuals complete Form
HA-501; the associated Modernized Claims System (MCS) or Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) Claims System interview; or the internet
application (i501). SSA uses the information to determine if the
individual: (1) filed the request within the prescribed time; (2) is
the proper party; and (3) took the steps necessary to obtain the right
to a hearing. SSA also uses the information to determine: (1) the
individual's reason(s) for disagreeing with SSA's prior determinations
in the case; (2) if the individual has additional evidence to submit;
(3) if the individual wants an oral hearing or a decision on the
record; and (4) whether the individual has (or wants to appoint) a
representative. The respondents are Social Security or SSI disability
applicants and recipients who want to appeal SSA's denial of their
request for new or continued benefits for disability and non-medical
hearing requests; and Medicare Part B recipients who must pay the
Medicare Part B Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average
Average burden Estimated theoretical Average wait Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of per response total annual hourly cost time in a opportunity
respondents response (minutes) burden (hours) amount field office cost (dollars)
(dollars) * (minutes) ** ***
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HA-501; MCS; SSI Claims System.......... 162,904 1 10 27,151 * 31.48 ** 24 *** 2,906,013
i501 (Internet iAppeals)................ 281,819 1 15 70,455 * 31.48 ** 0 *** 2,217,923
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Totals.............................. 444,723 .............. .............. 97,606 .............. .............. *** 5,123,936
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* We based this figure on average U.S. worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2024 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
respondents to complete the application.
2. Surveys in Accordance with E.O. 12862 for the Social Security
Administration--0960-0526. Under the auspices of Executive Order 12862,
Setting Customer Service Standards, SSA conducts multiple customer
satisfaction surveys each year. These voluntary customer satisfaction
assessments include paper, internet, and telephone surveys; mailed
questionnaires; and customer comment cards. The purpose of these
questionnaires is to assess customer satisfaction with the timeliness,
appropriateness, access, and overall quality of existing SSA services
and proposed modifications or new versions of services. The respondents
are recipients of SSA services (including most members of the public),
professionals, and individuals who work on behalf of SSA beneficiaries.
Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Number of Burden (burden
respondents for all
(burden for Frequency of Range of activities
all activities response response times within that
within that (minutes) year; reported
year) in hours)
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Year 1.......................................... 1,290,304 1 3-90 615,549
Year 2.......................................... 1,290.304 1 3-90 615,549
Year 3.......................................... 1,290.304 1 3-90 615,549
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Totals...................................... 3,870,912 .............. .............. 1,846,647
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3. Request for Reconsideration--20 CFR 404.907-404.921, 416.1407-
416.1421, 408.1009, and 418.1325--0960-0622. The Social Security Act
states those individuals who are dissatisfied with the results of an
initial determination regarding their Title II disability; Tile XVI
disability (Supplemental Security Income); Title VIII (Special Veterans
benefits); or Title XVIII (Medicare benefits), they can request a
reconsideration hearing. Individuals use Form SSA-561-U2; the
associated MCS or SSI Claims System interview; or the internet
application (i561) to initiate a request for reconsideration of a
denied claim. SSA uses the information to document the request and to
determine an individual's eligibility or entitlement to Social Security
benefits (Title II); SSI payments (Title XVI); Special Veterans
Benefits (Title VIII); Medicare (Title XVIII); and for initial
determinations regarding
[[Page 105172]]
Medicare Part B income-related premium subsidy reductions. The
respondents are applicants, claimants, beneficiaries, or recipients
filing for reconsideration of an initial determination.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average
Average burden Estimated theoretical Average wait Total annual
Modality of completion Number of Frequency of per response total annual hourly cost time in field opportunity
respondents response (minutes) burden (hours) amount * office ** cost ***
(dollars) (minutes) (dollars)
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SSA-561, MCS, SSI Claims System......... 339,217 1 8 45,229 * 31.48 ** 24 *** 5,695,236
i561 (Internet iAppeals)................ 447,139 1 15 111,785 * 31.48 ** 0 *** 3,518,992
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Totals.............................. 786,356 .............. .............. 157,014 .............. .............. *** 9,214,228
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* We based this figure on average U.S worker's hourly wages, as reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics data (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm).
** We based this figure on the average FY 2024 wait times for field offices, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather,
these are theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to
respondents to complete the application.
4. Supportive Housing & Individual Placement and Support (SHIPS)
Study--0960-0840.
Background: Homelessness and unemployment are linked issues, with
rising housing costs often leaving people unable to afford homes when
combined with unemployment. The instability of housing makes finding
employment even more challenging, creating a difficult cycle to break.
