[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 23, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-6693]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 23, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
[PN #2187]
RIN 0905-ZA10

 

Special Project Grants and Cooperative Agreements; Maternal and 
Child Health Services; Federal Set-Aside Program

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), PHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), HRSA, announces 
that fiscal year (FY) 1994 funds are available for grants and 
cooperative agreements for the following activities: Maternal and Child 
Health (MCH) Special Projects of Regional and National Significance 
(SPRANS), including special MCH improvement projects which contribute 
to the health of mothers, children, and children with special health 
care needs (CSHCN); MCH research and training; and genetic disease 
testing, counseling and information services. Awards will be made under 
the program authority of section 502(a) of the Social Security Act, the 
MCH Federal Set-Aside Program.
    Of the approximately $101.4 million available for SPRANS activities 
in FY 1994, about $29.6 million will be available to support 
approximately 146 new and competing renewal projects at an average of 
$202,700 per award for one year under the MCH SPRANS Federal Set-Aside 
Program. The remaining funds will be used to support continuation of 
existing SPRANS activities. The actual amounts available for awards and 
their allocation may vary, depending on unanticipated program 
requirements and the volume and quality of applications. Awards are 
made for grant periods which generally run from 1 up to 5 years in 
duration. Funds for the MCH Federal Set-Aside Program are appropriated 
by Public Law 103-112. The regulation implementing the Federal Set-
Aside Program was published in the March 5, 1986, issue of the Federal 
Register at 51 FR 7726 (42 CFR part 51a).
    The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the 
health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People 
2000, a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. The MCH 
Block Grant Federal Set-Aside Program addresses issues related to the 
Healthy People 2000 objectives of improving maternal, infant, child and 
adolescent health and developing service systems for children with 
special health care needs. 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).

ADDRESSES: Grant applications for the MCH SPRANS Federal Set-Aside 
Program must be obtained from and submitted to: Chief, Grants 
Management Branch, Office of Program Support, Maternal and Child Health 
Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, Room 18-12, 
Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, (301) 
443-1440. Applicants for research projects will use Form PHS 398, 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under control 
number 0925-0001. Applicants for training projects will use Form PHS 
6025-1, approved by OMB under control number 0915-0060. Applicants for 
all other projects will use application Form PHS 5161-1 with revised 
face page DHHS Form 424, approved by OMB under control number 0937-
0189. Requests should specify the category or categories of activities 
for which an application is requested so that the appropriate forms, 
information and materials may be provided.

DATES: Potential applicants are invited to request application packages 
for the particular program category in which they are interested, and 
to submit their applications for funding consideration. Deadlines for 
receipt of applications differ for the several categories of grants and 
cooperative agreements. These deadlines are as follows:

