[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 117 (Monday, June 20, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14964]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 20, 1994]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources And Services Administration
RIN: 0905-ZA66

 

Program Announcement and Proposed Funding Preferences for 
Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces 
that applications for fiscal year (FY) 1994 for the Scholarships for 
Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program are being accepted under the 
authority of section 737 of the Public Health Service Act (the Act), 
title VII, Part B, as amended by the Health Professions Education 
Extension Amendments of 1992, Pub. L. 102-408, dated October 13, 1992. 
Comments are invited on the proposed funding preferences stated below.

Purpose

    The SDS program is a program of grants to health professions and 
nursing schools for the purpose of assisting such schools in providing 
scholarships to individuals from disadvantaged background who are 
enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) as full-time students in the 
schools, as well as to undergraduate students who have demonstrated a 
commitment to pursuing a career in health professions.
    For purposes of the SDS program in FY 1994, an ``individual from 
disadvantaged backgrounds'' is defined in 42 CFR part 57.1804, subpart 
S, as one who:
    (1) Comes from an environment that has inhibited the individual 
from obtaining the knowledge, skill, and abilities required to enroll 
in and graduate from a health professions school, or from a program 
providing education or training in allied health professions; or
    (2) Comes from a family with an annual income below a level based 
low-income thresholds according to family size published by the U.S. 
Bureau of the Census, adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer 
Price Index, and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health 
professions and nursing programs. The Secretary will periodically 
publish these low-income levels in the Federal Register.
    The following income figures determine what constitutes a low-
income family for purposes of the Scholarships for Disadvantaged 
Students program for FY 1994.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Income 
                 Size of parents' family\1\                     level\2\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................................................     $9,700
2............................................................     12,600
3............................................................     15,000
4............................................................     19,200
5............................................................     22,600
6 or more....................................................    25,400 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms.         
\2\Adjusted gross income for calendar year 1993, rounded to nearest     
  $100.                                                                 

    Approximately $17.1 million is available in FY 1994 for competing 
applications for the SDS Program from eligible health professions and 
nursing schools. Of the funds available, 30 percent shall be made 
available to schools agreeing to expend the grants only for nursing 
scholarships. An estimated $5.1 million will support approximately 
2,040 scholarships averaging $2,500 for students at schools of nursing. 
The balance of $12.0 million will support approximately 4,858 
scholarships averaging $2,450 for eligible health professions students. 
The period of fund availability will be for one academic year.

Use of Funds

    Funds awarded to a school under this program may be used as 
follows:
    (1) To award scholarships to eligible students enrolled in the 
school, to be expended only for tuition expenses, other reasonable 
educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses (as defined by the 
school for all students attending the school) incurred while enrolled 
in a school as a full-time student. The amount of the scholarship may 
not, for any year of attendance, exceed the total amount required for 
the year for the expenses specified above.
    (2) To provide financial assistance to undergraduate students who 
have demonstrated a commitment to pursuing a career in the health 
professions, in order to facilities the completion of the educational 
requirements for such careers, provided that the total amount used for 
this purpose may not exceed 25 percent of the funds awarded to the 
school under this program.
    Any school receiving SDS funds will be required to maintain 
separate accountability for these funds.

