[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 85 (Monday, May 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24551-24553]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-11688]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Office of Public Health and Science Region, VI; Announcement of 
Availability of a Grant for a Family Planning Information, Education 
and Clinical Services Linkage Innovations Research Project

AGENCY: Office of Family Planning, Region VI.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Family Planning (OPF), Region VI, requests 
applications for a new research grant in family planning services 
delivery improvement.

DATES: To receive consideration, applications must be postmarked or 
delivered to the Office of Grants Management no later than June 15, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Completed applications should be sent to: Office of Grants 
Management, U.S. Public Health Service, DHHS Region VI, 1301 Young St., 
Suite 766, Dallas, XT 75202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Evelyn Glass, Family Planning Unit Chief--214-767-3088, for assistance 
on technical and program aspects; Maureen Picket, Grants Management 
Officer--214-767-3401, to answer questions about the preparation of 
grant applications.

[[Page 24552]]

    Requests for applications kits may be faxed to 214-767-3425.

ELIGIBILITY: Any public or private non-profit organization or agency 
which has offices in Region VI (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, 
Oklahoma, and Texas) and which has the ability to coordinate the 
project across state boundaries is eligible to apply for this grant. 
The grant will be awarded only to an organization or agency which 
demonstrates a capability to provide the proposed services, meets the 
statutory requirements, and currently maintains an office in the 
region.
    The applicant who receives funds under this announcement must be 
knowledgeable regarding reproductive health needs within Region VI 
states, must have the ability to work with and obtain information from 
Title X grantees, State Family Planning Training Coordinators, and 
various community groups across the Region, and must be able to 
coordinate and facilitate technical assistance and training activities 
with community-based demonstration projects in the region.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title X of the Public Health Service Act, 42 
U.S.C. 300, et sea., authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services (OHS) to award grants and contracts to: (1) Establish and 
operate family planning clinics; (2) provide training for personnel to 
carry out family planning service programs; (3) provide research in 
fields related to family planning service and service delivery; and (4) 
develop and distribute family planning informational and educational 
materials.
    Section 1001 of the statute authorizes the Secretary to award 
grants to public or private non-profit 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. Title X funds may not be used in programs where 
abortion is a method of family planning. Implementing regulations for 
Section 1001 appear at 42 CFR part 59, subpart A.
    Section 1004 authorizes the Secretary to make grants to public or 
private non-profit entities and individuals for projects for research 
in the biomedical, contraceptive development, behavioral and program 
implementation fields related to family planning and population. 
Implementing regulations for Section 1004 appear at 42 CFR part 52. 
Region VI Office of Family Planning intends to make available funds to 
investigate innovative approaches for providing family planning/
reproductive health related information and services targeted to 
specific hard to reach populations.

Purposes of Grant

    This notice announces the availability for funds to support a new 
research project to address two (2) of the five (5) Title X program 
priorities:
    (1) Increasing outreach to individuals not likely to seek services, 
including males, homeless persons, disabled persons, substance abusers, 
and adolescents; and
    (3) Serving adolescents, including more community education, 
emphasis on postponement of sexual activity, and more accessible 
provision of contraceptive counseling and contraception.
    The family planning services program, authorized by Section 1001 of 
Title X, is required by law to provide family planning services, 
including education and counseling, to all persons desiring such 
services. There are subgroups of the population which have been under-
represented in the traditional family planning delivery system. 
Experience has shown that it is difficult to draw some sub-populations, 
such as males of all ages, certain adolescents, homeless persons, 
disabled persons, and substance abusers, into the traditional clinic 
setting for family planning/reproductive health related information and 
services. This effort, authorized under Section 1004 of the Title X 
statute, is an attempt to look at ways to link family planning/
reproductive health services with community-based providers of 
clinical, social and educational services to the under-served 
populations.
    Approximately $1.2 million is available to support the research 
project, and $1 million of that amount is available to support new 
innovations for linking providers of family planning information, 
education, and clinical services to populations that are less likely to 
seek services and are often hard to reach (such as but not limited to 
males, homeless persons, disabled persons, substance abusers, and 
adolescents). An applicant for a grant under this announcement may 
elect to support the development of a network of linkages between 
agencies which service any of the hard to reach populations, including 
but not limited to those described above, and appropriate services and 
activities relating to family planning/reproductive health. The 
linkages might involve arranging for the production and distribution of 
appropriate and relevant patient educational materials; making 
transportation available for clinical services; or, providing for 
public information and education on family planning/reproductive health 
issues.
    In addition, with approximately $200,000, and in close 
collaboration with Region VI staff, the applicant who receives funds 
under this announcement will be responsible for the following 
activities:
     Advertise the availability of funds for the community-
based projects;
     Assist community-based organizations with development and 
preparation of proposals;
     Provide technical assistance to interested organizations;
     Receive and screen proposals;
     Assemble an Objective Review Committee to review 
proposals;
     Arrange for the transfer of funds to community-based 
organizations whose projects are selected for funding; and
     Provide assistance with regular follow-up and program 
evaluation.

Application Consideration and Assessment

    Applications will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary panel of 
independent reviewers and assessed according to the following criteria:
    (1) A clear description of the project, including goals and 
objectives, methods of achieving objectives, a reasonable work plan and 
timetable, and a clear statement of results or benefits expected. (20 
points)
    (2) The feasibility of the project and the likelihood of its 
producing meaningful results, as evidenced by the applicant's sound 
methodology to measure the extent to which the proposed approach 
enhances the delivery of family planning/reproductive health education, 
counseling and/or services to hard to reach populations and its 
potential for replication. (25 points)
    (3) The history of the applicant organization in successfully 
providing a variety of services, such as clinical, social, educational, 
training, vocational, and legal services, to under-served and hard to 
reach populations or in under-served communities or collaborating with 
agencies that serve these populations. (25 points)
    (4) The administrative and management capability of the applicant 
organization in relation to the type of project proposed, the project 
period, and the adequacy of the applicant's resources for the project. 
(15 points)

[[Page 24553]]

    (5) Letters of support from community-based organizations 
indicating their support of the project and their interest in 
participating in the project. (15 points)
    Applications must be postmarked or, if not sent by U.S. mail, 
received at the Office of Grants Management no later than the close of 
business on June 15, 1998. Private metered postmarks will not be 
acceptable as proof of timely mailing. Applications which are 
postmarked later than June 15, 1998 will be judged late and will not be 
accepted for review. (Applicants should request a legibly dated 
postmark from 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 will not be accepted for review. 
Applicants will be so notified, and the applications will be returned.

Grant Award

    The grant will be funded in annual increments (budget periods). The 
project may be funded for up to three (3) years. Funding for all 
approved budget periods beyond the first year is contingent upon the 
availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the project, and 
adequate stewardship of federal funds.

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 designated by their state or the SPOC for the state in 
question.
    SPOC comments must be received by the Office of Grants Management 
30 days prior to the funding date to be considered.
    When the final funding decision has 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 condition of the grant award.

    Dated: April 8, 1998.
James Randolph Farris,
Regional Health Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-11688 Filed 5-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-17-M