[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]


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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