School Eligibility

    Grants under this program will be made available to accredited 
public or nonprofit private health professions schools. For purposes of 
the SDS program, as defined in section 737(a)(3) of the Act, the term 
``health professions schools'' means schools of medicine, nursing, 
osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, podiatric medicine, 
optometry, veterinary medicine, public health, or allied health or 
schools offering graduate programs in clinical psychology and which are 
accredited as provided in section 799(1)(E) of the Act, schools of 
allied health as defined in section 799(4) of the Act, and which are 
located in States as defined in section 799(9) of the Act, and schools 
of nursing as defined in section 853 of the Act.
    As required by statute, to qualify for participation in the SDS 
program, a school must be:
    (1) Carrying out a program for recruiting and retaining students 
from disadvantaged backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities; 
and
    (2) Carrying out a program for recruiting and retaining minority 
faculty.
    In addition, each school that received funds in FY 1993 must 
demonstrate in its fiscal year 1994 application that they are carrying 
out all of the statutory requirements listed below:
    (1) Ensure that adequate instruction regarding minority health 
issues is provided for in the curricula of the school. This does not 
include normal course work, that by definition includes minority health 
issues (e.g., sickle cell anemia in a pathology class), but refers to 
course work reflecting an institutional awareness of the special health 
needs of minority populations;
    (2) Enter into arrangements with one or more health clinics 
providing services to a significant number of individuals who are from 
disadvantaged backgrounds, including members of minority groups, for 
the purpose of providing students of the school with experience in 
providing clinical services to such individuals;
    (3) Enter into arrangements with one or more public or nonprofit 
private secondary educational institutions and undergraduate 
institutions of higher education (feeder schools), for the purpose of 
carrying out programs regarding:
    (a) The educational preparation of disadvantaged students, 
including minority students, to enter the health professions; and
    (b) The recruitment of disadvantaged students, including minority 
students, into the health professions; and
    (4) Establish a mentor program for assisting disadvantaged 
students, including minority students, regarding the completion of the 
educational requirements for degrees from the school. This program may 
include the involvement of students, community health professionals, 
faculty, alumni, past recipients of Health Career Opportunity Program 
(HCOP) funds, faculty/staff of feeder schools, etc., in institutionally 
organized activity (e.g., tutoring, counseling, and summer/bridge 
programs).
    Each school funded for the first time in FY 1994 will also be 
required to carry out each of the activities specified above by not 
later than 12 months from receipt of award. Funds awarded to a school 
under the SDS program may not be used to carry out any of the above 
activities which the school must be doing, or must agree to do. In 
addition, a school will be required to continue to carry out all 
described activities, and also the student/faculty recruitment and 
retention activities, for as long as the SDS program is in operation in 
the school.

Evaluation Criteria for Fiscal Year 1994

    For FY 1994, applications will be evaluated on the degree to which 
the schools meet the statutory requirements listed above. Guidance for 
presenting the information will be provided in the FY 1994 application 
materials.
    Student Eligibility: As required by statute, to qualify for the SDS 
program, a student must:
    (1) Be a citizen, a U.S. national, an alien lawfully admitted for 
permanent residency in the U.S., or a citizen of the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands, a citizen of the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, a citizen of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 
(consisting of the Republic of Palau) or a citizen of the Republic of 
the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (both formally 
part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands);
    (2) Meet the definition of an ``individual from a disadvantaged 
background'' as defined above; and
    (3) (a) Be enrolled in or accepted by an eligible school for 
enrollment as a full-time student; or
    (b) Be an undergraduate student who has demonstrated a commitment 
to pursuing a career in health professions, including nursing.

Statutory Preference

    The law requires that in providing SDS scholarships, the school 
give preference to students who are from disadvantaged backgrounds and 
for whom the cost of attending an SDS school would constitute a severe 
financial hardship. Severe financial hardship will be determined by the 
school in accordance with standard need analysis procedures prescribed 
by the Department of Education for Its Federal student aid programs.
    The following Acceptability of Undergraduate Students, Definitions, 
Methodology for Implementing the Statutory Special Consideration, the 
Nonstatutory Special Consideration for Baccalaureate Nursing Programs, 
and the Procedures for Calculating Scholarship Awards were established 
in FY 1991 after public comment (at 57 FR 49779) on October 1, 1991, 
and are being extended in FY 1994.

Acceptability of Undergraduate Students

    In the instance of (3)(b) above, it has been established that the 
undergraduate students eligible for scholarships must be at feeder 
schools and have signed statements that they are interested in health 
professions or nursing careers.

Definitions

    Black. means a person having origins in any of the black racial 
groups of Africa.
    Hispanic means a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or 
South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
    American Indian or Alaskan Native means a person having origins in 
any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains 
cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community 
recognition.
    Definitions listed above are contained in Directive No. 15 of 
Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-46, dated May 3, 1974.
    Native American as defined in Pub. L. 101-527, means American 
Indian, Alaskan Native, Aleut, or Native Hawaiian.
    Minority with respect to faculty, refers to Blacks, Hispanics, 
Native Americans, Filipinos, Koreans, Pacific Islanders, and Southeast 
Asians whose percentage among the total supply of practitioners in the 
applicable health profession is below that group's percentage in the 
total population.

Methodology for Implementing the Statutory Special Consideration

    In accordance with the statute, in making awards under section 
737(a), the Secretary shall give special consideration to eligible 
schools that have enrollments of underrepresented minorities above the 
national average for its particular discipline.
    For purposes of determining eligibility of a school, Asians will 
not be included in the definition of underrepresented minorities for 
the school. Although certain Asian subgroups (i.e., Filipinos, Koreans, 
Pacific Islanders, and Southeast Asians) are considered to be 
underrepresented in the health professions and are included as 
minorities for purposes of program requirements relating to faculty 
recruitment and retention (see above), national data on these subgroups 
are not available as a basis for establishing national average 
enrollment of underrepresented minorities.
    For purposes of the FY 1994 award cycle, the national average 
enrollments, of Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans (in 
combination) are: for medicine 13.3 percent; osteopathic medicine 7.7 
percent; nursing (RN only) 12.2 percent; dentistry 13.4 percent; 
pharmacy 10.6 percent; optometry 9.4 percent; podiatric medicine 17.9 
percent; veterinary medicine 5.9 percent; public health 15.7 percent; 
allied health 17.3 percent; and clinical psychology 13 percent.

