[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10726-10728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5477]



[[Page 10725]]

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Part V





Department of Health and Human Services





_______________________________________________________________________



Office of Public Health and Science; Announcement of Availability of 
Funds for Family Planning Services Grants; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 42 / Wednesday, March 4, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 10726]]



DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Office of Public Health and Science; Announcement of Availability 
of Funds for Family Planning Services Grants

AGENCY: Office of Population Affairs, OPHS, HHS.

ACTION: Notice:

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SUMMARY: The Office of Population Affairs announces the availability of 
funds for FY 1998 family planning services grant projects under the 
authority of Title X of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300, 
et seq.) and solicits applications for competing grant awards to serve 
the areas and/or populations set out below. Only applications which 
propose to serve the populations and/or areas listed in Table I will be 
accepted for review and possible funding.

OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 93.217

DATES: Application due dates vary. See Supplementary Information below.

ADDRESSES: Completed applications for DHHS Region II should be sent to: 
Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services, 101 Marietta 
Tower, Suite 1106, Atlanta, GA 30323.
    Completed applications for DHHS Regions V, VI, VII, VIII, IX and X 
should be sent to: Office of Grants Management for Family Planning 
Services, 1301 Young Street, Suite 1124, Dallas, TX 75202.
    Additional information may be obtained from the Regional Health 
Administrator at the addresses below:

Region II (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands):
    DHHS/PHS Region II, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 3337, New York, NY 10278
Region V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin):
    DHHS/PHS Region V, 105 West Adams Street, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 
60603
Region VI (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas):
    DHHS/PHS Region VI, 1301 Young Street, Suite 1124, Dallas, TX 75202
Region VII (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska):
    DHHS/PHS Region VII, 601 East 12th Street, Room 210, Kansas City, 
MO 64106
Region VIII (Colorado, Montana, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Utah, Wyoming):
    DHHS/PHS Region VIII, 1961 Stout Street, Denver, CO 80294
Region IX (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Republic of Palau, 
Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands):
    DHHS/PHS Region IX, 50 United Nations Plaza, Room 327, San 
Francisco, CA 94102
Region X (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington):
    DHHS/PHS Region X, Blanchard Plaza, 2201 Sixth Avenue, M/S RX-20, 
Seattle, WA 98121

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS CONTACT: Regional 
Program Consultants for Family Planning: Region II, Barry Gordon--212/
264-2535; Region V, Janice Ely--312/353-3864; Region VI, Paul Smith--
214/767-3072; Region VII, William S. Royster, Jr.--816/426-2924; Region 
VIII, John J. McCarthy, Jr.--303/844-5955 Ext. 399; Region IX, James 
Hauser--415/437-8116; Region X, Sharon Schnare--206/615-2501.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS 
CONTACT: Region II: June Faizi (Office of Grants Management)--404/331-
9584; Regions V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X: Maudeen Picket (Office of Grants 
Management)--214/767-3401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title X of the Public Health Service Act, 42 
U.S.C. 300, et seq., authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) to award grants to public or private nonprofit entities 
to assist in the establishment and operation of voluntary family 
planning projects to provide a broad range of acceptable and effective 
family planning methods and services (including natural family planning 
methods, infertility services, and services for adolescents). The 
statute requires that, to the extent practicable, entities shall 
encourage family participation. Also, Title X funds may not be used in 
programs where abortion is a method of family planning.
    Implementing regulations appear at 42 CFR part 59, subpart A.
    On February 5, 1993, HHS published at 58 FR 7462 an interim rule 
that suspends the 1988 Title X rules, pending the promulgation of new 
regulations. The principal effect of this action was to suspend the 
definitions of ``family planning,'' ``grantees,'' ``prenatal care,'' 
``Title X,'' ``Title X Program,'' and ``Title X Project'' presently 
found at 42 CFR 59.2 and 42 CFR 59.7-59.10. Proposed rules were also 
published at 58 FR 7464 on the same date. During the pendency of 
rulemaking, the policies and interpretations relating to the provision 
of abortion related services by Title X grantees that were in effect 
prior to the issuance of the 1988 rule, including those set out in the 
1981 Family Planning Guidelines, are being used by the program. Copies 
of the pre-1988 policies and interpretations are available from the 
Regional Program Consultants listed above.
    Priorities that represent overarching goals for the Title X program 
include:
    (1) Increasing outreach to individuals not likely to seek services, 
including males, homeless persons, disabled persons, substance abusers, 
and adolescents;
    (2) Expanding the comprehensiveness of reproductive health 
services, including STD and cancer screening and prevention, increased 
involvement of male partners, HIV prevention, education and counseling, 
and substance abuse screening and referral;
    (3) Serving adolescents, including more community education, 
emphasis on postponement of sexual activity, and more accessible 
provision of contraceptive counseling and contraception;
    (4) Eliminating disincentives to providing long-acting, highly 
effective contraceptives, serving high risk (and high-unit cost) 
clients, and providing nonrevenue-generating services such as community 
education and prevention services; and
    (5) Emphasizing training and retention of women's health nurse 
practitioners, particularly nurse practitioners from population groups 
that have been under-represented, and nurse practitioners serving 
disadvantaged and medically underserved communities.
    These program priorities are being pursued to the extent that 
funding or increases in program efficiency allow. Some funding may be 
available to Title X grantees to improve and expand services.
    The FY 1998 budget for the Title X Family Planning Program is 
$203.4 million. This amount represents a two percent increase over the 
FY 1997 budget of $198.4 million. Of this amount, approximately $185 
million will be made available for the provision of Title X services. 
Approximately 28 percent of the funds appropriated for FY 1998 and made 
available for Title X services will be used for competing grants. The 
remaining funds will be used for non-competing continuation grants in 
all 10 DHHS regions.
    For FY 1998, approximately $185 million will be allocated among the 
10 DHHS regions for both competing and non-competing grants, and will 
in turn be awarded to public and private non-profit agencies located 
within the regions.

