[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 4 (Thursday, January 6, 1994)]
[Notices]
[Pages 769-771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-179]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 6, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
 

Program Announcement and Proposed Minimum Percentages for ``High 
Rate'' and ``Significant Increase in the Rate'' for Implementation of 
the General Statutory Funding Preference for Grants for Nurse 
Anesthetist Education Programs for Fiscal Year 1994

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces 
that applications will be accepted for fiscal year (FY) 1994 Grants for 
Nurse Anesthetist Education Programs under the authority of section 
831(a), title VIII of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by the 
Nurse Education and Practice Improvement Amendments of 1992, title II 
of the Health Professions Education Extension Amendments of 1992, 
Public Law 102-408, dated October 13, 1992. Comments are invited on the 
proposed minimum percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant 
increase in the rate'' for implementation of the general statutory 
funding preference.
    Approximately $1,791,000 will be available in FY 1994 for this 
program. Total continuation support recommended is $1,316,000. It is 
anticipated that approximately $475,000 will be available to support 5 
competing awards averaging $95,000.

Previous Funding Experience

    Previous funding experience information is provided to assist 
potential applicants to make better informed decisions regarding 
submission of an application for this program. In FY 1993, HRSA 
reviewed 16 eligible applications for Grants for Nurse Anesthetist 
Education Programs. Of those applications, 88 percent were approved and 
12 percent were disapproved. Eight projects or 57 percent of the 
competing applications approved, were funded. In FY 1992, HRSA reviewed 
3 applications for Grants for Nurse Anesthetist Education Programs. Of 
those applications, 67 percent were approved and 33 percent were 
disapproved. Two projects, or 67 percent of the applications received, 
were funded.

Purpose

    Section 831(a) of the Public Health Service Act authorizes the 
Secretary to make grants to cover the costs of projects to develop and 
operate programs for the education of nurse anesthetists. The period of 
Federal support may not exceed 3 years.

Eligibility

    Eligible applicants for Grants for Nurse Anesthetist Education 
Programs are public or private nonprofit institutions, accredited by an 
entity or entities designated by the Secretary of Education. Grants may 
be awarded to develop and operate a new nurse anesthetist program. 
Grants may also be awarded to maintain or expand an existing program.

National Health Objectives for the Year 2000

    The Public Health Service urges applicants to submit work plans 
that address specific objectives of Healthy People 2000. Potential 
applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000 (Full Report; Stock 
No. 017-001-00474-0) or Healthy People 2000 (Summary Report; Stock No. 
017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government 
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402-9325 (Telephone 202-783-3238).

Education and Service Linkage

    As part of its long-range planning, HRSA will be targeting its 
efforts to strengthening linkages between U.S. Public Health Service 
education programs and programs which provide comprehensive primary 
care services to the underserved.

Review Criteria

    The review of applications will take into consideration the 
following criteria:
    1. The national or special local need which the particular project 
proposes to serve with special emphasis on meeting shortages in 
underserved areas;
    2. The potential effectiveness and impact of the proposed project 
including its potential contribution to nursing;
    3. The administrative and managerial capability of the applicant to 
carry out the proposed project;
    4. The appropriateness of the plan, including the timetable for 
carrying out the activities of the proposed project and achieving and 
measuring the project's stated objectives;
    5. The capability of the applicant to carry out the proposed 
project;
    6. The reasonableness of the budget for the proposed project, 
including the justification of the grant funds requested; and
    7. The potential of the nurse anesthetist program to continue on a 
self-sustaining basis after the period of grant support.

Other Considerations

    In addition, the following funding factors may be applied in 
determining funding of approved applications.
    A funding preference is defined as the funding of a specific 
category or group of approved applications ahead of other categories or 
groups of approved applications.
    A funding priority is defined as the favorable adjustment of 
aggregate review scores of individual approved applications when 
applications meet specified criteria.
    It is not required that applicants request consideration for a 
funding factor. Applications which do not request consideration for 
funding factors will be reviewed and given full consideration for 
funding.

Statutory Funding Preference

    In making awards of grants under this section, preference will be 
given to any qualified applicant that--(A) has a high rate for placing 
graduates in practice settings having the principal focus of serving 
residents of medically underserved communities; or (B) during the 2-
year period preceding the fiscal year for which such an award is 
sought, has achieved a significant increase in the rate of placing 
graduates in such settings. Preference will be given only for 
applications ranked above the 20th percentile of applications that have 
been recommended for approval by the appropriate peer review group.

