[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 4, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46656-46658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-22435]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Program Announcement for a Cooperative Agreement with a
Professional Trade Association Representing Health Maintenance
Organizations
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces
that applications will be accepted for a fiscal year (FY) 1996
Cooperative Agreement with a professional trade association
representing health maintenance organizations. This activity will be
supported under the authority of Title III, Section 301, of the Public
Health Service Act. Approximately $125,000 is available to fund one
competitive cooperative agreement in FY 1996. The project period will
be three years.
Background
Several years ago the Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) in the Department of Health and Human Services (the Department)
became aware of the low numbers of minority health administrators in
health maintenance organizations and other managed care systems in the
United States. In response to this concern, HRSA supported the
development of a Health Management Training Institute for Minorities in
Health Maintenance Organizations which has been demonstrated in the
Baltimore-Washington area. Since July 1993, 28
[[Page 46657]]
Fellows have graduated from this management training program. Of these
Fellows, less than one-third are of Hispanic or Asian American origin.
Therefore, to increase the diversity of potential managers and
administrators in the managed health care field, the Department
proposes to expand minority management training to the southwest region
of the United States.
Purpose
The principal objectives of the cooperative agreement are to
support: (1) the continuation of the Minority Training Program in the
Baltimore-Washington area; (2) the planning and implementation of a
model managerial, fellowship training program in the southwest region
of the United States, and (3) the development and field testing of a
two to three week training module designed to strengthen the business
communication and computer skills of Fellows entering management and
administration positions in the coordinated health care field. The
training module should be field tested with a managerial training
program located in the Baltimore-Washington area.
The recipient will achieve these objectives using a two-phase
approach. During year one, or the first phase of the project, the
recipient will develop detailed strategies for implementing at least
two approaches of the Minority Training Program in the southwest region
of the United States. The plan must include, but not be limited to
strategies for: recruiting health plans to host Fellows; recruiting and
selecting Fellows; selecting preceptors and matching them with Fellows;
selecting the faculty; coordinating activities with other health-
related organizations and health professions schools; and obtaining
funding to sustain the program when federal support ceases. The
business communication and computer training module shall also be
developed, implemented, and field tested during the first year of the
project. The training module shall include strategies for acquiring a
set of core competencies in computer usage and communication that are
required for successful employment in management and administration
positions in the managed health care field.
The second phase of the project will occur during years two and
three of the project. The recipient will implement the minority
management training program in the southwest region of the United
States during the second phase of the project.
During phases one and two, the cooperative agreement shall be
designed to include activities such as:
1. Continuation of the Minority Training program in the Baltimore-
Washington area.
2. Continuation of an Advisory Board to monitor implementation of
the training program.
3. Monitoring of the knowledge, skills and abilities/attitudes
required of minority health managers working in the managed care field.
4. Assessment and refinement of the pedagogical methods used to
implement the educational objectives of the management training
program, e.g., didactic lectures, role playing, on-the-job training
with an experienced mentor, etc.
5. Recruitment and matriculation of at least 12 Fellows for years
two and three of the project according to the plans developed during
the first year of the 3-year project period.
6. Assessment of health plans used for experiential learning
rotations in the southwest region of the United States.
7. Development of working relationships with accredited health
administration programs and health professions schools in the southwest
region of the United States.
8. Development of relationships with health plans willing to hire
Fellows upon completion of the training program.
9. Evaluation of the implemented training program with the intent
of determining how to upgrade and refine the program, and appraising
the overall impact of the program, including the extent to which the
program succeeded in placing Fellows in management and administration
positions in the managed health care field.
10. Efforts to obtain substantial private funding to support a
Baltimore/Washington-based project, as well as the project in the
southwest region of the United States.
Eligibility
An entity eligible to apply for funding under this Cooperative
Agreement must:
1. Be a recognized professional association representing health
maintenance organizations and other managed care plans, and
2. Be headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
The Washington, D.C. area is specified because of the substantial
involvement of Federal officials in developing the training program,
proximity to Federal expertise, and scarce Federal resources for
travel.