  MCH Federal Set-Aside Competitive Grant and Cooperative Agreements Anticipated Deadline, Award, Funding, and  
                                Project Period Information, by Category, FY 1994                                
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Funding source                               Estimated number of    Estimated amounts                       
       category          Application deadline          awards              available           Project period   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Grants in the                                                                                               
 following areas:                                                                                               
    1.1Research.......  Cycle 1: March 1, 1994  Up to 20............  $2.5 million........  Up to 5 years.      
    1.2Training.......  Cycle 2: August 1,                                                                      
                         1994..                                                                                 
    1.2.1Long term....  April 15, 1994........  Up to 28............  $13.4 million.......  Up to 5 years.      
    1.2.2Continuing     July 1, 1994..........  Up to 16*...........  $750,000............  Up to 3 years.      
     education.                                                                                                 
    1.3Genetic Disease  April 25, 1994........  Up to 18............  $3 million..........  3 years.            
     Testing,                                                                                                   
     Counseling and                                                                                             
     Information.                                                                                               
    1.4Special MCH                                                                                              
     Improvement                                                                                                
     Projects (MCHIP)                                                                                           
     of Regional and                                                                                            
     National                                                                                                   
     Significance in                                                                                            
     the following                                                                                              
     areas:                                                                                                     
    1.4.1Maternal,      May 19, 1994*.........  Up to 12*...........  $1.25 million*......  Up to 4 years.*     
     infant, child,                                                                                             
     and adolescent                                                                                             
     health.                                                                                                    
    1.4.1.1School       (Date to be announced)  Up to 10............  $2.5 million........  Up to 2 years.      
     Health Program.                                                                                            
    1.4.2Health Care    May 10, 1994..........  Up to 24*...........  $3.5 million........  4 years.            
     Reform for CSHCN.                                                                                          
    1.4.3Data           June 15, 1994.........  3*..................  $500,000............  Up to 3 years.      
     Utilization                                                                                                
     (cooperative                                                                                               
     agreements).                                                                                               
    1.4.4Healthy        May 2.................  Up to 10............  $500,000............  5 years.            
     Tomorrows                                                                                                  
     Partnership for                                                                                            
     Children.                                                                                                  
    1.4.5Field-         April 1 , 1994, August  Up to 10............  Up to $500,000......  Up to 5 years.      
     Initiated           15, 1994.                                                                              
     Projects.                                                                                                  
(2) Cooperative                                                                                                 
 Agreements (MCHIPs)                                                                                            
 in the following                                                                                               
 areas:                                                                                                         
    2.1CSHCN Child and  May 10, 1994..........  1...................  $1.5 million........  Up to 5 years.      
     Adolescent                                                                                                 
     Service System                                                                                             
     Program (CASSP).                                                                                           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* This is a change from information in an Advance Notice of Application Dates published in the Federal Register 
  on February 2 at 59 FR 4925.                                                                                  

    Applications will be considered to have met the deadline if they 
are either: (1) Received on or before the deadline date, or (2) 
postmarked on or before the deadline date and received in time for 
orderly processing. Applicants should request a legibly dated receipt 
from a commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal Service, or obtain a 
legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark. Private metered postmarks 
will not be accepted as proof of timely mailing. Late applications or 
those sent to an address other than specified in the ADDRESSES section 
will be returned to the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for technical or programmatic 
information should be directed to: Audrey H. Nora, M.D., M.P.H., 
Director, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA, Room 18-05, Parklawn 
Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857. Requests for 
category-specific technical information should be directed to the 
contact persons identified below for each category covered by this 
notice. Requests for information concerning business management issues 
should be directed to: John Gallicchio, Grants Management Officer 
(GMO), Maternal and Child Health Bureau, at the address specified in 
the ADDRESSES section.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To facilitate the use of this announcement, 
information in this section has been organized, as outlined in the 
Table of Contents below, into a discussion of: Program Background, 
Special Concerns, Overall Review Criteria, SPRANS Program, and Eligible 
Applicants. In addition, discussion of the SPRANS program is divided 
into specific funding categories and sub-categories and for each 
category and sub-category, information is presented under the following 
headings:

 Application Deadline
 Purpose
 Priorities/Special Concerns
 Grants/Amounts
 Contact

Table of Contents

1. Program Background and Objectives
2. Special Concerns
3. Project Review and Funding
3.1. Criteria for Review
3.2. Funding of Approved Applications
4. Special Projects of Regional and National Significance
4.1. Grants
4.1.1. Research
4.1.2. Training
4.1.2.1. Long Term Training
4.1.2.2. Continuing Education
4.1.3. Genetic Disease Testing, Counseling and Information
4.1.4. Maternal and Child Health Improvement Projects
4.1.4.1. Maternal, Infant, Child, and Adolescent Health
4.1.4.1.1 School Health Program
4.1.4.2. Health Care Reform for Children with Special Health Care 
Needs
4.1.4.3. Data Utilization and Enhancement
4.1.4.4. Healthy Tomorrows Partnerships for Children
4.1.4.5. Field-Initiated Projects
4.2. Cooperative Agreements
4.2.1 Children with Special Health Care Needs Child and Adolescent 
Service System Program (CASSP)
5. Eligible Applicants
6. Public Health System Reporting Requirements
7. Executive Order 12372

