[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 96 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12151]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 19, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration

 

Final Minimum Percentages for ``High Rate'' and ``Significant 
Increase in the Rate'' for Implementation of the General Statutory 
Funding Preference for Advanced Nurse Education Grants for Fiscal Year 
1994

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces 
the final minimum percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant 
increase in the rate'' for implementation of the general statutory 
funding preference for Advanced Nurse Education Grants for fiscal year 
(FY) 1994, funded under the authority of section 821, 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.

Purpose

    Section 821 of the Public Health Service Act, as implemented by 42 
CFR part 57, subpart Z, authorizes assistance to meet the costs of 
projects to: (1) Plan, develop and operate new programs, or (2) 
significantly expand existing programs leading to advanced degrees that 
prepare nurses to serve as nurse educators or public health nurses, or 
in other clinical nurse specialties determined by the Secretary to 
require advanced education. The period of Federal support should not 
exceed 3 years.

Statutory General Preference

    As provided in section 860(e)(1) of the PHS Act, 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.

This preference will only be applied to applications that rank above 
the 20th percentile of proposals recommended for approval by the peer 
review group.

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

    A proposed notice was published in the Federal Register on 
September 29, 1993 at 58 FR 50943. Two comments were received prior to 
the end of the comment period. The comments will be discussed below. 
Comments on issues that were not specifically proposed for public 
comment are not addressed in this notice.
    One respondent suggested that ``significant increase in the rate'' 
should be defined as a 25 percent increase rather than a 50 percent 
increase as was proposed, because a large program would have a 
difficult time showing a 50 percent increase. The definition of 
``significant increase in the rate'' will remain at 50 percent because 
a program is required to meet only one of the two criteria in the 
statutory preference in order to receive the funding preference. If a 
large program can demonstrate that 30 percent of the graduates have 
been placed in medically underserved communities (``high rate''), the 
application can receive the funding preference without any increase in 
the rate of placing students in medically underserved communities.
    The respondent also recommended deletion of the requirement that 15 
percent of graduates from the most recent year should be working in 
these settings to receive the preference based on ``significant 
increase in the rate,'' because the statute does not require this 
provision. The 15 percent requirement is intended to emphasize 
provision of substantial care in medically underserved communities and 
will be retained.
    The final minimum percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant 
increase in the rate'' remain as proposed and are presented below.
    ``High rate'' is defined as a minimum of 30 percent of graduates in 
academic year 1991-92 or academic year 1992-93, whichever is greater, 
who spend at least 50 percent of their worktime in clinical practice in 
the specified settings. Public health nurse graduates can be counted if 
they identify a primary work affiliation at one of the qualified work 
sites. 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

    If additional programmatic information is needed, please contact: 
Dr. Thomas P. Phillips, Chief, Advanced Nursing Education Branch, 
Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and 
Services Administration, Parklawn Building, room 9-36, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone : (301) 443-6333 FAX: (301) 
443-8586.
    This program, Advanced Nurse Education Grants, is listed at 93.299 
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: May 12, 1994.
John H. Kelso,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-12151 Filed 5-18-94; 8:45 am]
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