Substantial Federal Programmatic Involvement
The Cooperative Agreement mechanism is being used for this project
to allow for substantial Federal programmatic involvement with the
planning, development, administration, and evaluation of the minority
management training program. Substantial Federal programmatic
involvement will occur through Federal membership on the Advisory Board
representing the Health Resources and Services Administration,
including the Office of Minority Health and the Bureau of Health
Professions. The Federal government will provide additional assistance
and advice in the following areas:
1. Identification of emerging health management practice issues in
managed care settings.
2. Identification of special needs of minority population using
coordinated health care systems, and how this might be reflected in the
management training program.
3. Identification of appropriate consultation for implementation of
the training program.
4. Refinement of the educational objectives of the training
program, including the business communication and computer skills
training module.
5. Refinement of the educational methods to most appropriately
convey the knowledge, skills, and attitudes contained in the
educational objectives.
6. Development of appropriate linkages with academic institutions
and professional associations in the southwest region of the United
States.
7. Participation in the selection process for faculty, preceptors,
and Fellows.
8. Participation in the review and selection of contracts and
agreements developed in implementing the project.
9. Participation in all appropriate meetings, committees, sub-
committees and working groups related to the project.
National Health Objectives for the Year 2000
The HRSA urges applicants to submit work plans that address
specific objectives of Healthy People 2000. 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-
001000473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402-9325 (Telephone 202-783-3238).
[[Page 46658]]
Education and Service Linkage
As part of its long-range planning, HRSA will be targeting its
efforts to strengthening linkages between HRSA education programs and
programs which provide comprehensive primary care services to the
underserved.
Smoke-Free Workplace
The HRSA strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a
smoke-free workplace; to promote the non-use of all tobacco products;
and to promote Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, which
prohibits smoking in certain facilities that receive Federal funds in
which education, library, day care, health care, and early childhood
development services are provided to children.
Review Criteria
The following criteria will be used when reviewing the
applications:
1. The degree to which the proposal contains clearly stated,
realistic, and measurable objectives;
2. The extent to which the proposal includes a methodology
compatible with scope of project objectives, including collaborative
agreements with relevant institutions and professional associations;
3. The administrative and management capability of the applicant to
carry out the Cooperative Agreement, including the demonstrated ability
to expand the project to the southwest of the United States;
4. The extent to which the budget justifications are complete,
appropriate, and cost-effective; and
5. The extent to which the applicant can demonstrate the ability to
obtain non-federal funding to continue the management training beyond
the project period.
Application Request
Eligible entities interested in receiving materials regarding this
program should notify HRSA. Materials will be sent only to those
entities making a request. Requests for proposal instructions and
questions regarding grants policy and business management issues should
be directed to: Ms. Sandra Bryant, Health Resources and Services
Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, Parklawn Building, Room
8C-26, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301)
443-6857 FAX: (301) 443-6343.
Completed applications should be forwarded to the Grants Management
Officer at the above address.
If additional programmatic information is needed, please contact:
Ms. Gwendolyn B. Clark, Office of Minority Health, Health Resources and
Services Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 14-48, 5600 Fishers
Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 443-2964 FAX: (301)
443-7853.
The standard application form PHS 6025-1, Competing Training Grant
Application and General Instructions have been approved by the Office
of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The OMB
Clearance Number is 0915-0060. (Insert deadline date that reflects 20
days from date of publication in the Federal Register.)
Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they
are either:
(1) Received on or before the deadline date, or
(2) Sent on or before the established deadline date 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. In addition, as indicated in the application kit,
applications which exceed the page limitation, or do not follow format
instructions, will not be accepted for processing and will be returned
to the applicant.
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: August 28, 1996.
Ciro V. Sumaya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-22435 Filed 9-3-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P