1. Program Background and Objectives

    Under Section 502 of the Social Security Act, as amended by the 
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1989, 12.75 percent of 
amounts appropriated for the Maternal and Child Health Services Block 
Grant in excess of $600 million are set aside by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services (HHS) for special Community Integrated 
Service Systems projects under Section 501(a)(3) of the Act. Of the 
remainder of the total appropriation, 15 percent of the funds are to be 
retained by the Secretary to support (through grants, contracts, or 
otherwise) special projects of regional and national significance, 
research, and training with respect to maternal and child health and 
children with special health care needs (including early intervention 
training and services development); for genetic disease testing, 
counseling, and information development and dissemination programs; for 
grants (including funding for comprehensive hemophilia diagnostic 
treatment centers) relating to hemophilia without regard to age; and 
for the screening of newborns for sickle cell anemia, and other genetic 
disorders and follow-up services. The MCH SPRANS set-aside was 
established in 1981. Support for projects covered by this announcement 
will come from the SPRANS set-aside.

2. Special Concerns

    In its administration of the MCH Services Block Grant, the MCHB 
places special emphasis on improving service delivery to women and 
children from culturally identifiable populations who have been 
disproportionately affected by barriers to accessible care. This means 
that SPRANS projects are expected to serve and appropriately involve in 
project activities members of ethnoculturally distinct groups, unless 
there are compelling programmatic or other justifications for not doing 
so. The MCHBs intent is to ensure that project outcomes are of benefit 
to culturally distinct populations and to ensure that the broadest 
possible representation of culturally distinct and historically 
underserved groups is supported through programs and projects sponsored 
by the MCHB.
    Projects supported under SPRANS are expected to be part of 
community-wide, comprehensive initiatives, to reflect appropriate 
coordination of primary care and public health activities, and to 
target HRSA resources effectively to fill gaps in the Nation's health 
system for at-risk mothers and children. This applies especially to 
projects in the 15 communities in the Nation which have received grants 
from HRSA under the Healthy Start initiative. Grantees in these 
communities providing services related to activities of a Healthy Start 
program are expected to coordinate their projects with the Healthy 
Start program efforts. Healthy Start communities include: Aberdeen Area 
Indian Nations, NE/ND/SD; Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Boston, MA; 
Chicago, IL; Cleveland, OH; Detroit, MI; Lake County, IN; New Orleans, 
LA; New York, NY; Oakland, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; PeeDee 
Region, SC; Washington, DC.

3. Project Review and Funding

    The Secretary will review applications for funds under the specific 
project categories in section 4 below as competing applications and 
will fund those which, in the Secretary's judgement, are consistent 
with the statutory mandate, with special emphasis on improving service 
delivery to women and children from culturally distinct populations; 
and which best address achievement of the Healthy People 2000 
objectives related to maternal, infant, child and adolescent health and 
service systems for children at risk of chronic and disabling 
conditions, and otherwise best promote improvements in maternal and 
child health.

3.1  Criteria for Review

    The following criteria are used, as pertinent, to review and 
evaluate applications for awards under all SPRANS grants and 
cooperative agreement project categories announced in this notice. 
Further guidance in this regard is supplied in application guidance 
materials, which may specify variations in these criteria.