[[Page 10727]]

    Each regional office is responsible for evaluating applications, 
establishing priorities, and setting funding levels according to 
criteria in 42 CFR 59.11.
    This notice announces the availability of funds for competitive 
family planning service grants in 14 States, the Federated States of 
Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall 
Islands. Competing grant applications are invited for the following 
areas:

                                                     Table I                                                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Number of                                          
                                                             competing                                  Grant   
             Populations or areas to be served               grants to      FY 1998     Application    funding  
                                                                 be         funding       due date       date   
                                                              awarded                                           
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Region I: No grants available for competition in FY 1998                                                        
Region II: New Jersey......................................          2      $6,267,314      8/31/97     12/31/97
Region III: No grants available for competition in FY 1998                                                      
Region IV: No grants available for competition in FY 1998                                                       
Region V:                                                                                                       
    Illinois...............................................          1       5,803,902      8/31/97     12/31/97
    Indiana................................................          1       3,934,048      9/30/97      1/31/98
    Michigan...............................................          1       4,929,377     11/30/97      3/31/98
    Minnesota..............................................          1       1,880,359      8/31/97     12/31/97
    Wisconsin..............................................          1       2,791,651     10/31/97      2/28/98
Region VI:                                                                                                      
    Louisiana..............................................          1       3,500,000      2/28/98      6/30/98
    Texas..................................................          1         600,000      5/31/98      9/30/98
Region VII:                                                                                                     
    Iowa...................................................          1       1,728,500      2/28/98      6/30/98
    Iowa...................................................          1         618,000      5/31/98      9/29/98
Region VIII: Montana.......................................          1       1,046,454      2/28/98      6/30/98
Region IX:                                                                                                      
    California.............................................          2      16,727,662      8/30/97     12/31/97
    Arizona................................................          1       2,478,353      8/30/97     12/31/97
    Gila River, Arizona....................................          1         146,532      2/28/98      6/30/98
    Washoe County, Nevada..................................          1         237,937      2/28/98      6/30/98
    Federated States of Micronesia.........................          1         141,353      2/28/98      6/30/98
    Republic of Palau......................................          1          45,480      2/28/98      6/30/98
    Republic of the Marshall Islands.......................          1          67,864      2/28/98      6/30/98
Region X: Columbia, Willamette Counties, OR................          1         644,828      2/28/98      6/30/98
                                                            ----------------------------------------------------
      Total................................................         21      53,589,614                          
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Applications must be postmarked or, if not sent by U.S. mail, 
received at the appropriate Grants Management Office no later than 
close of business on application due dates listed above. Private 
metered postmarks will not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing. 
Applications which are postmarked or, if not sent by U.S. mail, 
delivered to the appropriate Grants Management Office later than the 
application due date will be judged late and will not be accepted for 
review. (Applicants should request a legibly dated postmark for the 
U.S. Postal Service.) Applications which do not conform to the 
requirements of this program announcement or do not meet the applicable 
regulatory requirements at 42 CFR part 59, subpart A will not be 
accepted for review. Applicants will be so notified, and the 
applications will be returned.
    Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:
    (1) The number of patients and, in particular, the number of low-
income patients to be served;
    (2) The extent to which family planning services are needed 
locally;
    (3) The relative need of the applicant;
    (4) The capacity of the applicant to make rapid and effective use 
of the Federal assistance;
    (5) The adequacy of the applicant's facilities and staff;
    (6) The relative availability of non-Federal resources within the 
community to be served and the degree to which those resources are 
committed to the project; and
    (7) The degree to which the project plan adequately provides for 
the requirements set forth in the Title X regulations.

