NonSub Change Memo - IRB Updates

To: Jordan Cohen

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

From: Alysia Blandon and Christine Fortunato

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE)

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

Date: December 3, 2020

Subject: NonSubstantive Change Request – Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare: Descriptive Study of Child Welfare Courts
Generic Information Collection under the Formative Data Collections for ACF Research (OMB #0970-0356)

This memo requests approval of nonsubstantive changes to the approved generic information collection (GenIC), Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare: Descriptive Study of Child Welfare Courts. is approved under the overarching generic, Formative Data Collections for ACF Research (OMB #0970-0356).

Background

On October 26, 2020, OMB approved this GenIC to collect information as part of the Understanding Judicial Decision-Making and Hearing Quality in Child Welfare: Descriptive Study of Child Welfare Courts.

Following OMB approval, the study protocol was submitted to WCG Institutional Review Board (IRB) for review and approval. The WCG IRB approved the study with several changes to the consent forms that are required by WCG IRB standard operating procedures. Study materials were also reviewed by an ACF privacy expert, who recommended two changes to the Court Improvement Program (CIP) Administrator Web Survey. This memo requests approval of these changes before information collection begins.

Overview of Requested Changes

CIP Administrator Web Survey

• Addition of study title, protocol number, sponsor, investigator, and study-related phone numbers to the top of the consent form.

• Addition of several statements to the consent form that are required by WCG IRB standard operating procedures.

• Addition of this statement, as required by WCG IRB standard operating procedures:

This research is being overseen by WCG IRB. An IRB is a group of people who perform independent review of research studies. You may talk to them at 855-818-2289 or researchquestions@wcgirb.com if:

• You have questions, concerns, or complaints that are not being answered by the research team.

• You are not getting answers from the research team.

• You cannot reach the research team.

• You want to talk to someone else about the research.

• You have questions about your rights as a research subject.

• Replacing the following text, “At the end of the survey you will also be asked if you are interested in participating in a telephone interview and if yes, to provide your email address. Telephone interviews are opportunities to connect with you should researchers have any follow-up questions.” With this text, “At the end of the survey you will also be asked if you are interested in participating in a telephone interview and if you would be interested in being considered as a site in a future research study. If you say yes, we may contact your office via email or phone.”

• Removal of the question requesting respondents’ email addresses if they agreed to participate in follow-up.

CIP Administrator Follow-Up Telephone Interview Consent

• Addition of study title, protocol number, sponsor, investigator, and study-related phone numbers to the top of the consent form.

• Addition of several statements to the consent form that are required by WCG IRB standard operating procedures.

• Addition of this statement, as required by WCG IRB standard operating procedures:

This research is being overseen by WCG IRB. An IRB is a group of people who perform independent review of research studies. You may talk to them at 855-818-2289 or researchquestions@wcgirb.com if:

• You have questions, concerns, or complaints that are not being answered by the research team.

• You are not getting answers from the research team.

• You cannot reach the research team.

• You want to talk to someone else about the research.

• You have questions about your rights as a research subject.