[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 111 (Friday, June 10, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14118]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 10, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
[Announcement Number 465]
RIN 0905-ZA67

 

Neighborhood-Based Childhood Lead; Primary Prevention Program; 
Availability of Funds for Fiscal Year 1994

Introduction

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
availability of grant funds in fiscal year (FY) 1994 for the initiation 
of primary prevention activities that demonstrate a neighborhood-based 
approach to preventing and eliminating lead exposure for children 
living in high-risk housing. This primary prevention program is funded 
by CDC with support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban 
Development (HUD), Office of Lead-Based Paint Abatement and Poisoning 
Prevention (OLBPAPP).
    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 to reduce morbidity and mortality and 
improve the quality of life. This announcement is related to the 
priority area of Environmental Health. (For ordering a copy of Healthy 
People 2000, see WHERE TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION section.)

Authority

    This program is authorized under sections 301(a) (42 U.S.C. 
241(a)) and 317A (42 U.S.C. 247b-1) of the Public Health Service 
Act, as amended, and section 1011(a-f) of Title X (42 U.S.C. 4851 et 
seq.) of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act. 
Program regulations are set forth in Title 42, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 51b.

Smoke-Free Workplace

    The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant recipients 
to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all 
tobacco products. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect 
and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants are the 37 current recipients of CDC grant 
funds for State and Community-based Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention 
Programs that meet both of the following requirements (prior to the 
grant award being made):
    1. At the time of the grant application, an applicant must have an 
approved Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) under 
section 105 of the National Affordable Housing Act (NAHA), (42 U.S.C. 
12705) that includes a lead-hazard control element. Current CHAS 
regulations are set forth in title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, 
Sec. 576.31. (Applicants are permitted to use an abbreviated housing 
strategy, as set forth in Sec. 91.25 of the CHAS regulations.)
    2. By September 1, 1994, applicants must have State enabling 
legislation and promulgated regulations in place to establish a State 
Certification and Accreditation Program for contractors, inspectors, 
workers, and others engaged in lead hazard control activities. The 
State Certification Program shall be consistent with the currently 
identified elements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
Model State Plan being developed under Title IV, sections 402 and 404, 
of the Toxic Substances Control Act (see Appendix E of the HUD NOFA). 
(For ordering a copy of the HUD NOFA, see WHERE TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL 
INFORMATION section.)
    The applicant must furnish copies of the enabling legislation and/
or promulgated regulations, as well as other appropriate documentation, 
as proof of the program.

Availability of Funds

    Approximately $2,500,000 will be available to fund up to two 
neighborhood-based childhood lead poisoning primary prevention 
programs. Awards for the first budget year will range from $750,000 to 
$1,250,000 each. Awards are expected to begin on or about September 1, 
1994, and will be made for a 12-month budget period within project 
periods not to exceed 3 years. Funding estimates may vary and are 
subject to change based on the actual availability of funds.
    These grants are intended to develop, expand, or improve 
collaboration among childhood lead poisoning prevention programs, 
community housing agencies, and neighborhood groups to ensure the 
identification and reduction of lead hazards in neighborhoods with a 
large proportion of demonstrated high-risk housing, and with a high 
percentage of young children living in these houses. Grant awards 
cannot supplant existing funding for childhood lead poisoning 
prevention programs or hazard reduction activities. Eligible applicants 
may enter into contracts, including consortia agreements, as necessary, 
to meet the requirements of the program and strengthen the overall 
application.

Note

     Not more than 10 percent of any grant may be obligated 
for administrative costs.
     HUD funds under this announcement should target 
``priority housing''--defined as housing that qualifies as 
affordable housing under section 215 (appendix G of HUD NOFA) of the 
Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12745). 
Priority housing does not include public housing (whether Federal or 
locally supported), federally owned housing, or any federally 
assisted housing except tenant-based housing that receives 
assistance under sections 8(b) or 8(o) of the United States Housing 
Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(b) or (o)).
     Applicants are advised that an operational State 
Certification and Accreditation Program is an essential prerequisite 
for implementing lead hazard reduction activities.

Purpose

    Historically, most approaches to childhood lead poisoning have been 
reactive. After a child has been identified as poisoned, action may be 
taken to investigate the home environment to identify and address lead 
hazards. This approach provides epidemiologic and some preventive 
benefits by identifying and providing for the control of demonstrated, 
immediate hazards to which the same children, their siblings, and 
playmates might subsequently be exposed. However, relying solely on the 
presence of poisoned children to identify housing that contains lead 
hazards is considered to be ``secondary prevention,'' in that it 
postpones action until after a child is exposed to lead. Moreover, the 
reactive, child-by-child and house-by-house approach is an inefficient 
use of resources in the long run. A ``primary prevention'' approach 
emphasizes identifying and correcting lead hazards in the neighborhood 
before children are poisoned, shifting the focus from the poisoned 
child to the environmental exposure source--most often, the child's 
home.
    This joint CDC/HUD grant program will provide financial assistance 
and support to State and local government agencies to develop and 
implement a comprehensive neighborhood-based, holistic approach to 
ensure lead hazard control in a small, well defined neighborhood with a 
high percentage of high risk housing. These ``Primary Prevention'' 
demonstration projects are intended to bring together representatives 
from public health, the medical community, housing and rehabilitation, 
Community-based/Neighborhood-based Organizations (CBOs), business and 
labor interests, and other organizations interested in developing or 
expanding neighborhood-based lead poisoning primary prevention projects 
in targeted communities. The goal of these projects will be to develop 
or enhance neighborhood-based efforts to prevent and eliminate lead 
exposure for children living in high-risk neighborhoods.