While studies have shown that supportive housing programs improve
housing stability, there is no significant evidence that such programs
reliably increase employment among residents. (For the purposes of this
study, supportive housing is defined as housing services coupled with
additional services that include case management support. These include
place-based permanent supportive housing, scattered site permanent
supportive housing, and rapid rehousing. Conversely, Individual
Placement and Support (IPS), a proven method for supporting employment,
has not demonstrated effectiveness in stabilizing housing. SSA is
requesting clearance to collect data for the Supportive Housing and
Individual Placement and Support (SHIPS) study, under the
Interventional Cooperative Agreement Program (ICAP), to determine
whether participation in Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
improves the employment, income, health, and self-sufficiency of people
who are recently homeless and living in supportive housing. ICAP allows
SSA to partner with various non-federal groups and organizations to
advance interventional research connected to the Supplemental Security
Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) programs.
SSA awarded Westat a cooperative agreement to conduct SHIPS. In
addition to SSA, Westat is partnering with three subrecipients for this
project: (1) People Assisting the Homeless (PATH); (2) the University
of Southern California (U.S.C.); and (3) the Research Foundation for
Mental Hygiene (RFMH) to implement the SHIPS study.
ICAP SHIPS Study Project Description: The SHIPS study is a
randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to determine whether
participation in Individual Placement and Support (IPS) improves the
employment, income, health, and self-sufficiency of people who are
recently homeless and living in supportive housing. The SHIPS study
will mark the first study testing the effectiveness of implementing IPS
in a supportive housing program. SSA hypothesizes that combining the
two most successful evidence-based practices that separately address
homelessness and supported employment will yield a single intervention
that effectively addresses both. The intent of the SHIPS study is to
measure the effectiveness of evidence-based IPS compared to the
services provided by local WorkSource Centers broadly available to
jobseekers in the Los Angeles area, The housing case managers will
refer PATH clients interested in finding employment and will randomly
assign participants to one of two groups:
IPS: The Individual Placement and Support (IPS) service
team will offers a range of structured services customized to
participants' personal needs, preferences, and challenges related to
disabilities and/or mental health conditions. IPS was specifically
designed as a supported employment model for individuals with serious
mental illness and includes standardized training and fidelity
requirements. Components of IPS that differ from those offered by
WorkSource Services include integrated treatment that incorporates
vocational and mental health services; benefits planning; and focus on
rapid job search without extensive training.
WorkSource Centers: Under PATH's current housing model,
housing case managers refer PATH clients who express interest in
finding employment to local American Job Centers, known as WorkSource
Centers in Los Angeles. The WorkSource Centers are operated by the City
of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department, and
follow an employment services model that varies by WorkSource Center,
is not evidence-based or subject to fidelity monitoring and is not
necessarily responsive to the individual needs of jobseekers with
disabilities.
The primary goals of the SHIPS study are:
To measure the effects of IPS participation on employment,
income, health, and long-term self-sufficiency measured as a
combination of housing stability, income, and receipt of DI and SSI
benefits.
To describe the study population to understand both the
generalizability of the study's findings and the potential reasons for
the observed effects.
To explore the IPS implementation process to understand
barriers and facilitators to high-fidelity IPS implementation in the
supportive housing context.
Grantee researchers and SSA will use the information collected
during this study to: (1) assess the short-term and long-term
effectiveness of the proposed intervention to improve employment,
income, and self-sufficiency; (2) understand the implementation
process; (3) provide detailed subgroup-specific data related to the
effect of IPS.
The respondents are residents in supportive housing units operated
by
[[Page 105173]]
PATH who are unemployed and looking for employment.
Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information
collection.
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Average wait
Average time in office Total annual
Number of Frequency of Number of Average burden Estimated theoretical or for opportunity
Modality of completion participants response responses per response total annual hourly cost teleservice cost ***
(minutes) burden (hours) amount * centers ** (dollars)
(dollars) (minutes)
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Study participants baseline interview........................... 200 1 200 60 200 * 13.30 ** 24 *** 3,724
Study participants quarterly interviews......................... 200 7 1,400 10 233 * 13.30 ** 21 *** 4,030
Study participants final interviews............................. 200 1 200 60 200 * 13.30 ** 21 *** 3,591
PATH Interviews: Staff.......................................... 5 1 5 60 5 * 32.05 ** 24 *** 224
SHIPS Interviews: participants.................................. 5 1 5 60 5 * 13.30 ** 24 *** 93
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Totals...................................................... 610 .............. .............. 250 643 .............. .............. *** 11,662
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* We based this figure on the average DI payments based on SSA's current FY 2024 data (https://www.ssa.gov/legislation/2024FactSheet.pdf), and survey researchers (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes193022.htm)
** We based this figure on averaging both the average FY 2024 wait times for field offices and teleservice centers, based on SSA's current management information data.
*** This figure does not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on recipients of Social Security payments to complete this application; rather, these are theoretical opportunity costs for
the additional time respondents will spend to complete the application. There is no actual charge to respondents to complete the application.
Dated: December 19, 2024.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-30764 Filed 12-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P