--The quality of the project plan or methodology.
--The need for the services, research, training or technical 
assistance.
--The cost-effectiveness of the proposed project relative to the number 
of persons proposed to be benefitted, served or trained, considering, 
where relevant, any special circumstances associated with providing 
care or training in various areas.
--The extent to which the project will contribute to the advancement of 
MCH and/or CSHCN services.
--The extent to which rapid and effective use of grant funds will be 
made by the project.
--The effectiveness of procedures to collect the cost of care and 
service from third-party payment sources (including government 
agencies) which are authorized or under legal obligation to make such 
payment for any service (including diagnostic, preventive and treatment 
services).
--The extent to which the project will be integrated with the 
administration of the Maternal and Child Health Services block grants, 
State primary care plans, public health, and prevention programs, and 
other related programs in the respective State(s).
--The soundness of the project's management, considering the 
qualifications of the staff of the proposed project and the applicant's 
facilities and resources.
--The extent to which the project gives special emphasis to improving 
service delivery to women and children from culturally identifiable 
populations who have been disproportionately affected by barriers to 
accessible care and ensures that members of culturally distinct groups 
are appropriately represented in the activities of approved grants and 
cooperative agreements.
--In communities with Healthy Start projects, a commitment by 
applicants whose projects are related to activities of a Healthy Start 
program to coordinate their projects with Healthy Start program 
efforts.
--The strength of the project's plans for evaluation.
--The extent to which the application is responsive to special concerns 
and program priorities specified in this notice.

3.2  Funding of Approved Applications

    Final funding decisions for SPRANS grants are the responsibility of 
the Director, MCHB. In considering scores for the ranking of approved 
applications for funding, preferences may be exercised for groups of 
applications, e.g., competing continuations may be funded ahead of new 
projects. Within any category of approved projects, the score of an 
individual project may be favorably adjusted if the project addresses 
specific priorities identified in this notice. In addition, special 
consideration in assigning scores may be given by reviewers to 
individual applications that address areas identified in this notice as 
special concerns.

4. Special Projects of Regional and National Significance

    Project categories for SPRANS awards are grouped in this notice 
under two sections: Grants and Cooperative Agreements.

4.1.  Grants

    Four major categories of SPRANS grants\1\ are discussed below: 
Research; Training; Genetic Disease Testing, Counseling and 
Information; and Maternal and Child Health Improvement Projects (in 5 
sub-categories):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\This year, hemophilia treatment centers will all be funded as 
noncompeting continuation grants, subject to evaluation for proper 
performance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.1.1. Category: Research
     Application Deadline: March 1 and August 1, 1994.
     Purpose: To encourage research in maternal and child 
health which has the potential for ready transfer of findings to health 
care delivery programs.
     Priorities/Special Concerns: Special consideration will be 
given to projects which address the factors and processes that lead to 
disparities in health status and use of services among minority and 
other disadvantaged groups.
    Research grants may be made only to public or nonprofit 
institutions of higher learning and public or nonprofit private 
agencies and organizations engaged in research or in maternal and child 
health or programs for CSHCN.
     Grants/Amounts: Approximately $2.5 million will be 
available to support up to 20 new or competing renewal research 
projects at an average of $125,000 per award for one year. Project 
periods are up to 5 years.
     Contact: For programmatic or technical information, 
contact: Gontran Lamberty, Dr. P.H., telephone: 301 443-2190.
4.1.2. Training
    Training projects are announced in two sub-categories: Long Term 
Training and Continuing Education.
4.1.2.1. Long Term Training
     Application Deadline: April 15, 1994.
     Purpose: Awards to institutions of higher learning to 
support and strengthen MCH programs through long term training of 
health professionals at the graduate and postgraduate levels, with a 
special focus on family-centered, community-based care. The programs 
are designed to develop leadership personnel to provide for 
comprehensive health, including health promotion and disease 
prevention, and related services to mothers and children and to address 
special issues, such as HIV; injury; minority health concerns; and 
substance abuse. Training is provided to a wide range of health 
professionals who serve mothers and children.
     Priorities/Special Concerns: The following categories have 
been identified for competition under the MCH long term training 
program in FY 1994:

--MCH Training in Schools of Public Health.
--University Affiliated Programs.