Essential Components of the Primary Prevention Project Include

    1. Identifying a high-risk neighborhood.
    2. Establishing, expanding, or improving environmental 
investigations to identify sources of lead for children in the selected 
neighborhood.
    3. Characterizing and prioritizing lead hazards in neighborhoods.
    4. Ensuring/providing effective rapid reduction, control, and 
abatement of lead hazards throughout the neighborhood. Priority for 
activities should be given to reducing and controlling lead hazards 
posing an immediate threat to children.
    5. Planning hazard reduction, control, and abatement activities to 
take advantage of economies of scale for labor and materials.
    6. Utilizing ``opportunity points'' when environmental intervention 
is especially convenient and/or timely (e.g., unit turnover, planned 
weatherization, remodeling, or renovation).
    7. Ensuring/providing interim lead-safe housing for families during 
hazard reduction.
    8. Enhancing primary prevention knowledge and skills for residents, 
owners, landlords, etc., in high-risk neighborhoods through training 
and other methods. This includes planning and implementing a 
neighborhood education campaign.
    9. Building coalitions and ensuring neighborhood participation in 
all components of this project, including the planning process.
    10. Training of staff and neighborhood residents to plan, 
implement, maintain, and evaluate all aspects of the primary prevention 
strategy.

Program Requirements

    The following are requirements for the Primary Prevention Projects:
    A. A full-time director/coordinator with authority and 
responsibility to carry out the requirements of this primary prevention 
program. There must be sufficient grantee capability to plan, 
implement, coordinate, and maintain all aspects of the primary 
prevention strategy.
    B. A plan to identify lead hazards in the neighborhood in a 
systematic manner and to oversee the safe and effective lead hazard 
reduction and control.
    C. A plan to ensure that primary prevention activities are also 
directed at neighborhood properties not specifically eligible under the 
definition of ``priority housing''.
    D. A plan to identify and ensure participation of neighborhood 
groups that have an interest in providing lead-safe housing, and a 
lead-safe neighborhood.
    E. Assurances of compliance with HUD/EPA or other appropriate 
certification and training requirements, as well as other regulations 
relating to hazard reduction and worker safety.
    F. Information which describes why a certain neighborhood was 
selected for this primary prevention activity, including information on 
housing conditions, income, other socioeconomic factors, and previous 
surveys or screening activities for childhood lead poisoning 
prevention. The selected neighborhood must be a defined geographic area 
of contiguous blocks.
    G. Assurances and documentation that activities, services, and 
educational materials provided by the program are endorsed by 
neighborhood leaders or representatives of the intended target 
neighborhood.
    H. A comprehensive plan for program evaluation. Applicants should 
develop plans for evaluating program activities in two ways: Process 
Evaluations should be included for each component of the Program Plan. 
Process Evaluations should determine whether program activities were 
actually carried out as planned. An overall Outcome Evaluation for the 
program should be described separately. The Outcome Evaluation should 
be designed to measure, to the extent feasible, the impact of the 
program on the neighborhood environment and health status of children.

Evaluation Criteria

    CDC will use the following evaluation criteria to rate and rank 
applications received in response to this Program Announcement. The 
review of applications will be conducted by an objective review 
committee who will review the quality of the application based on the 
strength and completeness of the plan submitted. The budget 
justification will be used to assess how well the technical plan is 
likely to be carried out using the available resources. The total 
number possible for the rating factors is 100 points.
1. Strategy and Technical Approach (25 total points)
    The quality of the technical approach in carrying out the proposed 
activities. The Strategy and Technical Approach should include:
    (a) Description of the proposed neighborhood and the need for 
program activities. (10 points)
    (b) Plan for including neighborhood residents in planning, 
developing and implementing program activities. In addition, there 
should be:

     Plan for conducting a neighborhood-wide assessment to 
identify and control lead hazards. (5 points)
     Plan to identify, train, and involve neighborhood 
residents in program activities. (5 points)
     Plan to direct health education activities to 
neighborhood residents. (5 points)

