[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 214 (Monday, November 4, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 56694-56696] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-28217] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HIV Care Grant Program AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice of grants made to States and territories. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: (Note: On May 20, 1996, PL 104-146 reauthorized the Ryan White CARE Act of 1990. Because most of the new provisions found in Title XXVI of the Public Health Service Act did not become effective until October 1, 1996, most of the information in this notice will reflect the language of the original legislation.) The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces that fiscal year 1996 funds have been awarded to States and territories (hereinafter States) for the HIV Care Grant Program. Although these funds have already been awarded to the States, HRSA is publishing this notice to inform the general public of the existence of the funds. In addition, HRSA determined that it would be useful for the general public to be aware of the structure of the HIV Care Grant Program and the statutory requirements governing the use of the funds. Funds will be used by the States to improve the quality, availability, and organization of health care and support services for individuals and families with HIV infection. The HIV Care Grant Program is authorized by Title II of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act of 1990, Public Law 101-381, as amended by the Ryan White CARE Act amendments of 1996, Public Law 104-146, which amended Title XXVI of the Public Health Service Act. Funds were appropriated under Public Law 104-134. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Individuals interested in the HIV Care Grant Program should contact the appropriate office in their State, and may obtain information on their State contact by calling Anita Eichler, M.P.H., Director, Division of HIV Services, at (301) 443-6745. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Availability of Funds A total of $198,406,000 was made available for the Title II HIV Care Grant Program. These funds have been allotted to the States according to a formula based on the number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease [[Page 56695]] Control and Prevention for the 24 months ending September 30, 1995, and a per capita income factor. In addition to the Care Grants, $51,999,164 was also awarded for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) to help States increase the number of HIV patients receiving drugs, including combination therapies and new drugs, and to help pay for their increasing costs. Below are two tables. The first shows the distribution of funds for the Care Grant Program by State. The second shows the distribution of funds for the ADAP by State. Care Grant Awards ------------------------------------------------------------------------ State Amount ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alabama................................................. $2,354,841 Alaska.................................................. 250,000 Arizona................................................. 1,789,469 Arkansas................................................ 1,170,077 California.............................................. 27,867,193 Colorado................................................ 1,980,699 Connecticut............................................. 2,790,149 Delaware................................................ 1,075,426 District of Columbia.................................... 2,532,524 Florida................................................. 19,716,843 Georgia................................................. 5,878,430 Hawaii.................................................. 1,008,519 Idaho................................................... 250,000 Illinois................................................ 5,577,650 Indiana................................................. 2,359,737 Iowa.................................................... 523,842 Kansas.................................................. 867,817 Kentucky................................................ 1,148,862 Louisiana............................................... 3,306,569 Maine................................................... 458,566 Maryland................................................ 4,973,650 Massachusetts........................................... 3,776,077 Michigan................................................ 3,104,263 Minnesota............................................... 973,550 Mississippi............................................. 1,596,005 Missouri................................................ 2,504,335 Montana................................................. 110,969 Nebraska................................................ 432,455 Nevada.................................................. 1,751,036 New Hampshire........................................... 265,234 New Jersey.............................................. 10,181,949 New Mexico.............................................. 753,940 New York................................................ 29,315,160 North Carolina.......................................... 4,109,140 North Dakota............................................ 100,000 Ohio.................................................... 3,885,870 Oklahoma................................................ 1,414,863 Oregon.................................................. 1,330,006 Pennsylvania............................................ 6,391,896 Rhode Island............................................ 925,291 South Carolina.......................................... 3,857,827 South Dakota............................................ 100,000 Tennessee............................................... 3,209,960 Texas................................................... 12,636,414 Utah.................................................... 691,928 Vermont................................................. 250,000 Virginia................................................ 4,465,646 Washington.............................................. 2,486,787 West Virginia........................................... 376,925 Wisconsin............................................... 1,571,609 Wyoming................................................. 100,000 Guam.................................................... 4,970 Puerto Rico............................................. 7,682,087 Virgin Islands.......................................... 168,945 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ AIDS Drug Assistance Program Awards ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FY 1996 grant State/territory award ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Alabama................................................. $401,982 Alaska.................................................. 38,443 Arizona................................................. 470,790 Arkansas................................................ 199,737 California.............................................. 8,415,161 Colorado................................................ 528,455 Connecticut............................................. 861,629 Delaware................................................ 183,580 District of Columbia.................................... 800,064 Florida................................................. 5,503,506 Georgia................................................. 1,515,721 Hawaii.................................................. 172,159 Idaho................................................... 35,657 Illinois................................................ 1,682,586 Indiana................................................. 402,818 Iowa.................................................... 89,422 Kansas.................................................. 