[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10394-10399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5388]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Announcement Number 98029]


Grants for Violence-Related Injury Prevention Research; Notice of 
Availability of Funds for Fiscal Year 1998

Introduction

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces 
applications are being accepted for Violence-Related Injury Prevention 
Research Grants for fiscal year (FY) 1998.
    The CDC is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease 
prevention objectives of Healthy People 2000, a national activity to 
reduce morbidity and mortality and improve the quality of life. This 
announcement is related to the priority area of Violent and Abusive 
Behavior (To order a copy of Healthy People 2000, see the Section Where 
to Obtain Additional Information.)

Authority

    This program is authorized under sections 301, 391, 392 and 394 of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241, 280b, 280b-1 and 280b-2) 
as amended. Program regulations are set forth in Title 42 CFR, part 52.

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants include all nonprofit and for-profit 
organizations. Thus State and local health departments, State and local 
governmental agencies, universities, colleges, research institutions, 
and other public and private organizations, including small, minority 
and/or woman-owned businesses are eligible for these research grants. 
Current holders of CDC injury control research projects are eligible to 
apply.

    Note: An organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 which engages in lobbying activities 
shall not be eligible to receive Federal funds constituting an 
award, grant, contract, loan, or any other form.

Smoke-Free Workplace

    CDC strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-
free workplace and to promote the non-use of all tobacco products, and 
Pub. L. 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in 
certain facilities that receive Federal funds in which education, 
library, child care, health care, and early childhood development 
services are provided to children.

Availability of Funds

    Approximately $2.0 million is expected to be available for injury 
research grants in the areas of suicidal behavior, firearm-related 
injury, sexual violence, and intimate partner violence. The specific 
program priorities for these funding opportunities are outlined with 
examples in this announcement under the section, ``Programmatic 
Priorities.'' It is expected that the awards will begin on or about 
September 1, 1998, and will be made for 12-month budget periods within 
the appropriate (see below) project period. Funding estimated may vary 
and is subject to change.
    For research projects targeting the areas of suicidal behavior and 
firearm-related injury, approximately $1,000,000 is available to fund 
3-4 grants. Each grant will be supported for a maximum project period 
of three years at $300,000 per year (including both direct and indirect 
costs).
    For research projects targeting sexual violence or intimate partner 
violence, approximately $1,000,000 is available to fund 3-4 grants. 
Each grant will be supported for a maximum project period of three 
years at $300,000 per year (including both direct and indirect costs). 
Applicants who are awarded grants targeting sexual violence or intimate 
partner violence and who collect data will be required to archive the 
data (minus any personal identifiers) and secure a privacy certificate 
(see the following section, Other Requirements).
    Grant applications that exceed the $300,000 per year caps will be 
returned to the investigator as non-responsive.
    Continuation awards within the project period will be made based on 
satisfactory progress demonstrated by investigators at work-in-progress 
monitoring workshops (travel expenses for this annual one day meeting 
should be included in the applicant's proposed budget), the achievement 
of workplan milestones reflected in the continuation application, and 
the availability of Federal funds. In addition, if funds are available, 
continuation awards may be eligible for increased funding to offset 
inflationary costs.

Use of Funds--Restrictions on Lobbying

    Applicants should be aware of restrictions on the use of HHS funds 
for lobbying of Federal or State legislative bodies. Under the 
provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352 (which has been in effect since December 
23, 1989), recipients (and their subtier contractors) are prohibited 
from using appropriated Federal funds (other than profits from a 
Federal contract) for lobbying Congress or any Federal agency in 
connection with the award of a particular contract, grant, cooperative 
agreement, or loan. This includes grants/cooperative agreements that, 
in whole or in part, involve conferences for which Federal funds cannot 
be used directly or indirectly to encourage participants to lobby or to 
instruct participants on how to lobby.
    In addition, the FY 1998 HHS Appropriations Act expressly prohibits 
the use of 1998 appropriated funds for indirect or ``grass roots'' 
lobbying efforts that are designed to support or defeat legislation 
pending before State legislatures. Section 503 of Public Law 105-78, 
provides as follows:
    (a) No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall be 
used, other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative 
relationships, for publicity or propaganda purposes, for the 
preparation, distribution, or use of any kit, pamphlet, booklet, 
publication, radio, television, or video presentation designed to 
support or defeat legislation pending before the Congress, or any State 
legislature, except in presentation to the Congress or any State 
legislative body itself.
    (b) No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall be 
used to pay the salary or expenses of any grant or contract recipient, 
or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity designed to 
influence legislation or appropriations pending before the Congress or 
any State legislature.

