[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 20 (Friday, January 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4642-4643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2326]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Notice of a Cooperative Agreement With the Congress of National 
Black Churches

    The Office of Minority Health (OMH), Office of Public Health and 
Science, announces that it will enter into an umbrella cooperative 
agreement with The Congress of National Black Churches, Inc. (CNBC). 
This cooperative agreement will establish the broad programmatic 
framework within which specific projects can be funded as they are 
identified during the project period.
    The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to assist this 
national association in expanding and enhancing its activities relevant 
to education, health promotion, disease prevention, and family and 
youth violence prevention with the ultimate goal of improving the 
health status of minorities and disadvantaged people, especially within 
the African American community. The OMH will provide consultation, 
including administrative and technical assistance as needed, for the 
execution and evaluation of all aspects of this cooperative agreement. 
The OMH will also participate and/or collaborate with the awardee in 
any workshops or symposia to exchange current information, opinions, 
and research findings.

Authorizing Legislation

    This cooperative agreement is authorized under Section 1707(d)(1) 
of the Public Health Service Act.

Background

    Assistance will be provided only to CNBC. No other applications are 
solicited. CNBC is the only organization capable of administering this 
cooperative agreement because it has:
    1. Developed, expanded, and managed an infrastructure to coordinate 
and implement various educational programs within local communities, 
organizations, and local and national churches that deal with racial 
and ethnic minorities, especially African Americans. CNBC has been 
actively involved and instrumental in providing a vehicle for coalition 
building between the church and community-based organizations, and in 
providing leadership for health promotion strategy and dissemination of 
prevention information in the African community. The association 
established 9 national initiatives; Affiliate Relations, Church 
Rebuilding and Arson Prevention, Institutional Advancement, National

[[Page 4643]]

Anti-Drug/Violence Program, National Voter Education Program, Children 
and Family Development, Economic Development Program, Leadership 
Development Program, and the National Health Program. All of these 
programs provide a foundation upon which to develop, promote, and 
manage education and health-related programs aimed at preventing and 
reducing unnecessary morbidity and mortality rates among African 
Americans, as well as, improving the quality of life for African 
Americans.
    2. Established itself and its members as a national association 
with numerous clergy and professionals who serve as leaders and experts 
in planning, developing, implementing, and promoting educational policy 
campaigns (locally and nationally) aimed at reducing adverse health 
behaviors and improving the African American community's overall 
educational and social well being.
    3. Developed a national association whose membership consist of 8 
historic black denominations with established linkages to 65,000 
African American churches and 19 million people.
    4. Developed a base of critical knowledge, skills, and abilities 
related to serving African Americans with a range of health and social 
problems. Through the collective efforts of various diverse groups; 
special institutions, governmental agencies, businesses, legislative 
and judicial bodies, media and other parts of the community. CNBC has 
demonstrated (1) the ability to form successful partnerships on mutual 
education, research, and health endeavors relating to the goal of 
health promotion and disease prevention in African Americans, (2) 
leadership necessary to attract minority students into public service 
and health careers, and (3) the leadership needed to assist health care 
professionals to work more effectively with African American clients 
and communities.
    This cooperative agreement will be awarded in FY 1998 for a 12-
month budget period within a project period of 5 years. 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 Ms. Georgia Buggs, Office of Minority Health, 
5515 Security Lane, Suite 1000, Rockville, Maryland 20852 or telephone 
(301) 443-5084.
    The Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.004.

    Dated: December 2, 1997.
Clay E. Simpson, Jr.,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health.
[FR Doc. 98-2326 Filed 1-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-17-M