[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 72 (Friday, April 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16253-16255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9117]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families
[Program Announcement No. 93631-96-02]


Developmental Disabilities: Request for Public Comments on 
Proposed Developmental Disabilities Funding Priority for Projects of 
National Significance for Fiscal Year 1996

AGENCY: Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF).

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments on developmental 
disabilities tentative funding priority for Projects of National 
Significance for Fiscal Year 1996.

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SUMMARY: The Administration on Developmental Disabilities, 
Administration for Children and Families, announces that public 
comments are being requested on a tentative funding priority for Fiscal 
Year 1996 Projects of National Significance prior to being announced in 
its final form.
    We welcome specific comments and suggestions on this proposed 
announcement and funding priority which will assist in bringing about 
the increased independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion 
into the community of individuals with developmental disabilities.

DATES: The closing date for submission of public comments is June 11, 
1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Bob Williams, Commissioner, 
Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Administration for 
Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, Room 
329-D, HHH Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20201.


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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adele Gorelick, Program Development 
Division, Administration on Developmental Disabilities, 202/690-5982.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Part I. Background

A. Goals of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities

    The Administration on Developmental Disabilities is located within 
the Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and 
Human Services (DHHS). Although different from the other ACF program 
administrations in the specific constituency it serves, ADD shares a 
common set of goals that promote the economic and social well-being of 
families, children, individuals and communities. Through national 
leadership, we see:
     Families and individuals empowered to increase their own 
economic independence and productivity;
     Strong, healthy, supportive communities having a positive 
impact on the quality of life and the development of children;
     Partnerships with individuals, front-line service 
providers, communities, States and Congress that enable solutions which 
transcend traditional agency boundaries;
     Services planned and integrated to improve client access; 
and
     A strong commitment to working with Native Americans, 
individuals with developmental disabilities, refugees and migrants to 
address their needs, strengths and abilities.
    Emphasis on these goals and progress toward them will help more 
individuals, including those with developmental disabilities, to live 
productive and independent lives integrated into their communities. The 
Projects of National Significance Program is one means through which 
ADD promotes the achievement of these goals.
    Two issues are of particular concern with these projects. First, 
there is a pressing need for networking and cooperation among 
specialized and categorical programs, particularly at the service 
delivery level, to ensure continuation of coordinated services to 
people with developmental disabilities. Second, project findings and 
successful innovative models of projects need to be made available 
nationally to policy makers as well as to direct service providers.

B. Purpose of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities

    The Administration on Developmental Disabilities is the lead agency 
within ACF and DHHS responsible for planning and administering programs 
which promote the self-sufficiency and protect the rights of 
individuals with developmental disabilities.
    The 1994 Amendments (Pub. L. 103-230) to the Developmental 
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.) 
(the Act) supports and provides assistance to States and public and 
private nonprofit agencies and organizations to assure that individuals 
with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the 
design of and have access to culturally competent services, supports, 
and other assistance and opportunities that promote independence, 
productivity and integration and inclusion into the community.
    The Act points out that:
     Disability is a natural part of the human experience that 
does not diminish the right of individuals with developmental 
disabilities to enjoy the opportunity for independence, productivity 
and inclusion into the community;
     Individuals whose disabilities occur during their 
developmental period frequently have severe disabilities that are 
likely to continue indefinitely;
     Individuals with developmental disabilities often require 
lifelong specialized services and assistance, provided in a coordinated 
and culturally competent manner by many agencies, professionals, 
advocates, community representatives, and others to eliminate barriers 
and to meet the needs of such individuals and their families;
    The Act further finds that:
     Individuals with developmental disabilities, including 
those with the most severe developmental disabilities, are capable of 
achieving independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion 
into the community, and often require the provision of services, 
supports and other assistance to achieve such;
     Individuals with developmental disabilities have 
competencies, capabilities and personal goals that should be 
recognized, supported, and encouraged, and any assistance to such 
individuals should be provided in an individualized manner, consistent 
with the unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, 
and capabilities of the individual;
     Individuals with developmental disabilities and their 
families are the primary decision makers regarding the services and 
supports such individuals and their families receive; and play decision 
making roles in policies and programs that affect the lives of such 
individuals and their families; and
     It is in the nation's interest for individuals with 
developmental disabilities to be employed, and to live conventional and 
independent lives as a part of families and communities.
    Toward these ends, ADD seeks to enhance the capabilities of 
families in assisting individuals with developmental disabilities to 
achieve their maximum potential, to support the increasing ability of 
individuals with developmental disabilities to exercise greater choice 
and self-determination, to engage in leadership activities in their 
communities, as well as to ensure the protection of their legal and 
human rights.
    Programs funded under the Act are:
     Federal assistance to State developmental disabilities 
councils;
     State system for the protection and advocacy of individual 
rights;
     Grants to university affiliated programs for 
interdisciplinary training, exemplary services, technical assistance, 
and information dissemination; and
     Grants for Projects of National Significance.