Proposed Minimum Percentages for ``High Rate'' and ``Significant 
Increase in the Rate''

    ``High rate'' is defined as a minimum of 20 percent of graduates in 
academic years 1990-91, 1991-92 or 1992-93 who spend at least 50 
percent of their worktime in clinical practice in the specified 
settings. Graduates who are providing care in a medically underserved 
community as a part of a fellowship or other educational experience can 
be counted.
    ``Significant increase in the rate'' means that, between academic 
years 1991-92 and 1992-93, the rate of placing graduates in the 
specified settings has increased by a minimum of 50 percent and that 
not less than 15 percent of graduates from the most recent year are 
working in these settings.
    Additional information concerning the implementation of this 
preference has been published in the Federal Register at 58 FR 40659, 
July 29, 1993.

Established Funding Priority

    The following funding priority was established in FY 1993 following 
public comment (58 FR 40657, July 29, 1993) and the Administration is 
extending this funding priority in FY 1994. A funding priority will be 
given to programs which demonstrate either substantial progress over 
the last 3 years or a significant experience of 10 or more years in 
enrolling and graduating students from those minority populations 
identified as at-risk of poor health outcomes.

Information Requirements Provision

    Under section 860(e)(2) of the Act, the Secretary may make an award 
under the Grants for Nurse Anesthetist Education Programs only if the 
applicant for the award submits to the Secretary the following 
information:
    1. A description of rotations of preceptorships for students, or 
clinical training programs for residents, that have the principal focus 
of providing health care to medically underserved communities.
    2. The number of faculty on admissions committees who have a 
clinical practice in community-based ambulatory settings in medically 
underserved communities.
    3. With respect to individuals who are from disadvantaged 
backgrounds or from medically underserved communities, the number of 
such individuals who are recruited for academic programs of the 
applicant, the number of such individuals who are admitted to such 
programs, and the number of such individuals who graduate from such 
programs.
    4. If applicable, the number of recent graduates who have chosen 
careers in primary health care.
    5. The number of recent graduates whose practices are serving 
medically underserved communities.
    6. A description of whether and to what extent the applicant is 
able to operate without Federal assistance under this title.

Additional details concerning the implementation of this information 
requirement have been published in the Federal Register at 58 FR 43642, 
August 17, 1993 and will be provided in the application materials.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The standard application form PHS 6025-1, HRSA Competing Training 
Grant Application, General Instructions and supplement for this program 
have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act. This approval includes the burden for 
collection of information for the statutory general preference and for 
the information requirement provision. (OMB #0915-0060, expiration date 
July 31, 1995)

Additional Information

    Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed minimum 
percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant increase in the rate'' 
for implementation of the general statutory funding preference. The 
comment period is 30 days. All comments received on or before February 
7, 1994 will be considered before the final minimum percentages for 
``high rate'' and ``significant increase in the rate'' for 
implementation of the general statutory funding preference are 
established. Written comments should be addressed to: Marla Salmon, 
ScD, RN, FAAN, Director, Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health 
Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn 
Building, room 9-35, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.
    All comments received will be available for public inspection and 
copying at the Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Professions, at 
the above address, weekdays (Federal holidays excepted) between the 
hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Application Requests

    Requests for application materials and questions regarding grants 
policy and business management issues should be directed to: Jacquelyn 
Whitaker (A-22), Grants Management Specialist, Bureau of Health 
Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn 
Building, room 8C-26, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, 
Telephone: (301) 443-6857, FAX: (301) 443-6343.
    Completed applications should be returned to the Grants Management 
Branch at the above address.
    If additional programmatic information is needed, please contact: 
Mary S. Hill, R.N., Ph.D., Chief, Nursing Education Practice Resources 
Branch, Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Professions, Health 
Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn Building, room 9-35, 
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 443-
6193, FAX: (301) 443-8586.
    The deadline date for receipt of applications is March 15, 1994. 
Applications will be considered to be ``on time'' if they are either:
    (1) Received on or before the established deadline date, or
    (2) Sent on or before the established deadline date and received in 
time for orderly processing. (Applicants should request a legibly dated 
U.S. Postal Service postmark or obtain a legibly dated receipt from a 
commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks 
shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing.
    Late applications not accepted for processing will be returned to 
the applicant.
    This program, Grants for Nurse Anesthetist Education Programs, is 
listed at 93.916 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. It is 
not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (as implemented through 45 
CFR part 100). This program is not subject to the Public Health System 
Reporting Requirements.

    Dated: December 6, 1993.
William A. Robinson,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-179 Filed 1-5-94; 8:45 am]
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