State, Local, or Tribal Respondents

Assessment of SNAP E&T Data Process Mapping Guide OMB CONTROL NUMBER: 0584-XXXX

EXPIRATION DATE: XX/XX/20XX

Attachment B1: Assessment of SNAP E&T Data Process mapping GUIDE

Introduction for respondents

Good afternoon [morning]. My name is __________________, and I am from Mathematica. [If three-person visit, other members introduces him/herself.] FNS has contracted with Mathematica to (1) identify and describe the current State and Federal systems that collect, validate, and analyze E&T data; (2) assess the current and future E&T data needs of Federal, Regional, and State staff; and (3) recommend a plan to improve how Federal, Regional, and State staff collect and use data for E&T program improvement and reporting.

This activity should take about <duration> minutes and will visually chart out the process of data collection for your program. The goal is to make sure we understand each stakeholder and collection and transfer point for the data. Do you have any questions before we begin? Do you consent to participate in this discussion?

Your participation in this [discussion/interview] is voluntary, and your responses will be kept private to the extent provided by law. We will not share the information you provide with anyone outside of this room and the research team, [including your supervisor and State or Federal -level staff]. You may refuse to answer any question or may stop the interview at any time. There will not be any penalties if you refuse to participate in part or full.

We will take notes during the [discussion/interview] so that we can remember the information we collect. We will use this information in our reports, describing the range of responses expressed by staff. The reports might list the names of organizations that contributed information, but we will not quote you or anyone by name or title. However, because of the relatively small number of organizations participating in the study, there is a possibility that a response could be correctly attributed to you.

I would like to record our discussion so I can listen to it later when I write up my notes. No one outside the immediate team will listen to the recording. We will destroy the recording after the study is complete. If you want to say something that you do not want recorded, please let me know and I will be glad to pause the recorder. Do you have any objections to being part of this interview or to my recording our discussion?

[Note for site visitors: These questions encompass the full set of questions of interest for the needs assessment. To the extent that information for some questions has already been collected through other sources, please reframe the questions to confirm the information. Similarly, please tailor other questions, as appropriate, given the purpose of the meeting. Throughout the discussion guide, we use employment and training (or E&T) to refer generally to employment and training (education) activities and services; we are not referring to a specific program.]

This information is being collected to assist the Food and Nutrition Service in understanding SNAP E&T data needs. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information better understand SNAP E&T data needs. This collection does not request any personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-[xxxx]. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 1.5 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Employment and Training, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314 ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx). Do not return the completed form to this address.

Assessment of SNAP E&T Data: Process Mapping Guide

[The process mapping activity will be used to chart the flow of data through each level of collection and review – from service providers, to local agencies, to State agencies, to Regional offices, to the Federal office. This activity will be incorporated into the State interviews. Exhibit 1 will be used to record information during the conversation and as a visual aid to identify missing information.]

Defining the data

• What are the data sources your program collects?

  • For SNAP E&T: probe for FNS-583, State E&T plan, Annual Report

• What are the main data elements collected in each source?

• Which level of the agency is responsible for the collection or creation of each data source? (service providers, local agencies, State agency)

Mapping stakeholder roles in data collection

• Map for each stakeholder: service provider, local agency, State agency, other stakeholders

• What is the stakeholder’s typical role for the program?

  • Does this vary by [locality/State/Region]?

  • Are [stakeholders] typically required to report data to [locality/State/Region/Federal/other stakeholders]?

• Who collects the data?

  • Do [frontline/eligibility/policy] staff directly enter data into a system?

  • Do other staff directly enter data into the system?

• What data sources or reporting activities do [stakeholders] typically contribute to?

Prompt with typical program data sources; cycle through below questions for each data source.

• What types of data does this include? Demographic, eligibility, program participation, compliance, or short- or long-term outcomes? Narrative program descriptions?

• What data is [the stakeholder] required to collect, typically?

  • What other data do [the stakeholders] collect?

  • Are these data collected for internal purposes? For other required reporting?

  • What types of data does this include? Demographic, eligibility, program participation, compliance, or short- or long-term outcomes? Are the data typically aggregated or individual level?

  • [If the stakeholder does not collect data], do they have a role in review and approval of data?

    • What data sources does this role apply to?

    • What is the focus of their? Is their guidance about what specifically to review?

• Do [stakeholders] collect additional data for program monitoring purposes, typically?

  • Is this a Federal requirement? A State requirement?

  • What types of data does this include? Demographic, eligibility, program participation, compliance, or short- or long-term outcomes?

• What are the data collection systems used by [the stakeholder]?

  • Do they use their own systems and create reports to [locality/State/Region/Federal/other stakeholders]?

  • Do some access other [stakeholder] systems directly?

• How are data transmitted?

  • From [the stakeholder] through the next levels to the [locality/State/Regional/Federal/other stakeholder].

Cycle through the following questions for each level the data are transmitted through.

• Is the process automated or manual?

• How does the next stakeholder you are sending the data to access the data?

• Who is responsible for reviewing the data submitted by [the stakeholder]?

  • Who has access to the data?

  • Who reviews the data?

  • Are data typically reviewed for quality – accuracy, consistency, usefulness? For completeness?

  • Does [the reviewing stakeholder] ever return to [the submitting stakeholder] for more information or to re-submit data? Why?

  • How frequently are the data typically collected and reviewed?

• What are the primary challenges around data collection from or to [stakeholders]?

  • Are there common technical assistance needs targeted to [stakeholders]? Do you receive feedback on technical assistance from [other stakeholders]?

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