[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 109 (Monday, June 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31320-31321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-15165]



[[Page 31319]]

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Part III





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________



National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects: 
Proposed Funding Priorities, Fiscal Years 1998-1999; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 109 / Monday, June 8, 1998 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; 
Notice of Proposed Funding Priorities for Fiscal Years 1998-1999 for 
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects

SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes funding priorities for two Disability 
and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs) under the National 
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for fiscal 
years 1998-1999. The Secretary takes this action to focus research 
attention on areas of national need. These priorities are intended to 
improve rehabilitation services and outcomes for individuals with 
disabilities.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 8, 1998.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning these proposed priorities should be 
addressed to Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Maryland 
Avenue, S.W., room 3418, Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2645. 
Comments may also be sent through the Internet:

[email protected]

    You must include the term ``Burn and Traumatic Brain Injury--
RRTC's'' in the subject line of your electronic message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, Telephone: (202) 205-
5880. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the TDD number at (202) 205-5516.

Internet: Donna__N[email protected]

    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding 
paragraph.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains proposed priorities 
under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers 
Program for two Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects related 
to: coordinating burn data and collaborative Traumatic Brain Injury 
(TBI) research.
    These proposed priorities support the National Education Goal that 
calls for every adult American to possess the skills necessary to 
compete in a global economy.
    The authority for the Secretary to establish research priorities by 
reserving funds to support particular research activities is contained 
in sections 202(g) and 204 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as 
amended (29 U.S.C. 761a(g) and 762).
    The Secretary will announce the final priorities in a notice in the 
Federal Register. The final priorities will be determined by responses 
to this notice, available funds, and other considerations of the 
Department. Funding of a particular project depends on the final 
priority, the availability of funds, and the quality of the 
applications received. The publication of these proposed priorities 
does not preclude the Secretary from proposing additional priorities, 
nor does it limit the Secretary to funding only these priorities, 
subject to meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.

    Note: This notice of proposed priorities does not solicit 
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition 
will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or 
following the publication of the notice of final priorities.

Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects

    Authority for Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects 
(DRRPs) is contained in section 202 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 
as amended (29 U.S.C. 761a). DRRPs carry out one or more of the 
following types of activities, as specified in 34 CFR 350.13-350.19: 
research, development, demonstration, training, dissemination, 
utilization, and technical assistance. Disability and Rehabilitation 
Research Projects develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation 
technology that maximize the full inclusion and integration into 
society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic 
and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, 
especially individuals with the most severe disabilities. In addition, 
DRRPs improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Priorities

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), the Secretary proposes to give an 
absolute preference to applications that meet the following priorities. 
The Secretary proposes to fund under this competition only applications 
that meet one of these absolute priorities.

Proposed Priority 1: Burn Data Coordinating Project

Background

    In 1994 NIDRR established the Burn Injury Rehabilitation Model 
Systems of Care (Burn Model Systems) by awarding three 36-month 
projects. In 1997 NIDRR reestablished the Burn Model Systems with the 
award of four 60-month projects. These projects develop and demonstrate 
a comprehensive, multidisciplinary model system of rehabilitative 
services for individuals with severe burns, and evaluate the efficacy 
of that system through the collection and analysis of uniform data on 
system benefits, costs, and outcomes. The projects study the course of 
recovery and outcomes following the delivery of a coordinated system of 
care including emergency care, acute care management, comprehensive 
inpatient rehabilitation, and long-term interdisciplinary follow-up 
services.
    The Burn Model Systems projects serve a substantial number of 
patients, allowing the projects to conduct clinical research and 
program evaluation. In addition, the Burn Model Systems projects 
utilize a complex data collection and retrieval program with the 
capability to analyze the different system components and provide 
information on project effectiveness and benefits. The projects are 
intended to establish appropriate, uniform descriptors of 
rehabilitation care. Information is collected throughout the 
rehabilitation process. Systematic burn injury care permits long-term 
follow-up on the course of injury and the identification of continuing 
needs and results in areas such as functional outcome, health and 
rehabilitation services, procedures for cost-reimbursement and billing 
and community integration. The Burn Model Systems projects serve as 
regional and national models for program development and as information 
centers for consumers, families, and professionals.
    In order to take full advantage of the data collected by individual 
Burn Model System projects, there is a need for a project to assist the 
projects in their research efforts and establish and maintain a 
combined database for short-and long-term outcome evaluations 
(functional, health, psycho-social and vocational status measures) and 
financial assessments (rehabilitation, professional and hospital 
charges) for various burn care and injury rehabilitation strategies.