Use of Funds--Prohibition on Use of CDC Funds for Certain Gun Control 
Activities

    The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, 
and

[[Page 10395]]

Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998, specifies that: ``None of 
the funds made available for injury prevention and control at the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may be used to advocate or 
promote gun control.''
    Anti-Lobbying Act requirements prohibit lobbying Congress with 
appropriated Federal monies. Specifically, this Act prohibits the use 
of Federal funds for direct or indirect communications intended or 
designed to influence a member of Congress with regard to specific 
Federal legislation. This prohibition includes the funding and 
assistance of public grassroots campaigns intended or designed to 
influence members of Congress with regard to specific legislation or 
appropriation by Congress.
    In addition to the restrictions in the Anti-Lobbying Act, CDC 
interprets the new language in the CDC's 1998 Appropriations Act to 
mean that CDC's funds may not be spent on political action or other 
activities designed to affect the passage of specific Federal, State, 
or local legislation intended to restrict or control the purchase or 
use of firearms.

    Note: Grant funds will not be made available to support the 
provision of direct care services.

    Eligible applicants may enter into contracts, including consortia 
agreements (as set forth in the PHS Grants Policy Statement) as 
necessary to meet the requirements of the program and strengthen the 
overall application.

Background and Definitions

A. Background

    Violence (intentional injury) ranks as one of the nation's most 
pressing health problems. Injuries sustained as a result of assaultive 
and suicidal behavior account for more than a third of the deaths from 
injuries, including an annual toll of more than 55,000 lives lost. 
Suicide was the ninth leading cause of death among Americans in 1995, 
and homicide is the leading cause of death among African-American men 
and women aged 15-24. Men are at approximately four times greater risk 
than women for death from suicide and homicide. Both homicide and 
suicide are still major causes of mortality among women, and they are 
in the top ten leading causes of death for women up to age 44.
    Although men are at much greater risk of injury and death due to 
interpersonal violence, women are at much higher risk of nonfatal 
injuries due to sexual violence and intimate partner violence. The 
total extent and severity of violence-related non-fatal injuries are 
unknown, but a substantial portion of the nation's health care and 
rehabilitation systems' resources are devoted to attending to victims 
of violence. Lifetime costs of non-fatal injuries resulting from 
assaultive behavior and sexual violence occurring from 1987-1990 are 
estimated to be at least $106 billion.
    A broad approach should be utilized to maximize opportunities for 
prevention that incorporate many disciplines that have not been an 
integral part of public health efforts. Many of these opportunities and 
research priorities are discussed in Healthy People 2000. Additional 
background information can be found in the following suggested 
readings: Violence and the Public's Health, Understanding and 
Preventing Violence, and Violence in America: A Public Health Approach. 
(To receive information on these reports see the section WHERE TO 
OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION).

