[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 37 (Thursday, February 24, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4103]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 24, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families
[Program Announcement No. 93631-93-03]

 

Developmental Disabilities; Request for Public Comments on 
Proposed Developmental Disabilities Funding Priorities for Projects of 
National Significance for Fiscal Year 1994

AGENCY: Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments on developmental 
disabilities funding priorities for Projects of National Significance 
for Fiscal Year 1994.

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SUMMARY: The Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announces that public 
comments are being requested on funding priorities for Fiscal Year 1994 
Projects of National Significance.
    We welcome specific comments and suggestions on these proposed 
funding priorities as well as recommendations for additional priority 
areas which will assist in bringing about the increased independence, 
productivity, and integration into the community of people with 
developmental disabilities.

DATES: Closing date for receipt of public comments is April 25, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Bob Williams, Commissioner, 
Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Administration for 
Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, room 
329-D, HHH Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vern Evans, Program Development 
Division, Administration on Developmental Disabilities, (202) 690-5980.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Part I. Background

A. Goals of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities

    The Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) is located 
within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Department 
of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Although different from the other 
ACF program administrations in the specific constituency it serves, ADD 
shares a common set of goals that promote the economic and social well-
being of families, children, individuals and communities. Through 
national leadership we see:
     Families and individuals empowered to increase their own 
economic independence and productivity;
     Strong, healthy, supportive communities having a positive 
impact on the quality of life and the development of children;
     Partnerships with individuals, front-line service 
providers, communities, states and Congress that enable solutions which 
transcend traditional agency boundaries;
     Services planned and integrated to improve client access;
     A strong commitment to working with Native Americans, 
persons with developmental disabilities, refugees and migrants to 
address their needs, strengths and abilities.
    Emphasis on these goals and progress towards them will help more 
people with developmental disabilities to live productive and 
independent lives integrated into their communities. The Projects of 
National Significance program is one means through which ADD promotes 
the achievement of these goals.
    Two issues are of particular concern with these projects. First, 
there is a pressing need for networking and cooperation among 
specialized and categorical programs, particularly at the service 
delivery level, to ensure continuation of coordinated services to 
people with developmental disabilities. Second, project findings and 
successful innovative models of projects need to be made available 
nationally to policy makers as well as to direct service providers.

B. Purpose of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities

    The Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) is the lead 
agency within ACF and DHHS responsible for planning and administering 
programs which promote the self-sufficiency and protect the rights of 
people with developmental disabilities.
    The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act 
(42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.) (the Act) supports and provides assistance to 
States and public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations to 
assure that all people with developmental disabilities receive the 
services, assistance and opportunities necessary to enable them to 
achieve their maximum potential through increased independence, 
productivity and integration into the community.
    The Act stresses that individuals with developmental disabilities 
typically:
     Experience significant functional limitations due to 
physical or mental, or a combination of physical and mental, 
impairments; and is manifested before the person attains age 22 (as 
described in the Act, section 102(5)).
     Possess significant abilities of which employers are 
generally unaware;
     Have wants and needs;
     Remain unserved or underserved;
    The Act further finds that:
     The family and community can play a central role in 
enhancing their lives when properly supported; and
     It is in the nation's interest for people with 
developmental disabilities to be employed, and to live conventional and 
independent lives as a part of families and communities.
    Towards these ends, ADD seeks to enhance the capabilities of 
families in assisting people with developmental disabilities to achieve 
their maximum potential to support the increasing ability of people 
with developmental disabilities to exercise greater choice and self-
determination; to engage in leadership activities in their communities; 
as well as to ensure the protection of their legal and human rights.

Programs funded under the Act are:
     Basic State formula grants;
     State system for the protection and advocacy of individual 
rights;
     Grants to University Affiliated Programs for 
interdisciplinary training, exemplary services, technical assistance, 
and information dissemination; and
     Grants for Projects of National Significance.