Nonstatutory Special Consideration for Baccalaureate Nursing 
Programs

    Among schools of nursing, additional special consideration will be 
given to baccalaureate programs. One of the distinguishing features of 
baccalaureate education is the substantial focus on preparation for 
community health practice. Training nurses for community health 
practice is an integral component of the Department's access strategy.
    It is not required that applicants request consideration for a 
funding factor. Applications which do not request consideration for 
funding factors will be reviewed and given full consideration for 
funding.

Procedures for Calculating Awards

    Awards to eligible schools which have applied will be calculated by 
comparing the enrollment of disadvantaged students in each eligible 
school with the total enrollment of the disadvantaged students in all 
eligible schools.
    A school with an enrollment of underrepresented minority students 
which is above the national average (for each discipline) will be given 
double credit (i.e., its enrollment of disadvantaged students would be 
doubled for awarding purposes). A baccalaureate nursing school will be 
given double credit. A baccalaureate nursing school with an 
underrepresented minority enrollment above the national average will be 
given quadruple credit (i.e., its enrollment of disadvantaged students 
will be multiplied by four for awarding purposes).

Other Consideration

    Other funding factors may be applied in determining the funding of 
approved applications.
    A funding preference is defined as the funding of a specific 
category or group of approved applications ahead of other categories or 
groups of approved applications.
    It is not required that applicants request consideration for a 
funding factor. Applications which do not request consideration for 
funding factors will be reviewed and given full consideration for 
funding.

Proposed Funding Preferences

    For fiscal year 1994, it is proposed that among allied health 
schools or programs, preference be given to the following baccalaureate 
and graduate programs: dental hygiene, medical laboratory technology, 
occupational therapy, physical therapy and radiologic technology. This 
proposal is in accordance with House Report No. 101-804, accompanying 
the Disadvantaged Minority Health Improvement Act of 1990, which 
recommended that funding be restricted to these allied health 
professions programs. With over 3,000 accredited allied health 
programs, the SDS program focus would be directed to those allied 
health professions with the greatest current or personnel shortages.
    In addition, it is also proposed that preference be given to 
baccalaureate and graduate programs. Although programs of study leading 
to the award of an associate degree or certificate are of significant 
value in educating allied health personnel, the cost of education at 
the baccalaureate and graduate levels is substantially greater, and 
thus such cost is a major deterrent to the recruitment and retention of 
disadvantaged individuals.

Additional Information

    Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed funding 
preferences. The comment period is 30 days. All comments received on or 
before (insert 30 days from date of publication in the Federal Register 
will be considered before the final funding preferences are 
established.
    Written comments should be addressed to: Mr. Michael Heiningburg, 
Director, Division of Student Assistance, Bureau of Health Professions, 
Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 
8-48, Parklawn Building, Rockville, Maryland 20782.
    All comments received will be available for public inspection and 
copying at the Division of Student Assistance, Bureau of Health 
Professions, at the above address, weekdays (Federal holidays excepted) 
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

National Health Objectives for the Year 2000

    The Public Health Service 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 Scholarships 
for Students From Disadvantaged Backgrounds 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).

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.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The application form and instructions for this program have been 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act. The OMB clearance number is 0915-0149.

Application Requests

    Applications will be mailed to all schools of medicine, osteopathic 
medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, podiatric medicine, 
veterinary medicine, nursing, public health, clinical psychology and 
allied health which received SDS awards in FY 93. Upon request, 
applications will be mailed to those schools identified above who have 
not previously participated in the SDS program.
    Requests for grant application materials and questions regarding 
business management and program policy should be directed to: Mr. Bruce 
Baggett, Chief, Student and Institutional Support Branch, Division of 
Student Assistance, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and 
Services Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 8-34, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-4776; FAX: (301) 
594-6911.
    The application deadline date is July 20, 1994. Applications shall 
be considered as meeting the deadline 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 the 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.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for the 
Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program is 93.925. This program 
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: June 15, 1994.
Ciro V. Sumaya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-14964 Filed 6-17-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-M