    Training grants may be made only to public or nonprofit private 
institutions of higher learning.
     Grants/Amounts: About $13.4 million will be available to 
support up to 28 new or competing renewal long term training projects 
in the listed priority areas. Grant awards in different priority areas 
vary between $178,000 and $895,000 for one year. Project periods are up 
to 5 years.
     Contact: For programmatic and technical information, 
contact Elizabeth Brannon, M.S., R.D., telephone: 301 443-2190.
4.1.2.2. Continuing Education
     Application Deadline: July 1, 1994.
     Purpose: To support and strengthen MCH programs through 
short term, non-degree related training of health professionals and 
others providing health and related services for mothers and children; 
workshops; seminars; institutes; and other related activities intended 
to develop or improve standards, practices or delivery of health care 
for the MCH population.
     Priorities/Special Concerns: Funding preference in this 
category will be given to directed continuing education projects (i.e., 
those in solicited formats) in the following areas:

--MCH Leadership Skills Training Institute.
--Maternal Nutrition.
--Pediatric Emergency Care Systems.
--Genetics.

    Funding priority, in the form of a favorable priority score 
adjustment of 0.5 points in a 4 point range, will be given to 
nondirected projects (i.e., those whose formats are unspecified) in one 
or more of the following areas, although projects on other topics are 
acceptable:

--Adolescent Development.
--Curriculum Development.
    In addition, a funding priority will also be placed on projects 
from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). An approved 
proposal from an HBCU will receive a 0.5 point favorable adjustment of 
the priority score in a 4 point range before funding decisions are 
made.
    Training grants may be made only to public or nonprofit private 
institutions of higher learning.
     Grants/Amounts: Approximately $750,000 will be available 
to support up to 16 new or competing renewal continuing education 
training projects. This is a change from information in an Advance 
Notice of Application Deadline Dates published in the Federal Register 
on February 2 at 59 FR 4925. Of this amount, $275,000 will fund one MCH 
Leadership Skills Training Institute, $75,000 will fund one Maternal 
Nutrition project, $50,000 will fund up to 2 Pediatric Emergency Care 
Systems projects and $75,000 will fund up to 4 genetics projects. 
Approximately $275,000 will be available to support up to 10 new or 
competing renewal nondirected continuing education training projects, 
at about $25,000 per award for one year. Project periods are up to 3 
years.
     Contact: For programmatic or technical information, 
contact Elizabeth Brannon, M.S., R.D., telephone: 301 443-2190.
4.1.3. Genetic Disease Testing, Counseling and Information.
     Application Deadline: April 25, 1994
     Purpose: To increase access to effective genetic 
information, education, testing and counseling services.
     Priorities/Special Concerns: Applicants in the genetic 
services program are invited to submit proposals in the areas of:

--Genetics in primary care.
--Ethnocultural barriers.
--Regional genetic services networks.
--Cooley's Anemia/Thalassemia.
--Comprehensive care for children with Sickle Cell Disease.
--Transition from pediatric to adult care.

