[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 33 (Thursday, February 17, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3600]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 17, 1994]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
[2171]

 

Program Announcement and Proposed Funding Priorities for Special 
Project Grants to Schools of Public Health for Fiscal Year 1994

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces 
that applications will be accepted for fiscal year (FY) 1994 Special 
Projects Grants to Schools of Public Health under the authority of 
section 762, title VII of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by 
the Health Professions Education Extension Amendments of 1992, Public 
Law 102-408, dated October 13, 1992. Comments are invited on the 
proposed funding priorities.
    Approximately $2.4 million will be available in FY 1994 for this 
program to support 18 to 20 competing awards averaging $120,000 to 
$133,000.

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. There were no 
competitive grant cycles in fiscal years 1992 and 1993. In FY 1991, 
HRSA reviewed 32 applications for this grant program. Of those 
applications, 53 percent were approved and 47 percent disapproved. 
Seventeen grant projects, or 100 percent of the approved grant 
applications, were funded.

Purpose

    Section 762 of the Public Health Service Act (the Act), as amended, 
authorizes the Secretary to award grants to accredited schools of 
public health for the costs of planning, developing, demonstrating, 
operating, and evaluating projects that are in furtherance of the goals 
established by the Secretary for the year 2000 in the area of: (1) 
Preventive medicine; (2) health promotion and disease prevention; (3) 
improving access to and quality of health services in medically 
underserved communities; or (4) reducing the incidence of domestic 
violence.
    The period of initial Federal support will not exceed 3 years.

Eligibility

    Eligible applicants for this program are accredited schools of 
public health. ``A school of public health'' means a school as defined 
in section 799(1)(A) of the PHS Act which has been accredited by the 
Council on Education for Public Health pursuant to section 799(1)(E) of 
the Act and which is located in a State as defined in section 799(9) of 
the Act.
    Applicant schools must assure that the students of the school will, 
through participation in the project for which the award is made, 
receive training in the activities carried out by the project.
    Section 762(e) of the PHS Act provides that the Secretary establish 
goals for projects under this authority and shall require as a 
condition of the receipt of a Special Project Grant to Schools of 
Public Health that schools carry out activities in furtherance of 
meeting the goals. Also the law provides that the Secretary establish 
and implement a methodology for measuring the extent of progress that 
has been made toward the goals by schools receiving such a grant. A 
Report to Congress describing the progress made by projects is due not 
later than February 1, 1994. The goals required by section 762(e) are 
currently in development and are expected to be available to be mailed 
with program application materials.

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, DC 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 following review criteria were established in FY 1990 after 
public comment (55 FR 4482, dated 2/8/90) and the Administration is 
again extending these criteria in FY 1994.
    The review of applications will take into consideration the 
following criteria:

     The degree to which the proposed project adequately 
meets legislative intent;
     The background and rationale for the proposed project;
     Whether the project contains clearly stated realistic 
and achievable national or regional objectives which are described 
in Healthy People 2000.
     The extent to which the project contains a methodology 
which is integrated and compatible with project objectives, 
including collaborative arrangements and feasible workplans;
     Evaluation plans and procedures for program and 
trainees, if applicable;
     The administrative and management capability of the 
applicant to carry out the proposed project, including institutional 
infrastructure and resources;
     The extent to which the budget justification is 
complete, cost-effective and includes cost-sharing, when applicable; 
and
     Whether there is an institutional plan and commitment 
for self-sufficiency when Federal support ends.

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 Preference

    In making awards of grants, preference will be given to qualified 
schools agreeing that the project for which the award is made: (1) Will 
establish or strengthen field placements for students in public or 
nonprofit private health agencies or organizations; and (2) will 
involve faculty members and students in collaborative projects to 
enhance public health services to medically underserved communities.

Proposed Funding Priorities

    It is proposed that a funding priority will be given to programs 
which demonstrate either substantial progress over the last three years 
or a significant experience of ten or more years in enrolling and 
graduating trainees from those minority or low-income populations 
identified as at risk of poor health outcomes. This priority is 
consistent with a HRSA strategy to increase the number of minority 
health professionals, to assure equal access to health professions 
education for all population groups, and ultimately, to provide a 
greater volume of health care in underserved areas.
    It is also proposed that a funding priority be given for projects 
that address the program purpose of reducing the incidence of domestic 
violence. The incidence of reported violence, especially domestic or 
family violence, has increased significantly in recent decades. This 
proposed priority is intended to provide incentive to schools of public 
health to take responsibility for helping to reduce domestic violence 
through the special projects grant program.

Additional Information

    Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed funding 
priorities. The comment period is 30 days. All comments received on or 
before March 21, 1994 will be considered before the final funding 
priorities are established. Written comments should be addressed to: 
Neil Sampson, M.P.H., Director, Division of Associated, Dental, and 
Public Health Professions, Bureau of Health Professions, Health 
Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn Building, room 8-101, 
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.
    All comments received will be available for public inspection and 
copying at the Division of Associated, Dental, and Public Health 
Professions, 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:

Ms. Sandra Bryant (D38), 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) 443-6915.

    Completed applications should be returned to the Grants Management 
Branch at the above address.
    If additional programmatic information is needed, please contact: 
Ms. Elizabeth Coleman-Santucci, Public Health Branch, Division of 
Associated, Dental, and Public Health Professions, Bureau of Health 
Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, room 8C-09, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 443-6896.
    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. The OMB clearance number is 0915-0060.
    The deadline date for receipt of applications is March 21, 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, Special Project Grants to Schools of Public Health, 
is listed at 93.188 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 29, 1993.
William A. Robinson,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-3600 Filed 2-16-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P