[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 220 (Friday, November 14, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 61133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-30026]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The Health Resources and Services Administration


Notice of a Cooperative Agreement with the American Public Health 
Association

    The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) HIV/AIDS 
Bureau announces that it will award a sole source cooperative agreement 
to the American Public Health Association (APHA).
    The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to assist, 
collaboratively with APHA, in the development and dissemination of 
resource materials relating to the care and treatment of individuals 
with HIV/AIDS and the prevention of the disease among individuals who 
are at risk. In addition, this agreement will assist with the training 
of health professionals in the care, treatment, and prevention of HIV/
AIDS. Specifically, these activities will include, but not be limited 
to, identifying areas where best practice standards need to be 
investigated and developed; identifying and developing science 
expertise in areas agreed to by HRSA as critical to the appropriate 
delivery of HIV/AIDS care; using that expertise to develop best 
practices; and disseminating to the public health community information 
on best practices.
    HRSA will provide consultation, including administrative and 
technical assistance as needed, for the execution and evaluation of all 
aspects of this cooperative agreement. HRSA may also participate and/or 
collaborate with the APHA in any workshops or symposia to exchange 
current information, opinions, and research findings during this 
agreement.
    The goal of HRSA in entering into this cooperative agreement is to 
strengthen effective HIV/AIDS treatment programs at all levels 
throughout the United States and its territories; to prevent HIV 
transmission and effect, maintain, measure, and evaluate behavioral 
change among individuals whose behavior places them at risk of HIV 
infection; to reduce risks of further transmission and to maintain the 
health of asymptomatic clients; and to increase collaboration, support 
and technical competence among agencies, organizations, groups, and 
constituencies.

Authorizing Legislation

    This cooperative agreement is authorized under Section 2692 of the 
Public Health Service Act.

Background

    Assistance will be provided to the American Public Health 
Association. No other applications are solicited. The HIV/AIDS Bureau 
is committed to providing program expertise throughout the nation to 
ensure that the providers of HIV/AIDS services to underserved and 
vulnerable populations deliver appropriate and quality care. The Bureau 
believes that APHA is uniquely qualified to work with HRSA to meet this 
goal for the following reasons:
    1. APHA has more than 50,000 members and affiliates from 50 
occupations of public health, including medicine, social work, nursing, 
health education, epidemiology, and program evaluation. It represents 
all disciplines and specialities of public health. It stimulates and 
coordinates the development of the scientific basis for the 
Association's professional and public health policy programs. The 
development of a public health HIV/AIDS science and service delivery 
assistance program with APHA automatically covers all relevant 
disciplines and specialities needed for this effort. Because of the 
rapidly changing field of HIV/AIDS service delivery, it is impossible 
to predict which expertise will be needed of the 50 public health 
occupations.
    2. The mission of this organization is to ``prevent disease and 
promote health'' throughout the United States making APHA a national 
leader. APHA has a history of providing science expertise to develop 
best practices for the delivery of public health programs, including 
HIV/AIDS services. Currently, it provides professional education and 
services for its members in a variety of areas. The APHA has valuable 
experience with issues important to the delivery of HIV/AIDS care--
health care in jails and prisons, outreach to underserved groups, 
women's health, and primary health care delivery in community settings. 
This experience enables the APHA to contribute significantly to this 
effort. APHA can identify areas needing best practices, identify 
experts in these areas, and assign individual experts and groups to 
develop best practices.
    3. APHA has established relationships with the major associations 
that represent single public health disciplines, such as the American 
Medical Association, and associations that represent health profession 
schools, such as the Association of Schools of Public Health. It can 
use these ties to further identify needed experts in the HIV/AIDS 
service field.
    Approximately $100,000 is available in fiscal year 1997 for the 
first year of a 3-year project period for this cooperative agreement. 
Continuation awards within the project period will be made on the basis 
of satisfactory progress and the availability of funds.

Where To Obtain Additional Information

    If you are interested in obtaining additional information regarding 
this project, contact Mr. William Aspden, HIV/AIDS Bureau, HRSA, 5600 
Fishers Lane, Room 7-05, Rockville, Maryland 20857 or telephone (301) 
443-1993.

    Dated: November 7, 1997.
Claude Earl Fox,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-30026 Filed 11-13-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P