     Grants/Amounts: About $3 million will be available to 
support up to 6 competing renewal projects and up to 12 new projects. 
An average of about $166,500 per award for one year is anticipated. 
Project periods are up to 3 years.
     Contact: For programmatic or technical information, 
contact: Jane S. Lin-Fu, M.D., telephone: 301 443-1080.
4.1.4. Maternal and Child Health Improvement Projects
    Maternal and Child Health Improvement Projects (MCHIP) are divided 
into 5 sub-categories: Maternal, Infant, Child, and Adolescent Health; 
Health Care Reform for Children with Special Health Care Needs; Data 
Utilization and Enhancement; Healthy Tomorrows Partnerships for 
Children; and Field-Initiated Projects.
4.1.4.1. Maternal, Infant, Child, and Adolescent Health
     Application Deadline: May 19, 1994 (Revised deadline).
     Purpose: To improve the health of all mothers, infants, 
children, and adolescents. Demonstration projects in this category will 
focus on developing preventive intervention strategies to improve 
reproductive health, promote infant health, and reduce infant mortality 
and morbidity in rural areas and smaller urban communities.
     Priorities/Special Concerns: A funding priority will be 
placed on projects from historically Black colleges and universities 
(HBCUs). An approved proposal from an HBCU will receive a 0.5 point 
favorable adjustment of the priority score in a 4 point range before 
funding decisions are made.
     Grants/Amounts: About $1.25 million will be available to 
support up to a total of 12 new projects, at an average of about 
$100,000 per award for one year. Project periods are up to 4 years 
except where otherwise noted. This is a change from information in an 
Advance Notice of Application Deadline Dates published in the Federal 
Register on February 2 at 59 FR 4925.
     Contact: For programmatic or technical information, 
contact David Heppel, M.D., telephone: 301 443-2250. 4.1.4.1.1 School 
Health Program
     Application Deadline: Date to be announced
     Purpose: To address critical health problems and health-
damaging behaviors of the school age population, including children 
with special health care needs. This initiative, a demonstration of 
concepts currently under consideration as a health care reform measure, 
is designed to improve accessibility and increase utilization of 
comprehensive health and health-related services geared to 
developmental needs; and to assist States to develop full 
service schools which meet communities need for provision of 
comprehensive, culturally competent and integrated health, 
psychosocial, and education services to all children and adolescents. 
Coordination and collaboration among State MCH programs, local health 
departments, community and migrant health centers, State and local 
education agencies, and community-based organizations will be 
emphasized. Projects will be supported in staff development, service 
demonstrations, and consumer health education and promotion 
demonstrations.
    This activity is a joint program initiative with the Bureau of 
Primary Health Care (BPHC), HRSA, and will shortly be announced in 
greater detail in a separate Federal Register notice, with a separate 
due date.
     Priorities/Special Concerns: Priorities and special 
concerns have yet to be determined.
     Grants/Amounts: About $1.5 million will be available to 
support up to 10 school health staff development projects, at an 
average of $150,000. An additional $1.0 million, together with funds to 
be made available by BPHC, will be available for combined projects to 
address service demonstrations and consumer health education and 
promotion demonstrations. Additional details will be announced.
      Contact: Contact(s) to be announced.
4.1.4.2. Health Care Reform for Children With Special Health Care Needs
      Application Deadline: May 10, 1994.
     Purpose: To address issues in the current environment of 
cost containment, managed care, and the anticipated movement toward 
universal, basic health insurance coverage that relate to children with 
special health care needs, their families and providers, and the public 
health system's role in their care. The focus is on elimination of 
barriers to adequate, appropriate and high quality care that may not be 
overcome through assurance of universal coverage.
     Priorities/Special Concerns: Applicants in this MCHIP 
category are invited to submit proposals in the following program 
areas:

--Personnel preparation and assistance.
--Quality assurance.
--Cost and utilization.
--Promotion of public/consumer education.

    A funding priority will be placed on projects from historically 
Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). An approved proposal from an 
HBCU will receive a 0.5 point favorable adjustment of the priority 
score in a 4 point range before funding decisions are made.
     Grants/Amounts: About $3.5 million will be available for 
this MCHIP category, to support up to 24 new projects. This is a change 
from information in an Advance Notice of Application Deadline Dates 
published in the Federal Register on February 2 at 59 FR 4925. The 
project period is up to 4 years.
     Contact: For programmatic or technical information, 
contact Merle McPherson, M.D., Director, Division of Services for 
Children With Special Health Care Needs; telephone: 301 443-2350.
4.1.4.3. Data Utilization and Enhancement
     Application Deadline: June 15, 1994.
     Purpose: To enable Federal, State, and local MCH/CSHCN 
agencies, in collaboration with State primary care planning, to develop 
data and data systems required under Title V that facilitate needs 
assessment, planning, monitoring or evaluation of maternal and child 
agencies and comprehensive health services.
     Priorities/Special Concerns: Applicants in this MCHIP 
category are invited to submit proposals in the following program 
areas:

--Enhancement of data collection and analysis capabilities of State and 
local health agencies.
--Compilation of new data and development and application of analytic 
techniques regarding the health status of and delivery of comprehensive 
health care to mothers and children.
--Networking, coordination, and integration of existing and proposed 
resources and data and analysis systems developed in other States or 
organizations.
--Increasing State and local entities capacity to respond to and 
implement changes in the organization of health care resources.