C. Description of Projects of National Significance

    Under Part E of the Act, grants and contracts are awarded for 
Projects of National Significance to increase and support the 
independence, productivity and integration into the community of people 
with developmental disabilities, and to support the development of 
national and state policy which enhances the independence, productivity 
and integration of these individuals. These projects may include, but 
are not limited to:
     Projects to conduct data collection and analysis;
     Projects to provide technical assistance to program 
components;
     Projects to provide technical assistance for the 
development of information and referral systems;
     Projects which improve supportive living and quality of 
life opportunities which enhance recreation, leisure and fitness;
     Projects to educate policymakers;
     Projects to pursue Federal interagency initiatives;
     Projects that support the enhancement of minority 
participation in public and private sector initiatives in developmental 
disabilities; and
     Other projects of sufficient size and scope, and which 
hold promise of expanding or otherwise improving opportunities for 
people with developmental disabilities (especially those who have 
multiple disabilities or are disadvantaged, including cultural and 
ethnic minority groups, (African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic 
Americans, Latino Americans, American Indian and Native Americans, 
Native Alaskan and Hawaiian) and other underserved groups.
    In addition, funds may be awarded for technical assistance and 
demonstration projects (including research, training, and evaluation in 
connection with such projects) which expand or improve the advocacy 
functions performed by University Affiliated Programs, State 
Developmental Disabilities Planning Councils, and the Protection and 
Advocacy System.
    Section 162(c) of the Act requires that ADD publish in the Federal 
Register its proposed priorities for grants and contracts to carry out 
Projects of National Significance for the fiscal year. The Act also 
requires a period of 60 days for public comments and suggestions 
concerning such proposed priorities. After analyzing and considering 
such comments, ADD must publish in the Federal Register final 
priorities for such grants and contracts, and solicit applications for 
funding based on the final priorities selected.
    The following section presents the proposed priority areas for 
Fiscal Year 1994 Projects of National Significance. We welcome specific 
comments and suggestions as well as suggestions for additional priority 
areas. We would also like to receive suggestions on topics which are 
timely and relate to specific needs in the developmental disabilities 
field.
    Topics of particular interest to ADD for Fiscal Year 1994 include 
self-advocacy and empowerment of consumers and/or their families, 
specifically members of diverse cultural/ethnic minority 
constituencies. ADD is seeking disability and other grassroots 
organizations, minority coalitions, civil rights and other private non-
profit organizations experienced in working with culturally diverse 
communities to develop successful collaborative models for supporting 
the ability of minorities with developmental disabilities to exercise 
greater choice and self-determination by engaging in leadership 
activities in their communities. Such leadership activities at a 
minimum should provide them the needed knowledge, skills and confidence 
to access services and other supports available to them.

Part II. Fiscal Year 1994 Proposed Priority Areas for Projects of 
National Significance

    ADD is interested in all comments and recommendations which address 
areas of existing or evolving national significance related to the 
field of developmental disabilities.
    We also solicit recommendations for project activities which will 
advocate for public policy change and community acceptance of all 
people with developmental disabilities and families so that such 
persons receive the services, supports, and other assistance and 
opportunities necessary to enable them to achieve their maximum 
potential through increased independence, productivity, and integration 
into the community.
    ADD is also interested in activities which promote the inclusion of 
all people with developmental disabilities including persons with the 
most severe disabilities, in community life; which promote the 
interdependency of all people with developmental disabilities with all 
others; and which recognize the contributions of these individuals, as 
such individuals share their talents at home, school, and work, and in 
recreation and leisure time.
    No proposals, concept papers or other forms of applications should 
be submitted at this time. Any such submission will be discarded.
    ADD will not respond to individual comment letters. However, all 
comments will be considered in preparing the final funding solicitation 
announcement and will be acknowledged and addressed in that 
announcement.
    Comments should be addressed to: Bob Williams, Commissioner, 
Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Administration for 
Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, room 
329-D HHH Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201.

