[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 63 (Thursday, April 2, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 16265-16267] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-8567] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Indian Health Service Nursing Recruitment Program for Indians AGENCY: Indian Health Service (IHS), HHS. ACTION: Notice of competitive grant applications for the nursing recruitment program for Indians. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The IHS announces that competitive grant applications are now being accepted for the Nursing Education Program for Indians authorized by section 112 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Pub. L. 94- 437, as amended. There will be only one funding cycle during fiscal year (FY) 1998. This program is described at 93.970 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. Cost will be determined in accordance with applicable OMB Circulars and 45 CFR part 74 or 45 CFR part 92 (as applicable). Executive Order 12372 requiring intergovernmental review does not apply to this program. This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting Requirements. The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People 2000 a PHS-led activity for setting priority areas. This program announcement is related to the priority area of Educational and Community-based programs. Healthy People 2000, the full report, is currently out of print. You may obtain the objectives from the latest Healthy People 2000 Review. A copy may be obtained by calling the National Center for Health Statistics, telephone (301) 436-8500. Smoke Free Workplace The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. Pub. L. 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities that receive Federal funds in which education, library, day care, health care, and early childhood development services are provided to children. DATES: An original and two copies of the completed grant application must be submitted, with all required documents to the Grants Management Branch, Division of Acquisitions and Grants Operations, Twinbrook Metro Plaza, Suite 100, 12300 Twinbrook Pkwy., Rockville, MD 20852, by close of business June 19, 1998. C.O.B. means 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they are either: (1) received on or before the deadline with hand carried applications received by close of business 5:00 p.m.; or (2) postmarked on or before the deadline date and received in time to be reviewed along with all other timely applications. A legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal Service will be accepted in lieu of postmark. Private metered postmarks will not be accepted as proof of timely mailing. Applications received after the announced closing date will be returned to the applicant and will not be considered for funding. Additional Dates A. Application Deadline: June 19, 1998. B. Application Review: July 7, 1998. C. Applicants Notified of Results (approved, approved unfunded, or disapproved): July 21, 1998. D. Anticipated Start Date: August 1, 1998. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For program information, contact Ms. Carol Gowett, Senior Nurse Consultant, Division, of Nursing, Office of Public Health, Indian Health Service, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 6A-44, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-1840. For grants information, contact Mrs. M. Kay Carpentier, Grants Management Officer, Grants Management Branch, Division of Acquisition and Grants Management, Indian Health Service, Twinbrook Metro Plaza, Suite 100, 12300 Twinbrook, Pkwy., Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 443-5204. (The telephone numbers are not toll-free numbers.) SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This announcement provides information on the general program purpose and objectives, programmatic priorities, eligibility requirements, funding availability, and application procedures for the Nursing Program for FY 1998. A. General Program Purpose To increase the number of nurses, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and nurse practitioners who deliver health care service to Indians. B. Eligibility and Preference The following organizations are eligible: (1) public or private schools of nursing, (2) tribally controlled community colleges; and (3) nurse (ADN, BSN), nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, and nurse practitioner (MSN) programs that are provided by any public or private institution. Preference will be given to programs which (1) provide a preference to Indians; (2) train nurses (ADN, BSN), nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists or nurse practitioners (MSN); (3) are interdisciplinary, and (4) are conducted in cooperation with a center for gifted and talented Indian Students established under section 5324(a) of the Indian Education Act of 1988. [[Page 16266]] If an eligible organization claims preference in order to be given priority, the organization must submit verifying documentation. C. Programmatic Priorities To carry out the provisions of section 112 of Pub. L. 94-437, as amended, priority will be given to the following programs: 1. At least one project to a public or a private school of nursing, which provides BSN or MSN degrees, not to exceed $450,000 per year, up to a project period not to exceed 5 years. 2. At least one project to a tribally controlled community college, not to exceed $150,000 per year, up to a project period not to exceed 5 years. 3. At least one project to a School of Nursing which trains nurse midwives, not to exceed $150,000 per year, up to a project period not to exceed 5 years. D. Program Objectives A grant awarded under this announcement shall support a program to: (1) recruit individuals for programs which train individuals to be nurses (ADN, BSN), nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, or nurse practitioners (MSN); (2) provide scholarships to individuals enrolled in such programs that may pay the tuition charged for such program and other expenses incurred in connection with such program, including books, fees, room and board, and stipends for living expenses; (3) provide a program that encourages nurses (ADN, BSN), nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and nurse practitioners (MSN) to provide, or continue to provide, health care services to Indians; (4) to provide a program that increases the skills of and provides continuing education to nurses (ADN, BSN), nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and nurse practitioners (MSN); and (5) to provide any program that is designed to achieve the purpose of increasing the number of nurses (ADN, BSN), nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and nurse practitioners (MSN) who deliver health care services to Indians. Each proposal must respond to at least one of the above five objectives. Although section 112 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Pub. L. 94-437, as amended, provides that scholarships for individuals may be funded, only an organization that has been operating an IHS Nurse Recruitment Grant Program may apply for scholarship support in the first year of the project. E. Program Activities Considered for Support The grant program must be developed to locate and recruit students with potential for nursing; and to provide support services to students who are recruited. Support services may include providing career counseling and academic advice; assisting students to identify academic deficiencies and to develop plans to correct those deficiencies; assisting students to locate financial aid; monitoring students to identify possible problems; assisting with the determination of need for and location of tutorial services; and other related activities which will help to retain students in school. F. Required Affiliation The applicant must submit documentation showing that it is an accredited school of nursing, or a tribally controlled community college, or a nurse anesthetist program or nurse midwife program which has an affiliation with an accredited school of nursing, as defined at 42 CFR 36.302(o). The term ``accredited'' when applied to any program of nurse education means a program accredited or assured accreditation by a recognized body or bodies, or by a State agency, approved for such purpose by the Secretary of Education and when applied to a school, college or university (or a unit thereof) which is accredited by a recognized body or bodies, or by a State agency, approved for such purpose by the Secretary of Education. The applicant must submit written documentation showing affiliation with a health care facility that primarily serves Indians. When the target population of a proposed project includes a particular Indian tribe or tribes, an official document, i.e., a letter of support or tribal resolution, must be submitted indicating that the tribe or tribes will cooperate with the applicant. G. Fund Availability and Period of Support Approximately $1,600,000 is available during this cycle. The anticipated start date for selected projects will be August 1, 1998. Projects will be awarded for a term of up to 5 years, with funding for succeeding years based on the FY 1998 level; satisfactory level of performance; the availability of appropriation in future years; and the continuing need of IHS for the project. H. Application Process 1. In IHS Recruitment Grant Application Kit may be obtained from the Grants Management Branch, Division of Acquisition and Grants Management, Indian Health Service, Twinbrook Metro Plaza, Suite 100, 12300 Twinbrook Pkwy., Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 443-5204. This kit includes Standard Form PHS 5161-1 (Rev. 5/96) (OMB Approval No. 0937- 0189 expires 07/31/98); Standard Forms 424, 424A, and 424B (Rev. 4/88); Application Receipt Card--PHS 3038-1 (Rev. 4/90); instructions for preparing the program narrative; and IHS Application Checklist. 2. The application must be signed and submitted by an individual authorized to act for the applicant and to assume on behalf of the applicant the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of any award. 3. The available funding level is inclusive of both direct and indirect costs. Because this project is for a training grant, the Department of Health and Human Services' policy limiting reimbursement of indirect cost to the lesser of the applicant's actual indirect costs or 8 percent of total direct costs (exclusive of trainee costs and expenditures for equipment) is applicable. This limitation applies to all institutions of higher education other than agencies of State and local government. 4. Each application will be reviewed at the Grants Management Branch for eligibility, compliance with the announcement, and completeness. All acceptable applications will be subject to a competitive objective review and evaluation. An unacceptable application will be returned to the applicant without further consideration. 5. Applicants will be notified by July 21, 1998, of their status as approved, approved unfunded, or disapproved. 6. The project period may not exceed 5 years. Applications must include Narrative and Budget information for the entire anticipated project period. I. Criteria for Review and Evaluation Conforming applications will be evaluated against the following criteria:The potential effectiveness of the proposed project in carrying out the purposes of section 112, with special emphasis on the objectives and methodology portion of the application. This includes relevance of project objectives to grant program objectives; appropriateness and soundness of the procedures for identifying recruiting, and retaining target population(s); and feasibility of project within proposed resources and time frames. The demonstrated capability of the applicant to successfully conduct the project, including organizational and scholarly commitment to the [[Page 16267]] recruitment, education, and retention of students. The submission of verifying documentation when an applicant claims preference in order to be given priority. Preference is given for programs which (1) provide a preference to Indians; (2) train nurses (ADN, BSN), nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, or nurse practitioners (MSN); (3) are interdisciplinary; and (4) are conducted in cooperation with a center for gifted and talented Indian students established under section 5324(a) of the Indian Education Act of 1988. The accessibility of the applicant to target Indian communities or tribes, including evidence of past or potential cooperation between the applicant and such communities or tribes. Evidence must be supported by official documentation from the tribe in the form of a letter of support or tribal resolution. The relationship of project objectives to Indian Health manpower's deficiencies, indicating the number of potential Indian students to be contacted and recruited as well as potential cost per student recruited. Those projects that have the potential to serve a greater number of Indians will be given first consideration. The soundness of the fiscal plan for assuring effective utilization of grant funds. The completeness and responsiveness of the application. Dated: March 26, 1998. Michael H. Trujillo, Assistant Surgeon General, Director. [FR Doc. 98-8567 Filed 4-1-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-16-M