2. Collaboration (25 total points)
    (a) Extent to which the applicant demonstrates that proposed 
activities are being conducted in conjunction with, or through, 
organizations with known and established ties in the identified 
neighborhood. Evidence of support and participation from appropriate 
community-based or neighborhood-based organizations in the form of 
memoranda of understanding or other agreements of collaboration. (15 
points)
    (b) Extent to which the applicant documents established 
collaboration with appropriate governmental agencies responding to 
childhood lead poisoning prevention issues such as environmental 
health, housing, medical management, etc. through specific commitments 
for consultation, employment, or other activities, as evidenced by the 
names and proposed roles of these participants and letters of 
commitment. Absence of letters describing specific participation will 
result in a reduced rating under this factor. (10 points)

3. Applicant Capability and Commitment to Lead Hazard Control (25 total 
points)
    Capability of the applicant to initiate and carry out the lead-
based paint testing and hazard-reduction and control program 
successfully within the time frames set forth in the application. 
Proposed staff skills must match the proposed program of work 
described. Elements to consider include:
    (a) Demonstrated knowledge and experience of the proposed project 
director or manager in planning and managing large and complex 
interdisciplinary programs involving housing rehabilitation, public 
health, and environmental management. The percentage of time the 
project manager will be devoted to this project is a significant 
factor, and must be indicated. (10 points)
    (b) Demonstrated knowledge and experience of the staff assigned to 
this project in carrying out these undertakings, including the 
percentage of time each person will devote to the project. (5 points)
    (c) Institutional capacity, demonstrated by the experience and 
continuing capability of the jurisdiction to initiate and implement 
similar environmental and housing projects. Applicant should describe 
previous related efforts and the current capacity of its agencies. (10 
points)

4. Evaluation Plan (20 total points)
    The applicant's plan that describes the evaluation of each program 
component and the overall strategy in evaluating the impact of the 
primary prevention effort.

5. State Certification and Accreditation Program (5 total points)
    Applicants are advised that an operational State Certification and 
Accreditation Program acceptable to HUD and EPA is an essential 
prerequisite for implementing lead hazard reduction activities. States 
and eligible applicants within States that have an operational State 
Certification and Accreditation Program will be awarded FIVE points.

6. Budget Justification and Adequacy of Facilities (Not Scored)
    The budget will be evaluated for the extent to which it is 
reasonable, clearly justified, and consistent with the intended use of 
grant funds.

Executive Order 12372 Review

    Applications are subject to Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs as governed by Executive Order (E.O.) 12372. E.O. 12372 sets 
up a system for State and local government review of proposed Federal 
assistance applications. Applicants should contact their State Single 
Point of Contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert them to the 
prospective applications and to receive any necessary instructions on 
the State process. For proposed projects serving more than one State, 
the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC of each affected State. A 
current list of SPOCs is included in the application kit. If SPOCs have 
any State process recommendations on applications submitted to CDC, 
they should send them to Henry S. Cassell, III, Grants Management 
Officer, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry 
Road, NE., Atlanta, GA 30305, no later than 60 days after the 
application deadline. The Program Announcement Number and Program Title 
should be referenced on the document. The granting agency does not 
guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' State process recommendations 
it receives after that date.

Public Health System Reporting Requirement

    This program is subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements. Under these requirements, all community-based 
nongovernmental applicants must prepare and submit the items identified 
below to the head of the appropriate State and/or local health 
agency(s) in the program area(s) that may be impacted by the proposed 
project no later than the receipt date of the Federal application. The 
appropriate State and/or local health agency is determined by the 
applicant. The following information must be provided:
    A. A copy of the face page of the application SF 424.
    B. A summary of the project that should be titled ``Public Health 
System Impact Statement'' (PHSIS), not to exceed one page, and include 
the following:
    1. A description of the population to be served;
    2. A summary of the services to be provided; and
    3. A description of the coordination plans with the appropriate 
State and/or local health agencies.
    If the State and/or local health official should desire a copy of 
the entire application, it may be obtained from the State Single Point 
of Contact (SPOC) or directly from the applicant.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.197.

Application Submission and Deadline

    The program announcement and application kit were sent to all 
eligible applicants in May 1994.

Where to Obtain Additional Information

    A complete program description, information on application 
procedures are contained in the application package. Business 
management technical assistance may be obtained from Lisa Tamaroff, 
Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and 
Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 
East Paces Ferry Road, NE., room 300, Mailstop E-13, Atlanta, GA 30305, 
telephone (404) 842-6796 .
    Please refer to Announcement Number 465 when requesting information 
and submitting an application.
    Technical assistance may be obtained from David L. Forney, Chief, 
Program Services Section, Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch, Division of 
Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for 
Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
4770 Buford Highway, NE., Mailstop F-42, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724, 
telephone (404) 488-7330.
    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.
    Potential applicants may obtain a copy of the HUD NOFA ``Lead-Based 
Paint Hazard Control in Priority Housing'' through the Program 
Management Division, Office of Lead-Based Paint Abatement and Poisoning 
Prevention, room B-133, 451 Seventh Street SW., Washington, DC 20410, 
telephone (202) 755-1822.

    Dated: June 3, 1994.
Ladene H. Newton,
Acting Associate Director for Management and Operations, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 94-14118 Filed 6-9-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P