C. Description of Projects of National Significance

    Under Part E of the Act, demonstration grants (and in some cases, a 
cooperative agreement) and technical assistance contracts are awarded 
for projects of national significance that support the development of 
national and State policy to enhance the independence, productivity, 
and integration and inclusion of individuals with developmental 
disabilities through:
     Data collection and analysis;
     Technical assistance to enhance the quality of State 
developmental disabilities councils, protection and advocacy systems, 
and university affiliated programs; and
     Other projects of sufficient size and scope that hold 
promise to expand or improve opportunities for individuals with 
developmental disabilities, including:

--Technical assistance for the development of information and referral 
systems;
--Educating policy makers;
--Federal interagency initiatives;
--The enhancement of participation of racial and ethnic minorities in 
public and private sector initiatives in developmental disabilities;

[[Page 16255]]

--Transition of youth with developmental disabilities from school to 
adult life; and
--Special pilots and evaluation studies to explore the expansion of 
programs under part B (State developmental disabilities councils) to 
individuals with severe disabilities other than developmental 
disabilities.

    Section 162(c) of the Act requires that ADD publish in the Federal 
Register proposed priorities for grants and contracts to carry out 
Projects of National Significance. The Act also requires a period of 60 
days for public comment concerning such proposed priorities. After 
analyzing and considering such comments, ADD must publish in the 
Federal Register final priorities for such grants and contracts, and 
solicit applications for funding based on the final priorities 
selected.
    The following section presents the proposed priority area for 
Fiscal Year 1996 Projects of National Significance. We welcome specific 
comments and suggestions. We would also like to receive suggestions on 
topics which are timely and relate to specific needs in the 
developmental disabilities field.
    Please be aware that the development of the final funding priority 
is based on the public comment response to this notice, current agency 
and Departmental priorities, needs in the field of developmental 
disabilities and the developmental disabilities network, etc., as well 
as the availability of funds for this fiscal year.

Part II. Fiscal Year 1996 Proposed Priority Area for Projects of 
National Significance

    ADD is interested in all comments and recommendations which address 
areas of existing or evolving national significance related to the 
field of developmental disabilities.
    ADD also solicits recommendations for project activities which will 
advocate for public policy change and community acceptance of all 
individuals with developmental disabilities and families so that such 
individuals receive the culturally competent services, supports, and 
other assistance and opportunities necessary to enable them to achieve 
their maximum potential through increased independence, productivity, 
and integration into the community.
    ADD is also interested in activities which promote the inclusion of 
all individuals with developmental disabilities, including individuals 
with the most severe disabilities, in community life; which promote the 
interdependent activity of all individuals with developmental 
disabilities and individuals who are not disabled; and which recognize 
the contributions of these individuals (whether they have a disability 
or not), as such individuals share their talents at home, school, and 
work, and in recreation and leisure time.
    No proposals, concept papers or other forms of applications should 
be submitted at this time. Any such submission will be discarded.
    ADD will not respond to individual comment letters. However, all 
comments will be considered in preparing the final funding solicitation 
announcement and will be acknowledged and addressed in that 
announcement.
    Please be reminded that, because of possible funding limitations, 
the proposed priority area listed below may not be published in a final 
funding solicitation for this fiscal year.
    Comments should be addressed to: Bob Williams, Commissioner, 
Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Department of Health and 
Human Services, Room 329-D HHH Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20201.

Fiscal Year 1996 Proposed Priority Area: Ongoing Data Collection and 
Information Dissemination

    The purpose of this priority area is to fund a variety of projects 
through grants and/or cooperative agreements to collect data on public 
expenditures, employment and economic status, and other factors as they 
impact on the independence, productivity, integration and inclusion 
into the community of persons with developmental disabilities. ADD is 
particularly interested in the maximum use of already existing data 
bases and in fostering the broadest dissemination to and use of the 
data by consumers, families and advocacy audiences. Examples of 
successful projects that ADD has funded include:

--University of Minnesota: National Recurring Data Set Project on 
Residential Services--Ongoing National and State-by-State Data 
Collection and Policy/Impact Analysis on Residential Services for 
Persons with Developmental Disabilities (Charles Lakin: 612/624-5005)
--University of Illinois at Chicago: Fourth National Study of Public 
Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities Spending (David Braddock: 
312/413-1647)
--Boston Children's Hospital: Ongoing National Collection on Data and 
Employment Services for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (Bill 
Kiernan: 617/355-6506).

    Examples of projects that ADD will fund include activities which 
would:
     Identify, collect and disseminate new data bases.
     Modify, expand and/or reformulate existing data bases.
     Project and model the cost-benefit impact of alternative 
future decisions based on the analysis of discrete programmatic options 
in the areas of residential services and employment.
     Connect, integrate or analyze available data bases.

(Federal Catalog of Domestic Assistance Number 93.631--Developmental 
Disabilities--Projects of National Significance)

    Dated: March 27, 1996.
Bob Williams,
Commissioner, Administration on Developmental Disabilities.
[FR Doc. 96-9117 Filed 4-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P