    Special consideration will be given to applications which 
demonstrate capabilities in a range of data and analysis areas relevant 
to MCH training and information model development.
     Grants/Amounts: An estimated $500,000 will be available to 
support three cooperative agreements. This is a change from information 
in an Advance Notice of Application Deadline Dates published in the 
Federal Register on February 2 at 59 FR 4925. Project periods are up to 
3 years.
     Contact: For programmatic or technical information, 
contact Russ Scarato, telephone: 301 443-2340.
4.1.4.4. Healthy Tomorrows Partnerships for Children
     Application Deadline: May 2, 1994.
     Purpose: To support projects for children that improve 
access to health services and utilize preventive strategies. The 
initiative encourages additional support from the private sector and 
from foundations to form community-based partnerships to coordinate 
health resources for pregnant women, infants and children.
     Priorities/Special Concerns: Special consideration will be 
given by the reviewers to proposals in this MCHIP category which 
address particularly well both of the areas identified below:

--Local initiatives that are community-based, family-centered, 
comprehensive and culturally relevant and improve access to health 
services for infants, children, adolescents, or CSHCN.
--Evidence of a capability to meet cost participation targets by 
securing funds required for the second and sequential years in an 
amount not less than 66.7 percent of the total budget.

    In the interest of equitable geographic distribution, funding 
priority, in the form of a 1.0 point favorable adjustment in the 
priority score in a 4 point range, will be given to projects from 
States without a currently funded project in this category. These 
States are listed in the application guidance.
     Grants/Amounts: About $500,000 will be available to 
support up to 10 new Healthy Tomorrows projects, at an average of 
$50,000 per award for one year. The project period is 5 years.
     Contact: For programmatic or technical information, 
contact Latricia Robertson, M.S.N., M.P.H., telephone: 301 443-3163.
4.1.4.5. Field-Initiated Projects
     Application Deadlines: April 1 and August 15, 1994.
     Purpose: To support projects of high priority that are so 
time sensitive that they cannot be delayed for submission against 
normal MCHB category deadlines. Applications must be preceded by 
contact with an appropriate program official to justify why the 
proposed project is so time sensitive that the application cannot be 
submitted against normal MCHB category deadlines. Wherever possible, 
prospective applicants are urged to submit their proposals in other 
announced categories. Applications submitted in this category may not 
be under consideration under any other category during FY 1994. 
Research applications are not supportable under this sub-category. The 
Director of MCHB will be the final arbiter of the acceptability of 
special project applications for review. Prospective applicants are 
urged to make contact with a program official listed below well in 
advance of submitting a formal application, so that the work of 
proposal development can be avoided if the proposed project is judged 
as inappropriate for submission under this category.
     Grants/Amounts: About $500,000 will be available to 
support up to 10 new or competing renewal field-initiated projects. 
Project periods are up to 5 years.
     Contact: Potential applicants for field-initiated grants 
should contact: Chief, Grants Management Branch, or the MCHB Division 
Director responsible for the area of project interest: Director, 
Division of Maternal, Infant, Child and Adolescent Health, telephone: 
301 443-2251; Director, Division of Services for CSHCN, telephone: 301 
443-2350; or Director, Division of Systems, Education, and Science, 
telephone: 301 443-2340. The address for each of them is: Maternal and 
Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, 
Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.

