Appendix I PACE_Participant Newsletter

Supporting Statement for OMB Clearance Request

Appendix I: Participant Newsletter

Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE) – Follow-up Data Collection

OMB No. 0970-0397

May 2017

Submitted by:

Nicole Constance

Office of Planning, Research
and Evaluation

Administration for Children
and Families

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE)

Newsletter for Study Participants

Hello again from the Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE) team!

Nearly 10 years ago, the Administration for Children and Families’ (ACF), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services commissioned a study. The study would allow ACF to “test different ways to promote self-sufficiency and reduce welfare use.” The study was originally called the Innovative Strategies for Increasing Self-Sufficiency evaluation. Now, after six years of data collection (and a name change), the PACE study is well underway. Abt Associates, a private research firm, is conducting the study.

You are part of a very special group of people. You became a participant in the PACE study in [RA MO/YR], when you applied to participate in «Program» in «Site». As one of over 9,000 PACE study participants in 9 sites across the country, your opinions and experiences are important to the study team.

Follow-up survey data collection efforts are underway! The staff at ACF and the study team thank you for your participation and cooperation in our study.

• Researchers finished the 15-month survey data collection in 2016. Over 7,000 study participants completed the 15-month survey! In 2017, the PACE evaluation team will prepare nine reports, one for each PACE program.

• The 36-month PACE survey data collection is happening now. Data collection began in February 2015.

Looking Ahead. In September 2016, ACF funded another wave of data collection to study. This study is part of the Career Pathways Long-term Outcomes project (CPLO). The CPLO project will assess PACE study impacts 72-months after participants enrolled in the study. Data collection is scheduled to begin in late 2017.

We need your help! We would love to be able to interview you again because your experiences are unique and we want to be sure you are represented. Unfortunately, we can’t interview you if we can’t contact you.

To help us contact you for the next interview, please review the enclosed form to check your address and telephone number. Please make the appropriate corrections in one of the following ways: If your information is correct, please check the box marked ‘no changes’.

• Return the completed form to us by mail, using the enclosed postage-paid envelope.

• Call us toll-free at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX and make sure to use your personal PIN [FAMILYID].

• Visit [WEBLINK] and enter your username: [USERNAME] and PIN [FAMILYID].

Once we receive your updated contact information, we will mail you a token of appreciation valued at $5.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Si le gustaría recibir esta información en Español, favor de llamar a Abt Associates al 1-xxx-xxx-xxxx.

Sincerely yours,

Brenda Rodríguez, Senior Survey Project Director Larry Buron, Study Project Director

Abt Associates Abt Associates

Curious to learn more about what we have learned so far? Visit the Career Pathways Website:

http://www.career-pathways.org/acf-sponsored-studies/pace/

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) Statement: Your participation in this information collection is voluntary. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 0970-0397 and it expires xx/xx/xxxx. If you have comments regarding this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, please send them to [Contact Name]; [Contact Address]; Attn: OMB-PRA (0970-0397).