183,023 Kentucky................................................ 196,116 Louisiana............................................... 773,878 Maine................................................... 78,279 Maryland................................................ 1,548,035 Massachusetts........................................... 1,059,974 Michigan................................................ 792,821 Minnesota............................................... 276,067 Mississippi............................................. 272,445 Missouri................................................ 626,791 Montana................................................. 18,943 Nebraska................................................ 73,822 Nevada.................................................. 298,910 New Hampshire........................................... 66,858 New Jersey.............................................. 2,953,162 New Mexico.............................................. 128,701 New York................................................ 9,009,360 North Carolina.......................................... 701,449 North Dakota............................................ 7,243 Ohio.................................................... 782,236 Oklahoma................................................ 241,524 Oregon.................................................. 354,625 Pennsylvania............................................ 1,599,571 Puerto Rico............................................. 1,685,094 Rhode Island............................................ 157,951 South Carolina.......................................... 658,549 South Dakota............................................ 12,536 Tennessee............................................... 547,955 Texas................................................... 3,496,103 Utah.................................................... 118,115 Vermont................................................. 29,529 Virginia................................................ 900,072 Washington.............................................. 667,463 West Virginia........................................... 69,365 Wisconsin............................................... 268,824 Wyoming................................................. 13,650 Guam.................................................... 0 Virgin Islands.......................................... 28,415 --------------- Total............................................. $51,999,164 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Eligibility Criteria In order to receive funding under Title II of the CARE Act, each State was required to develop:A detailed description of the HIV-related services provided in the State to individuals and families with HIV disease during the year preceding the year for which the grant was requested, and the number of individuals and families receiving such services; and A comprehensive plan for the organization and delivery of HIV health care and support services to be funded with the Title II grant, including a description of the purposes for which the State intends to use such assistance. Each State was also required to submit an application containing such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determined to be necessary to carry out this program, including an assurance that: The public health agency that is administering the grant for the State will conduct public hearings concerning the proposed use and distribution of the Title II grant assistance; The State will, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that HIV-related health care and support services delivered with Title II assistance will be provided without regard to the current or past health condition of the individual; ensure that such services will be provided in a setting that is accessible to low-income individuals with HIV disease, and provide outreach to inform such individuals of the services available; and, in the case of a State that intends to use grant funds for the continuation of health insurance coverage, ensure that the State has established a program that assures that such amounts will be targeted to individuals who would not otherwise be able to afford health insurance coverage, that income, assets, and medical expense criteria will be established and applied by the State to identify those individuals who qualify for assistance, and that information concerning such criteria will be made available to the public; The State will provide for periodic independent peer review to assess the quality and appropriateness of health and support services provided by entities that receive Title II funds from the State; The State will permit and cooperate with any Federal investigations undertaken regarding programs conducted under Title II; The State will maintain HIV-related activities at a level that is equal to not less than the level of such expenditures by the State for the 1-year period preceding the fiscal year for which the State applied to receive a grant under Title II; and The State will ensure that grant funds are not utilized to make payments for any item or service to the extent that payment has been made, or can reasonably be expected to be made, with respect to that item or service (1) under [[Page 56696]] any State compensation program, under an insurance policy, or under any Federal or State health benefits program, or (2) by an entity that provides health services on a prepaid basis. General Use of Grant Funds States may use the HIV Care Grant funds to: Establish and operate HIV care consortia within areas most affected by HIV. The statute defines a consortium as an association of one or more public, and one or more nonprofit private health care and support service providers and community-based organizations operating within areas determined by the State to be most affected by HIV disease. Provide home- and community-based care services for individuals with HIV disease. Funding priorities must be given to entities that provide assurances to the State that they will participate in HIV care consortia if such consortia exist within the State, and will utilize the funds for the provision of home- and community-based services to low-income individuals with HIV disease. Provide assistance to assure the continuity of health insurance coverage for low-income (as defined by the State) individuals with HIV disease. The State must establish a program that assures that (1) funds will be targeted to individuals who would not otherwise be able to afford health insurance coverage, and (2) income, asset, and medical expense criteria will be established and applied by the State to identify those individuals who qualify for assistance, and information concerning such criteria shall be made available to the public. Provide treatments that have been determined to prolong life or prevent serious deterioration of health for low-income individuals with HIV disease. A State must use at least 15 percent of its grant funds to provide health and support services to infants, children, women and families with HIV disease. At least 75 percent of the fiscal year 1996 Title II grant awarded to a State must be obligated to specific programs and projects and made available for expenditure within 120 days of the receipt of the grant by the State. Federal Smoke-Free Compliance The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early childhood development services are provided to children. Executive Order 12372 It has been determined that the Title II HIV Care Grant Program is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372 concerning inter-governmental review of Federal programs. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number is 93.917. Dated: October 29, 1996. Ciro V. Sumaya, Administrator. [FR Doc. 96-28217 Filed 11-1-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-15-P