Application Requirements

    Application kits (including the application form, PHS 5161) may be 
obtained by contacting the appropriate Office of Grants Management in 
Atlanta or Dallas. Limited technical assistance regarding programmatic 
aspects of proposal preparation is available from the regional offices. 
For information on administrative and budgetary aspects of proposal 
preparation, contact the appropriate Office of Grants Management. An 
application must contain: (1) a narrative description of the project 
and the manner in which the applicant intends to conduct it in order to 
carry out the requirements of the law and regulations; (2) a budget 
that includes an estimate of project income and costs, with 
justification for the amount of grant funds requested; (3) a 
description of the standards and qualifications that will be required 
for all personnel and facilities to be used by the project; and (4) 
such other pertinent information as may be required by the Secretary as 
specified in the application kit. In preparing an application, 
applicants should respond to all applicable regulatory requirements. 
(The information collections contained in this notice have been 
approved by the Office of Management and Budget and assigned control 
number 0937-0189.)
    The Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS) requires all grant 
recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and to promote the non-use 
of all tobacco products. This is

[[Page 10728]]

consistent with the OPHS mission to protect and advance the physical 
and mental health of the American people.

Application Review and Evaluation

    Each regional office is responsible for conducting its own 
competitive application reviews. Applications must be submitted to the 
appropriate Office of Grants Management at the address listed above. 
Staff are available to answer questions and provide limited technical 
assistance in the preparation of grant applications.

Grant Awards

    Grant projects are generally approved for 3 to 5 years with an 
annual non-competitive review of a continuation application to obtain 
continued support. Non-competing continuation awards are subject to 
factors such as the project making satisfactory progress and the 
availability of funds. In all cases, continuation awards require a 
determination by HHS that continued funding is in the best interest of 
the Federal Government.

Review Under Executive Order 12372

    Applicants under this announcement are subject to the review 
requirements of Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of 
Department of Health and Human Services Programs and Activities, as 
implemented by 45 CFR part 100. As soon as possible, the applicant 
should discuss the project with the State Single Point of Contact 
(SPOC) for each State to be served. The application kit contains the 
currently available listing of the SPOCs which have elected to be 
informed of the submission of applications. For those States not 
represented on the listing, further inquiries should be made to the 
Governor's office of the pertinent states for information regarding the 
review process designed by their state or the State Single Point of 
Contact (SPOC) for the state in question. SPOC comments must be 
received by the appropriate Grants Management Office (Atlanta or 
Dallas) 30 days prior to the funding date to be considered.
    When final funding decisions have been made, each applicant will be 
notified by letter of the outcome of its application. The official 
document notifying an applicant that a project application has been 
approved for funding is the Notice of Grant Award, which specifies to 
the grantee the amount of money awarded, the purposes of the grant, and 
terms and conditions of the grant award.
Thomas C. Kring,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs.
[FR Doc. 98-5477 Filed 3-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-17-M