[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 61 (Wednesday, March 30, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-7411]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 30, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
[RIN-0905-ZA11; PN 2191]

 

Program Announcement for Cooperative Agreements for the Model 
State-Supported Area Health Education Centers Program

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces 
that applications for fiscal year (FY) 1994 Cooperative Agreements for 
the Model State-Supported Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program 
are being accepted under the authority of section 746(a)(3) of the 
Public Health service (PHS) Act, title VII, as amended by the Health 
Professions Education Extension Agreements of 1992, Public Law 102-408, 
dated October 13, 1992.

Purpose and Eligibility

    Section 746(a)(3) authorizes Federal assistance to any school of 
medicine or osteopathic medicine that is operating an area health 
education centers program and that is not receiving financial 
assistance under section 746(a)(1) (previously section 781(a)(1)) of 
title VII of the PHS Act. In general, an area health education centers 
program shall be a cooperative program of one or more medical (M.D. and 
D.O.) school(s) and one or more nonprofit private regional area health 
education centers.
    The statutory authority for the Model State-Supported AHEC Program 
contains explicit language regarding activities and agreements between 
the medical and osteopathic schools which develop AHEC programs and the 
free-standing, community-based area health education centers which 
provide training sites and resources for the activities. To accomplish 
these specific tasks, a system of subcontracts is developed between the 
health professions schools and the independent centers in the 
communities.

Funding

    Approximately $3.2 million will be available for this program for 
FY 1994. It is anticipated that 16 competing awards averaging $200,000 
will be made. This funding will be for a one-year project period.
    To receive support, programs must meet the requirements of section 
746(a)(3) and program regulations as set forth in 42 CFR part 57, 
subpart MM.

Matching Funds Requirement: Non-Federal Contributions in Cash

    With respect to the costs of operating the area health education 
center program of the school, the school will make available (directly 
or through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal 
contributions in cash toward such costs in an amount that is not less 
than 50 percent of such costs. These funds must be for the express use 
of the AHEC Program and Centers, and not funds designated for other 
categorical or specific purposes. Amounts provided by the Federal 
Government may not be included in determining the amount of non-Federal 
contributions in cash.
    Section 746(a)(3)(D) states that schools must maintain expenditures 
of non-Federal amounts at a level that is not less than the level of 
such expenditures for the fiscal year preceding the first fiscal year 
for which the school receives an award.

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 fiscal year 1993, 
HRSA reviewed 14 applications for Cooperative Agreements for the Model 
State-Supported Area Health Education Centers Program. Of those 
applications 85.7 percent were approved and 14.3 percent were 
disapproved. Twelve projects or 85.7 percent of the applications 
received, were funded.

Programmatic Agreements of Model State-Supported AHEC Programs

    Certain programmatic agreements are required for the operation of a 
model State-supported AHEC program. In operating this program, the 
school must agree to:
    a. Coordinate the activities of the program with the activities of 
any office of rural health established by the State or States in which 
the program is operating;
    b. Conduct health professions education and training activities 
consistent with national and State priorities in the area served by the 
program in coordination with the National Health Service Corps, 
entities receiving funds under section 329 or 330, and public health 
departments; and
    c. Cooperate with any entities that are in operation in the area 
served by the program and that receive Federal or State funds to carry 
out activities regarding the recruitment and retention of health care 
providers.

National Health Objectives for the Year 2000

    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. 
Cooperative Agreements for Area Health Education Centers programs, 
including the Model State-Supported AHEC program, is related to the 
priority area of Educational and Community-Based Programs. 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 Area Health Education Centers 
programs and programs which provide comprehensive community-based 
services to the underserved.

Review Criteria

    The review of applications will take into consideration the 
following criteria:
    1. The degree to which the proposed project adequately provides for 
the program requirements set forth in section 746(a)(3) and program 
regulations as cited above.
    2. The capability of the applicant to carry out the proposed 
project; and
    3. The extent of the need of the area to be served by the proposed 
model State-supported area health education center program.

Degree of Federal Involvement in the Planning, Development and 
Operation of Model State-Supported Area Health Education Centers 
Program

    Personnel of the Bureau of Health Professions have substantial 
programmatic involvement with the planning, developing, and 
administering of the AHEC projects by:
    1. Reviewing and approving plans, upon which continuation of the 
cooperative agreement is contingent, to permit appropriate direction 
and redirection of activities.
    2. Reviewing and approving all contracts and agreements among 
recipient medical or osteopathic schools, other health professions 
schools and community-based centers.
    3. Participating with project staff in the development of funding 
projections.
    4. Developing with project staff individual project data collection 
systems and procedures.
    5. Participating with project staff in the design of project 
evaluation protocols and methodologies.

Other Considerations

    Applicants in States where more than one eligible entity exists are 
encouraged to collaborate in the submission of a single application, 
which reflects a consortium of Statewide programs to coordinate 
community-based health professions training activities.
    The principal objective of this new legislation is to encourage 
State coordination and support for AHEC activities. The most effective 
approach for obtaining support from State legislatures is to present a 
unified plan showing how all the programs are working together to 
provide the needed services in the State. Competitive applications from 
one State tend to be devisive rather than unifying in reaching common 
goals.

Criteria for Allocation of Available Funds

    The following criteria for allocation of funds were established in 
the Federal Register on September 14, 1993, 58 FR 48068 after public 
comment and are being continued in FY 1994.
    As a condition of receiving funding:
    (1) Applicants must meet the eligibility conditions of programs as 
set forth in section 746(b), and the AHEC centers they wish to have 
included must meet eligibility requirements in accordance with section 
746(d);
    (2) The State contribution to the AHEC program(s) in the current 
year is at least equal to the amount to be received from the Federal 
program as required by section 746(a)(3)(B); and
    (3) The program activities for which support is requested are 
determined by peer reviewers to be qualitatively acceptable.
    Programs that submit acceptable applications, in accordance with 
the above criteria, will receive funding based on the following 
allocation of funds:
    1. The total amount available for funding under section 746(a)(3) 
will be divided by the total number of qualifying AHEC centers in 
approved applications. This will yield the per center allocation. The 
coordinating AHEC applicant for each State will receive an amount equal 
to the number of qualifying centers in the approved application times 
the per center allocation.
    2. In accordance with the provisions of section 746(e)(1)(A), the 
award will clearly indicate that 75 percent of the awarded funds are to 
be spent in approved centers. The remaining 25 percent may be allocated 
to the AHEC program office and/or other participating schools.
    The State matching provision was included in this new legislation 
to promote State funding. The allocation of Federal funds to all 
qualifying AHEC programs is intended to provide as broad as possible a 
base for the accomplishment of this purpose. The number of qualifying 
AHEC centers provides the means for distribution of funds because the 
statute requires that 75 percent of the funds are designated to go to 
these entities.

Application Requests

    Requests for application materials and questions regarding grants 
policy and business management issues should be directed to: Ms. Diane 
Murray, Grants Management Specialist (U-76), Centers and Formula Grants 
Section, Bureau of Health Professions, HRSA, 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.
    Questions regarding programmatic information should be directed to: 
Ms. Cherry Tsutsumida, Chief, AHEC and Special Programs Branch, 
Division of Medicine, Bureau of Health Professions, HRSA, Parklawn 
Building, room 4C-03, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, 
Telephone: (301) 443-6817, FAX: (301) 443-8890.
    The standard application form PHS 6025-1, HRSA Competing Training 
Grant Application, General Instructions and supplement 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 May 6, 1994. 
Applications shall 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 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 is listed at 93.107 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: February 10, 1994.
William A. Robinson,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-7411 Filed 3-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P-M