4.2. Cooperative Agreements

    A cooperative agreement will be awarded in one category: Children 
with Special Health Care Needs Child and Adolescent Service System 
Program (CASSP). It is anticipated that substantive Federal 
programmatic involvement will be required in this cooperative 
agreement. Federal involvement may include planning, guidance, 
coordination and participation in programmatic activities. Periodic 
meetings, conferences, and/or communications with the award recipient 
are held to review mutually agreed upon goals and objectives and to 
assess progress. Additional details on the degree of Federal 
programmatic involvement will be included in the application guidance 
for this cooperative agreement.
4.2.1. Children With Special Health Care Needs Child and Adolescent 
Service System Program (CASSP)
     Application Deadline: May 10, 1994.
     Purpose: To support the development of a network of 
community-based, family-focused, and culturally competent systems of 
care for children with special health care needs. This network will: 
(1) Link the public and private sectors within the context of current 
efforts to reform the Nation's health and mental health care delivery 
systems and related reform efforts in education, child welfare, and 
juvenile justice; (2) within the broader context, establish a Child and 
Adolescent Service System Program (CASSP) Technical Assistance Center 
to focus on the needs of children and adolescents with serious 
emotional disturbances and their families and to address the 
psychosocial needs of all children with special health care needs and 
their families; and (3) work with critical State and local agencies 
serving children and Native American reservations to ensure support for 
integrated service delivery systems for children at all levels.
    This cooperative agreement will be jointly funded by the MCHB and 
the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), SAMHSA. Preference for 
funding will be given to public or private non-profit organizations 
with prior experience in the areas described above, especially those 
which can show: (1) The extent to which technical assistance efforts 
have focused on the needs of children and adolescents with serious 
emotional disorders; and (2) the degree to which prior networking 
efforts have been designed to link together health, mental health, 
education and other human services to address the psychosocial needs of 
all children with special health care needs and their families.
     Amount: Up to $1.5 million per year will be available to 
support one project. The award will be made for a project period of up 
to 5 years.
     Contact: For programmatic or technical information, 
contact John Shwab, telephone: 301 443-2370.
    The categories, priorities, special considerations and preferences 
described above are not being proposed for public comment this year. In 
July 1993, following publication of the Department's Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking to revise the MCH special project grant regulations at 42 
CFR 51a, the public was invited for a 60-day period to submit comments 
regarding all aspects of the SPRANS application and review process. 
Public comments regarding SPRANS priorities received during the comment 
period were considered in developing this announcement. In responding 
to these comments, the Department noted the practical limits on 
Secretarial discretion in establishing SPRANS categories and priorities 
owing to the extensive prescription in both the statute and annual 
Congressional directives. Comments on this SPRANS notice which members 
of the public wish to make are welcome at any time and may be submitted 
to: Director, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, at the address listed 
in the ADDRESS section. Suggestions will be considered when priorities 
are developed for the next solicitation.

5. Eligible Applicants

    Any public or private entity, including an Indian tribe or tribal 
organization (as defined at 25 U.S.C. 450b), is eligible to apply for 
grants or cooperative agreements for MCHIP demonstration project 
categories. Training grants may be made only to public or nonprofit 
private institutions of higher learning. Research grants may be made 
only to public or nonprofit private institutions of higher learning and 
public or nonprofit private agencies and organizations engaged in 
research in maternal and child health or programs for CSHCN.

6. Public Health System Reporting Requirements

    This program is subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements (approved under OMB No. 0937-0195). Under these 
requirements, the community-based nongovernmental applicant must 
prepare and submit a Public Health System Impact Statement (PHSIS). The 
PHSIS is intended to provide information to State and local health 
officials to keep them apprised of proposed health services grant 
applications submitted by community-based nongovernmental organizations 
within their jurisdictions.
    Community-based nongovernmental applicants are required to submit 
the following information to the head of the appropriate State and 
local health agencies in the area(s) to be impacted no later than the 
Federal application receipt due date:
    (a) A copy of the face page of the application (SF 424).
    (b) A summary of the project (PHSIS), not to exceed one page, which 
provides:
    (1) A description of the population to be served.
    (2) A summary of the services to be provided.
    (3) A description of the coordination planned with the appropriate 
State and local health agencies.

7. Executive Order 12372

    The MCH Federal set-aside program has been determined to be a 
program which is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372 
concerning intergovernmental review of Federal programs.

    The OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.110.

    Dated: February 7, 1994.
William A. Robinson,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-6693 Filed 3-22-94; 8:45 am]
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