B. Definitions

    1. Injury is defined as physical damage to an individual that 
occurs over a short period of time as a result of acute exposure to one 
of the forms of physical energy in the environment or to chemical 
agents or the acute lack of oxygen. Violence is the threatened or 
actual use of physical force or power against another person, against 
oneself, or against a group or community which either results in, or 
has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, or deprivation. 
The injuries or harm resulting from violence may be either physical or 
psychological. Violence encompasses suicidal behavior as well as 
interpersonal assaultive behavior, including sexual violence, intimate 
partner violence, child abuse and neglect, child sexual abuse, elder 
abuse, hate crimes, and assaults against or by HIV-infected persons. 
Suicidal behavior are actions that place an individual at high risk for 
self-destruction. Suicidal behaviors include suicide gestures, threats 
and attempts. Intimate Partner Violence is defined as threatened or 
actual use of physical force against an intimate partner that either 
results in or has the potential to result in injury, harm, or death. 
Intimate partner violence may be physical, sexual, or psychological. 
Types of behavior that fit within this definition are commonly referred 
to as domestic violence, spouse abuse, woman battering, courtship 
violence, sexual violence, date rape, and partner rape. Sexual violence 
is the use of physical force to compel a person to engage in a sexual 
act against their will, whether or not the act is completed. Sexual 
violence also includes sexual acts with persons unable to appraise a 
situation, decline participation, or to communicate unwillingness to 
engage in a sex act.
    2. Violence-related injury prevention research projects are defined 
as research designed to:
    a. Elucidate the chain of causation--the etiology and mechanisms--
of violence-related injuries; or
    b. Yield results directly applicable to identifying interventions 
to prevent violence-related injury occurrence or minimize disability; 
or
    c. Evaluate the effect of policies, programs, or interventions on 
violence-related injury morbidity, mortality, disability, and costs.
Purpose
    The purposes of this program are to:
    A. Build the scientific base for the prevention of injuries, 
disabilities, and deaths due to violence in the following four priority 
areas: Suicidal behavior, firearm-related injury, sexual violence, and 
intimate partner violence as delineated in Healthy People 2000.
    B. Identify effective strategies to prevent violence-related 
injuries.
    C. Expand the development and evaluation of current and new 
intervention methods and strategies for the primary prevention of 
violence-related injuries.
    D. Encourage professionals from a wide spectrum of disciplines such 
as medicine, health care, public health, criminal justice, and 
behavioral and social sciences, to undertake research to prevent and 
control injuries from suicidal behavior, firearm-related injury, sexual 
violence, and intimate partner violence.
    E. Encourage the training of pre-doctoral minority investigators to 
work in the area of violence research.
Program Requirements
    The following are applicant requirements:
    A. A principal investigator who has conducted research, published 
the findings in peer-reviewed journals, and has specific authority and 
responsibility to carry out the proposed project.
    B. Demonstrated experience in conducting, evaluating, and 
publishing in peer-reviewed journals injury control research pertaining 
to violence (as previously defined) on the applicant's project team.
    C. Effective and well-defined working relationships within the 
performing organization and with outside entities which will ensure 
implementation of the proposed activities.
    D. The ability to carry out injury control research projects as 
previously

[[Page 10396]]

defined under Background and Definitions, (B.2.a-c).
    E. The overall match between the applicant's proposed theme and 
research objectives, and the program priorities as described under the 
heading, ``Programmatic Priorities.''