Proposed Fiscal Year 1994 Priority Area 1: Leadership Education and 
Development of Individuals With Disabilities and Their Families From 
Culturally Diverse Backgrounds

    In recent years, individuals with developmental and other 
disabilities have benefitted from new approaches to providing services 
that dramatically changed the lives of many of those who were 
previously unserved or underserved. However, many individuals and 
families, particularly those of culturally diverse backgrounds, remain 
on the outside looking in. Many such individuals may seem to have been 
invisible in the developmental disabilities community. Due to a long 
history of cultural stereotyping of such individuals, open discussions 
about disabilities remain a very sensitive and emotionally charged 
topic in some communities. Although minority individuals and families 
are affected by developmental and other disabilities (as the population 
at large), many often cannot gain access to the service system let 
alone fully participate in or benefit from it. In many instances, these 
individuals and families may be poor, may live in isolated areas; may 
be homeless or lack general knowledge about the services available to 
them or how the system works.
    Therefore, ADD is proposing to fund Projects of National 
Significance (PNS) that target individuals with developmental 
disabilities and their families from culturally diverse backgrounds in 
an effort to enable them to impact service delivery and fully access 
the services they need. These projects would strengthen the ability of 
individuals with developmental disabilities and their families from 
culturally diverse backgrounds to serve as leaders and advocates on 
critical issues in the developmental disabilities field, particularly 
in their own communities. These projects would assist individuals with 
developmental disabilities from culturally diverse backgrounds and 
their families in the development and implementation of effective 
methods of communication and systems change to increase public 
awareness, inform individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds with 
disabilities of issues and services, and to develop and to implement 
networking strategies that improve access to community resources. 
Furthermore, these projects would institutionalize action strategies 
that promote policies and practices which are family-centered and 
community-based.
    ADD is particularly interested in grassroots organizations with a 
record of planning and implementing programs with individuals from 
culturally diverse backgrounds, such as major civil rights 
organizations, minority coalitions, and other private non-profits that 
would be able to establish ongoing working relationships with State 
Developmental Disabilities Planning Councils, University Affiliated 
Programs, Protection and Advocacy Systems and other relevant community 
resources.
    It is essential to identify local linkages to establish 
collaborative agreements/arrangements on critical issues in the 
developmental disabilities field that would strengthen the capacity of 
individuals to serve as leaders/ advocates on behalf of themselves and 
their families.
    Every effort will be made to coordinate the activities under this 
priority areas with the Department of Education and other Federal 
agencies.

Proposed Fiscal Year 1994 Priority Area 2: Expanding the Scope of 
Developmental Disabilities Planning Councils

    Individuals with significant disabilities other than developmental 
disabilities can and have benefitted from the systems change, capacity 
building and advocacy activities of the Developmental Disabilities 
Planning Councils (DDPCs) authorized by Part B of the Act. In response 
to concerns of some advocates in the States, ADD proposes to award 
funds to study the expansion of the scope of DDPCs to include concerns 
of a broad range of citizens with disabilities other than developmental 
disabilities. Because this issue is complex and little information is 
available regarding the implications of such an expansion, ADD is 
interested in funding three types of projects to explore the effects of 
such an expansion:
     A short-term (not to exceed six months) study of DDPCs 
that are currently authorized under State law to focus on individuals 
with disabilities other than developmental disabilities as well as 
persons with developmental disabilities.
     Pilot studies in up to five (5) additional states by 
DDPCs, in conjunction with and with support from Protection and 
Advocacy systems and University Affiliated Programs, to explore the 
implications of expanding the current scope of Council activity. Pilots 
are expected to be completed within 15 months.
     A national study of the process, outcomes, and 
implications of the five (5) pilot studies. Completion of this study is 
expected five months following the pilots.
    Under separate contractual solicitations, ADD proposes to award 
funds to provide technical assistance to improve the functions of the 
DD Council, Protection and Advocacy System, and the University 
Affiliated Program; and to develop information and referral systems.
    ADD also proposes to fund projects through demonstrations as well 
as procurements that would ensure the integration and active 
participation of racial and ethnic minorities into the ``mainstream'' 
of the service delivery system.

(Federal Catalog Domestic Assistance Number 13.631 Developmental 
Disabilities--Projects of National Significance)

Dated: Janaury 14, 1994.
Bob Williams,
Commissioner, Administration on Developmental Disabilities.
[FR Doc. 94-4103 Filed 2-23-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P