Proposed Priority 1

    The Secretary proposes to establish a Burn Data Coordinating 
Project for the purpose of maintaining a common database of burn care 
and injury rehabilitation information compiled by the Burn Model 
Systems projects supported by NIDRR. The project shall:
    (1) Establish and maintain a common database through the data 
collection, entry, transfer, editing, quality control, issues 
resolution, and integration efforts of NIDRR's Burn Injury 
Rehabilitation Model Systems' projects;

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    (2) Provide technical assistance to the Burn Model Systems projects 
in the compilation of common data values from each Burn Injury Model 
System into a single quality information database for both joint and 
site specific management reporting, center evaluations and research 
analyses;
    (3) Develop management reports on each Burn Injury Model System 
project's database-related activities and on trends that can be 
combined with and compared to other national data systems for 
evaluation of burn injury outcomes;
    (4) Provide technical assistance to the Burn Model System projects 
in the preparation of scientific articles by providing statistical and 
analytical support;
    (5) Provide technical assistance to the Burn Model Systems projects 
in the design, implementation, and analysis of specialized clinical 
studies that assess new burn injury rehabilitation methodologies; and
    (6) Provide technical assistance to the Burn Model Systems projects 
in the clinical and systems analysis studies by collecting and 
analyzing data on patient characteristics, diagnoses, causes of injury, 
interventions, outcomes, and costs within a uniform standardized 
database.
    In carrying out these purposes, the project must:
     As appropriate, collaborate with other model systems (such 
as spinal cord and traumatic brain injury model systems) data 
collection activities; and
     Link Burn Injury Model Systems, NIDRR Staff, and the 
project as required to facilitate database interactions and information 
dissemination opportunities.

Proposed Priority 2: Collaborative Research for Traumatic Brain 
Injury Model Systems

Background

    In 1987 NIDRR funded four research and demonstration projects to 
establish the Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems of Care (TBI Model 
Systems) for individuals in need of comprehensive, multidisciplinary 
rehabilitative services. At present NIDRR supports five TBI Model 
Systems projects to study the course of recovery and outcomes following 
the delivery of a coordinated system of care including emergency care, 
acute neuro-trauma management, comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation, 
and long-term interdisciplinary follow-up services. The TBI Model 
Systems projects collect and analyze uniform data from projects on 
system benefits, costs, and outcomes.
    The TBI Model Systems projects serve a substantial number of 
individuals, allowing the projects to conduct clinical research and 
program evaluation, and maximize the potential for project replication. 
In addition, the systems have a complex data collection and retrieval 
program with the capability to analyze different system components and 
provide information on cost effectiveness and benefits. Information is 
collected throughout the rehabilitation process, permitting long-term 
follow-up on the course of injury, outcomes, and changes in employment 
status, community integration, substance abuse and family needs. The 
TBI Model Systems projects serve as regional and national models for 
program development and as information centers for consumers, families, 
and professionals.
    On January 21, 1998, NIDRR published a notice in the Federal 
Register inviting applications to establish 10 additional TBI Model 
Systems projects (63 FR 3240). In conjunction with the establishment of 
these new TBI Model Systems projects, NIDRR is proposing to establish 
collaborative research projects to broaden knowledge and encourage 
multi-institutional studies of outcomes, rehabilitation interventions 
and service delivery system innovation for individuals with traumatic 
brain injury. The following are examples of collaborative research 
topics that the proposed project could carry out: evaluation of 
emerging pharmacologic interventions; examination of the effects of 
specific type and intensity of rehabilitative treatments; aging with 
TBI; secondary conditions of TBI; assessment and treatment in mild 
traumatic brain injury; impact of environmental factors on long term 
outcomes; impact of substance abuse on memory; and implications of 
managed care on availability and type of care for persons with TBI.

Proposed Priority 2

    The Secretary proposes to establish collaborative research projects 
for the purpose of improving the knowledge about rehabilitation 
outcomes in order to improve the lives of persons with TBI, their 
families, and caregivers. A collaborative research project shall:
    (1) Investigate rehabilitation interventions or service delivery 
issues; and
    (2) Disseminate information based on that investigation to TBI 
Model Systems projects and other appropriate rehabilitation settings.
    In carrying out the purposes of the priority, the project must:
     Collaborate with one or more of NIDRR TBI Model Systems 
projects; and
     Once a year, participate in the TBI Model Systems project 
directors' meeting.

Electronic Access to This Document

    Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or 
portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with 
Search, which is available free at either of the preceding sites. If 
you have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government 
Printing Office at (202) 512-1530 or, toll free at 1-888-293-6498.
    Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an 
electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511 
or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option 
G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register.

Invitation to Comment

    Interested persons are invited to submit comments and 
recommendations regarding these proposed priorities. All comments 
submitted in response to this notice will be available for public 
inspection, during and after the comment period, in Room 3424, Switzer 
Building, 330 C Street S.W., Washington, D.C., between the hours of 
9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday of each week except 
Federal holidays.

Applicable Program Regulations

    34 CFR Part 350.

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 760-762.

    Dated: June 3, 1998.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.133A, Disability 
and Rehabilitation Research Projects)
Curtis L. Richards,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. 98-15165 Filed 6-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P