Programmatic Priorities

    Grant applicants should concentrate on the need to reduce 
morbidity, mortality, and disabilities caused by suicidal behavior, 
firearm-related injury, sexual violence, or intimate partner violence.
    1. Injury prevention research addressing emerging issues in 
suicidal behavior
     Conduct research to develop and improve measurement 
instruments for the identification and study of suicides and suicide 
attempts in surveys, research studies, and surveillance systems.
     Conduct research designed to improve understanding of the 
nature of suicide risk among emerging high-risk populations such as 
young African American males.
     Conduct research that further illuminates understanding of 
the contribution of potential risk factors for suicide such as 
impulsivity, sexual orientation, and hopelessness.
    2. Injury prevention research addressing firearm-related injuries 
among children and adolescents
     Conduct research to improve understanding of the 
motivations and deterrents for weapon carrying behavior among 
adolescents at high risk for firearm-related injuries.
     Conduct research that estimates injury risk associated 
with firearm storage or carriage practices.
     Conduct research that addresses the effects of firearm 
safety training and education programs on firearm storage and carriage 
practices.
    3. Injury prevention research addressing sexual violence or 
intimate partner violence
     Conduct research to address the impact of welfare and 
welfare-to-work programs on women (and their children) who experience 
intimate partner violence.
     Conduct research to determine the effectiveness of 
prevention programs for adolescent males at risk for perpetration of 
sexual violence or intimate partner violence or intervention programs 
for perpetrators of sexual violence or intimate partner violence.
     Conduct research on risk factors for perpetration of 
sexual violence.
Reporting Requirements
    An original and two copies of the financial status and progress 
reports are due 90 days after the end of each budget period. Final 
financial status and progress reports are due 90 days after the end of 
the project period.
Application Content
    Applications for injury control research grants should include:
    A. The project's focus that justifies the research need and 
describes the scientific basis for the research, the expected outcome, 
and the relevance of the findings to reduce injury morbidity, 
mortality, disability and economic losses. This focus should be based 
on recommendations in Healthy People 2000 and should seek creative 
approaches that will contribute to a national program for injury 
control.
    B. Specific, measurable, and time-framed objectives.
    C. A detailed plan describing the methods, by which the objectives 
will be achieved, including their sequence. A comprehensive evaluation 
plan is an essential component of the application.
    D. A description of the grant's principal investigator's role and 
responsibilities.
    E. A description of all the project staff regardless of their 
funding source. It should include their title, qualifications, 
experience, percentage of time each will devote to the project, as well 
as that portion of their salary to be paid by the grant.
    F. A description of the role, duties, and responsibilities of the 
project's pre-doctoral minority investigator(s) (a minimum of 15% of 
each pre-doctoral minority investigator's time should be reflected in 
the project's budget).
    G. A description of those activities related to, but not supported 
by the grant.
    H. A description of the involvement of other entities that will 
relate to the proposed project, if applicable. It should include 
commitments of support and a clear statement of their roles.
    I. A detailed first year budget for the grant with future annual 
projections, if relevant.
    J. Applicants must identify in a cover letter one of the priority 
areas listed among the four areas of violence-related injury research 
previously outlined under the heading Programmatic Priorities, (i.e., 
suicidal behavior, firearm-related injury, sexual violence, or intimate 
partner violence), upon which their project is focused.
    K. An explanation of how the research findings will lead to 
feasible, cost-effective injury interventions.
    An applicant organization has the option of having specific salary 
and fringe benefit amounts for individuals omitted from the copies of 
the application which are made available to outside reviewing groups. 
To exercise this option: On the original and five copies of the 
application, the applicant must use asterisks to indicate those 
individuals for whom salaries and fringe benefits are not shown; the 
subtotals must still be shown. In addition, the applicant must submit 
an additional copy of page four of Form PHS-398, completed in full, 
with the deleted amounts shown. This budget page will be reserved for 
internal CDC staff use only.
Evaluation Criteria
    Upon receipt, applications will be screened by CDC staff for 
completeness and responsiveness as outlined under the previous heading, 
Program Requirements (A-E). Incomplete applications and applications 
that are not responsive will be returned to the applicant without 
further consideration. Applications that are complete and responsive 
may be subjected to a preliminary evaluation (triage) by a peer review 
group to determine if the application is of sufficient technical and 
scientific merit to warrant further review; the CDC will withdraw from 
further consideration applications judged to be noncompetitive and 
promptly notify the principal investigator/program director and the 
official signing for the applicant organization. Those applications 
judged to be competitive will be further evaluated by a dual review 
process. Awards will be made based on priority score ranking by the 
Injury Research Grants Review Committee (IRGRC), programmatic 
priorities and needs by the Advisory Committee for Injury Prevention 
and Control, and the availability of funds.
    A. The first review following the preliminary review (triage) will 
be a peer review to be conducted on all applications. Factors to be 
considered will include:
    1. The specific aims of the research project, i.e., the broad long-
term objectives, the intended accomplishment of the specific research 
proposal, and the hypothesis to be tested.
    2. The background of the proposal, i.e., the basis for the present 
proposal, the critical evaluation of existing knowledge, and specific 
identification of the injury control knowledge gaps which the proposal 
is intended to fill.
    3. The significance and originality from a scientific or technical 
standpoint of the specific aims of the proposed research, including the 
adequacy of the theoretical and conceptual framework for the research.

[[Page 10397]]

    4. For competitive renewal applications, the progress made during 
the prior project period. For new applications, (optional) the progress 
of preliminary studies pertinent to the application.
    5. The adequacy of the proposed research design, approaches, and 
methodology to carry out the research, including quality assurance 
procedures, plan for data management, and statistical analysis plans, 
plans for inclusion of minorities and both sexes.
    6. The extent to which the evaluation plan will allow for the 
measurement of progress toward the achievement of the stated 
objectives.
    7. Qualifications, adequacy, and appropriateness of personnel to 
accomplish the proposed activities, including pre-doctoral minority 
investigator(s).
    8. The degree of commitment and cooperation of other interested 
parties (as evidenced by letters detailing the nature and extent of the 
involvement).
    9. The reasonableness of the proposed budget to the proposed 
research and demonstration program.
    10. Adequacy of existing and proposed facilities and resources.
    11. An explanation of how the research findings will lead to 
feasible, cost-effective injury interventions.
    B. The second review will be conducted by the Advisory Committee 
for Injury Prevention and Control. The factors to be considered will 
include:
    1. The results of the peer review.
    2. The significance of the proposed activities in relation to the 
objectives outlined under the section, ``Programmatic Priorities.''
    3. National needs.
    4. Overall distribution among:
     The priorities listed among the four areas of violence-
related injury research: suicidal behavior, firearm-related injury, 
sexual violence, and intimate partner violence;
     The major disciplines of violence-related injury 
prevention: social and behavioral science, biomechanics, and 
epidemiology;
     Populations addressed (e.g., adolescents, racial and 
ethnic minorities, the elderly, children, urban, rural).
    5. Budgetary considerations.
    6. Additional consideration will be given to those applicants who 
provide evidence of substantial involvment for pre-doctoral minority 
investigators in the proposed project.

C. Continued Funding

    Continuation awards made after FY 1998, but within the project 
period, will be made on the basis of the availability of funds and the 
following criteria:
    1. The accomplishments reflected in the progress report of the 
continuation application indicate that the applicant is meeting 
previously stated objectives or milestones contained in the project's 
annual workplan and satisfactory progress has been demonstrated at 
work-in-progress monitoring workshops;
    2. The objectives for the new budget period are realistic, 
specific, and measurable;
    3. The methods described will clearly lead to achievement of these 
objectives;
    4. The evaluation plan will allow management to monitor whether the 
methods are effective; and
    5. The budget request is clearly explained, adequately justified, 
reasonable and consistent with the intended use of grant funds.

Executive Order 12372 Review

    Applications are not subject to the review requirements of 
Executive Order 12372 review.

Public Health System Reporting Requirement

    This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.136.

Other Requirements

A. Paperwork Reduction Act

    Projects that involve the collection of information from 10 or more 
individuals and funded by these grant awards will be subject to review 
and approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the 
Paperwork Reduction Act.

B. Human Subjects

    If the proposed project involves research on human subjects, the 
applicant must comply with the Department of Health and Human Services 
Regulations, 45 CFR part 46, regarding the protection of human 
subjects. Assurance must be provided to demonstrate that the project 
will be subject to initial and continuing review by an appropriate 
institutional review committee. The applicant will be responsible for 
providing assurance in accordance with the appropriate guidelines and 
forms provided in the application kit.

C. Certificate of Confidentiality

    Research that examines individual traits and experiences plays a 
vital part in expanding our knowledge about human behavior. It is 
essential, however, that researchers protect subjects from needless 
risk of harm or embarrassment and proceed with their willing and 
informed cooperation. CDC has established a policy and mechanism for 
issuance of certificates of confidentiality under section 301(d) of the 
Public Health Act. Certificates of confidentiality provide important 
protections for research subjects so that they will not be harmed as a 
result of their participation because of inappropriate disclosures, and 
in doing so serve the valuable function of encouraging people to 
participate in research. Specifically, the confidentiality certificate 
prevents study staff from being forced under a court order or other 
legal action to identify individuals who are participants in the study. 
Grant recipients who propose studies that link sensitive information 
with personal identifiers should consider applying for a certificate of 
confidentiality (To order an application for a certificate of 
confidentiality, see the section Where to Obtain Additional 
Information.)

D. Animal Subjects

    If the proposed project involves research on animal subjects, the 
applicant must comply with the ``PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of 
Laboratory Animals by Awardee Institutions.'' An applicant organization 
proposing to use vertebrate animals in PHS-supported activities must 
file an Animal Welfare Assurance with the Office of Protection from 
Research Risks at the National Institutes of Health.

E. Women and Minority Inclusion Policy

    It is the policy of the CDC to ensure that women and racial and 
ethnic groups will be included in CDC supported research projects 
involving human subjects, whenever feasible and appropriate. Racial and 
ethnic groups are those defined in OMB Directive No. 15 and include 
American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific 
Islander, Black/African American and Hispanic or Latino. Applicants 
shall ensure that women, racial and ethnic minority populations are 
appropriately represented in applications for research involving human 
subjects. Where clear and compelling rationale exists that inclusion is 
inappropriate or not feasible, this situation must be explained as part 
of the application.
    In conducting the review of applications for scientific merit, 
review groups will evaluate proposed plans for inclusion of minorities 
and both sexes as part of the scientific assessment and

[[Page 10398]]

assigned score. This policy does not apply to research studies when the 
investigator cannot control the race, ethnicity and/or sex of subjects. 
Further guidance to this policy is contained in the Federal Register, 
Vol. 60, No. 179, Friday, September 15, 1995, pages 47947-47951.

F. Publication and Dissemination

    CDC and NIJ both support research and the dissemination of the 
results. It is, therefore, expected that at the completion of the 
project the grant recipient will submit a brief (2,500 to 4,000 words) 
summary highlighting the findings and their implications for research 
and policy. Specifically, grantees addressing sexual violence or 
intimate partner violence research will acknowledge the joint support 
by CDC and NIJ. CDC will place the summary report and each grant 
recipient's final report with the National Technical Information 
Service (NTIS) to further the agency's efforts to make the information 
more available and accessible to the public.

G. Data Archive

    Grant recipients addressing sexual violence or intimate partner 
violence and who collect data are required to archive their data (minus 
all personal identifiers). CDC and NIJ support the need to archive 
research data in a public repository for several reasons. First, making 
these data more widely available to the research community will help to 
accelerate the development of knowledge for preventing and controlling 
intimate partner violence and sexual violence. Second, the availability 
of these data will help to validate and extend existing research by 
facilitating the conduct of studies to replicate existing findings and 
compare similar data across multiple data sets. Finally, CDC and NIJ 
believe that public confidence in federally-supported research will be 
enhanced by ensuring the public availability of research data.
    NIJ established its Data Resources Program in 1984 to ensure the 
public availability of research data. Grantees with proposals 
addressing intimate partner violence or sexual violence and who collect 
data are required to submit a machine-readable copy of the data and 
appropriate documentation to NIJ no later than 12 months after the 
close of the project period. Submission of the grantee's data for 
archiving does not preclude further publications after the archival 
requirement has been satisfied. NIJ ensures that data and materials are 
complete and that users' guides and data are available for 
distribution. A variety of formats are acceptable; however, the data 
and materials must conform with requirements detailed in ``Depositing 
Data With the Data Resources Program of the National Institute of 
Justice: A Handbook.'' A copy of this handbook is sent to each 
principal investigator at the time of the award. The data archive is 
maintained by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social 
Research (ICPSR) at the University of Michigan. Applicants may consult 
the Guide to Social Science Data Preparation and Archiving, ICPSR, 1996 
(this handbook can be found on-line at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/
ICPSR/Archive/Deposit/dpm.html#prep aring).

H. Privacy Certificate

    Grant recipients who have proposals addressing sexual violence or 
intimate partner violence and who collect data are also required to 
secure a privacy certificate prior to the award being made. Research 
that examines individual traits and experiences plays a vital part in 
expanding our knowledge. It is essential, however, that researchers 
protect subjects from needless risk of harm or embarrassment and 
proceed with their willing and informed cooperation. NIJ requires that 
investigators protect information identifiable to research 
participants. When information is safeguarded, it is protected by 
statute from being used in legal proceedings:
    [S]uch information and copies thereof shall be immune from legal 
process, and shall not, without the consent of the person furnishing 
such information, be admitted as evidence or used for any purpose in 
any action, suit, or other judicial, legislative, or administrative 
proceedings (42 U.S.C. 3789g).
    Applicants should file their plans to protect sensitive information 
as part of their proposal. Applicants who do not intend to use data on 
individual subjects in their research should submit a statement to that 
effect. Applicants who are selected for funding will be contacted so 
that they can secure a privacy certificate prior to the initiation of 
the award.

Application Submission and Deadlines

A. Preapplication Letter of Intent

    Although not a prerequisite of application, a non-binding letter of 
intent-to-apply is requested from potential applicants. The letter 
should be submitted to the Grants Management Specialist (whose address 
is reflected in section B, ``Applications''). It should be postmarked 
no later than one month prior to the planned submission deadline, 
(e.g., March 27 for April 27 submission). The letter should identify 
the announcement number, name the principal investigator, and specify 
the priority area of violence-related injury research (i.e., suicidal 
behavior, firearm-related injury, sexual violence, and intimate partner 
violence) addressed by the proposed project. The letter of intent does 
not influence review or funding decisions, but it will enable CDC to 
plan the review more efficiently, and will ensure that each applicant 
receives timely and relevant information prior to application 
submission.

B. Applications

    Applicants should use Form PHS-398 (OMB No. 0925-0001 Revised 5/95) 
and adhere to the ERRATA Instruction Sheet for Form PHS-398 contained 
in the Grant Application Kit. Please submit an original and five 
copies, on or before April 27, 1998 to: Lisa T. Garbarino, Grants 
Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East 
Paces Ferry Road, NE, Room 321, Atlanta, Georgia 30305.

C. Application Deadlines

    1. Applications shall be considered as meeting a deadline if they 
are either:
    A. Received at the above address on or before the deadline date, or
    B. Sent on or before the deadline date to the above address, and 
received in time for the review process. 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 mailings.
    2. Applications that do not meet the criteria above are considered 
late applications and will be returned to the applicant.

Where To Obtain Additional Information

Application Packet

    To receive additional written information call 1-888-GRANTS4 (1-
888-472-6874). You will be asked to leave your name, organization, 
address, and phone number and will need Announcement Number 98029.
    All application procedures and guidelines are contained within that 
package or can be found on the CDC Homepage. The address for the CDC 
homepage is [http://www.cdc.gov]. For your convenience, you may be able 
to retrieve a copy of the PHS Form 398 from [http://www.nih.gov.grants/
funding].

[[Page 10399]]

Business Management Information

    If you need further information after reviewing the contents of the 
document business management assistance may be obtained from Lisa T. 
Garbarino, Grants Management Specialist, Procurement and Grants Office, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry 
Road, NE., Mailstop E-13, Atlanta, GA 30305, telephone (404) 842-6796 
or internet: [email protected]

Programmatic Technical Information

    If you have programmatic questions assistance may be obtained from 
Ted Jones, Program Manager, Extramural Research Grants Branch, National 
Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC), Mailstop K-58, 4770 Buford Highway, NE.,Atlanta, 
Georgia 30341-3724, telephone (770)488-4824 or internet: [email protected]
    CDC will not send application kits by facsimile or express mail.
    Please refer to Announcement Number 98029 when requesting 
information and submitting an application.
    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. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of 
Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 20402-9325, 
telephone (202) 512-1800.
    Information for obtaining the suggested readings, Violence and the 
Public's Health, Understanding and Preventing Violence, and Violence in 
America: A Public Health Approach, is included at the end of the 
announcement with the application kit.
    Application instructions for certificates of confidentiality can be 
obtained by contacting Betsey Dunaway, Management Analysis and Services 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mailstop E-
11, 1600 Clifton Rd., NE., Atlanta, Georgia, 30333.
    Telephone: 404/639-2942, Internet: [email protected]

    Dated: February 25, 1998.
Joseph R. Carter,
Acting Associate Director for Management And Operations, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 98-5388 Filed 3-2-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P