[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34426-34433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16766]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[Program Announcement 98085]


Young People in Alternative Education Settings: Preventing HIV 
and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases Notice of Availability of 
Fiscal Year 1998 Funds

Introduction

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the 
availability of fiscal year (FY) 1998 funds for cooperative agreements 
for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other 
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young people in alternative 
educational

[[Page 34427]]

settings. Applied research programs that implement and evaluate 
promising, multicomponent interventions to reduce unprotected sexual 
intercourse among young people in alternative educational settings will 
be supported under this cooperative agreement.
    Young people in high-risk situations for HIV and other STDs are 
served in alternative educational settings, which include: alternative 
schools, and school-based or school-linked dropout prevention programs, 
and dropout recovery programs. Alternative schools, dropout prevention 
programs, and dropout recovery programs serve students primarily who 
are at high risk of not progressing in regular high schools (or who 
have previously stopped attending school), and as a result, not 
graduating, as well as students who have already gotten into 
disciplinary trouble, usually related to illegal drug use or violence. 
Of particular interest are alternative educational settings targeting 
adjudicated young people (that is, young people in contact with the 
juvenile justice system), although interventions may target other young 
people in high risk situations served within alternative educational 
settings. (See Attachment 1 for the CDC's definition of young people in 
high risk situations.)
    The CDC is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease 
prevention objectives of ``Healthy People 2000,'' a national activity 
to reduce morbidity and death and improve the quality of life. This 
announcement is related to priority areas of Family Planning, HIV 
Infection, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. (To order a copy of 
``Healthy People 2000,'' see the section ``Where To Obtain Additional 
Information.'')

Authority

    This program is authorized under sections 301(a) and 317(k)(2) [42 
U.S.C. 241(a) and 247b(k)(2)] of the Public Health Service Act, as 
amended. Regulations are set forth in 42 CFR Part 51b.

Smoke-free Workplace

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

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants are the official educational, juvenile 
corrections, public health, family planning, and substance abuse 
agencies of the State; the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as 
well as local governments, nonprofit organizations, academic 
institutions, and other nonprofit health, family planning, substance 
abuse, or social service providers. All applicants must provide 
evidence that demonstrates a successful history of working in 
partnership with interdisciplinary groups of health researchers and 
local racial and ethnic minority communities on applied social and 
behavioral science projects.
    Residential programs in which participants receive interventions 
while institutionalized both weekdays and weekends are not eligible to 
avoid duplication of current CDC initiatives targeting incarcerated 
young people.

    Note: Effective January 1, 1996, Public Law 104-65 states that 
an organization described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986 which engages in lobbying activities will not 
be eligible for the receipt of Federal funds constituting an award, 
grant, cooperative agreement, contract, loan, or any other form.

Availability of Funds

    Approximately $600,000 is available in FY 1998 to fund up to two 
awards. It is expected that awards will begin on or about September 30, 
1998, and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project 
period of up to 4 years. Funding estimates may vary and are subject to 
change.
    Continuation awards within the project period will be made on the 
basis of satisfactory performance and the availability of funds.

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. Section 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 Department of Labor, Health and Human 
Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 
(Public Law 105-78) states in Section 503 (a) and (b) that no part of 
any appropriation contained in this Act shall be used, other than for 
normal and recognized executive-legislative relations, 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 legislature itself. 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.

Background

    CDC has prioritized programs reducing sexual risk behavior among 
young people in high risk situations, particularly among young men 
having sex with men, injection drug using young people, and adjudicated 
young people. High rates of HIV, STDs, and unintended pregnancies among 
young people point to a need for interventions that effectively address 
adolescent sexual and drug use behavior. Several ``Healthy People 
2000'' objectives call for effective interventions in these areas. The 
1992 National Health Interview Survey Youth Risk Behavior supplement 
revealed that sexual risk and drug-use behaviors among out-of-school 
young people are more common than among their in-school counterparts. 
Programs designed to reach students at risk for school dropout are an 
important strategy to provide health education and activities to 
prevent behavior that may put them at risk for HIV and STDs. Evaluating 
the effectiveness of prevention programs within these settings is 
important and has been rarely undertaken.
    Alternative schools are one important avenue for reaching young 
people who have dropped out or who are at risk of dropping out of 
regular school programs. Within the United States there are over 1300 
free-standing alternative schools that serve 280,000 young peoples in 
grades 8 or higher. The number of students enrolled in such programs is 
even greater when alternative school programs within regular schools, 
and after-school diploma and GED programs are included. Such 
educational services are

[[Page 34428]]

needed given the number of young people dropping out of schools: in 
1994, 11.4 percent of young people aged 16-24 dropped out of school 
without obtaining a high school diploma or GED.
    Studies of alternative school students in Texas, Montana, 
Minnesota, and Florida demonstrate high rates of sexual risk behaviors 
strongly correlated with HIV, STDs, and unintended pregnancy. Young 
people in drop-out prevention programs and alternative schools exhibit 
higher rates of sexual risk behavior than their counterparts in regular 
schools including higher prevalence of sexual activity (between 83 
percent and 97 percent), lower prevalence of condom use at last 
intercourse (between 40 percent and 60 percent), and higher prevalence 
of sex with multiple partners (between 31 percent and 43 percent). 
Young people in drop-out prevention programs and alternative school 
settings are also more likely to report a prior pregnancy (between 25 
percent and 40 percent) than their regular school counterparts. 
Further, alternative school students report a high prevalence of drug 
use, including alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine.
    Low academic and occupational expectations, academic failure, and 
school dropout are strongly and persistently associated with contact 
with the juvenile justice system. Federal Bureau of Investigation 
arrest statistics reveal that criminal offenses for males and females 
increase in early adolescence, peak in late adolescence, and decrease 
thereafter, bringing a higher proportion of young people into contact 
with the justice system than other age groups. Alternative school and 
dropout prevention programs that serve adjudicated young people, are 
detailed in ``Reaching Out to Youth Out of the Education Mainstream.'' 
(To order a copy of ``Reaching Out to Youth Out of the Education 
Mainstream,'' see the section ``Where To Obtain Additional 
Information.'') Community-based follow-up programs for young people 
that reinforce risk reduction behaviors have been shown to be promising 
strategies, and could be implemented in alternative educational 
settings. Such programs vary in the timing with which they intervene as 
young people progress through the juvenile justice system. Some 
alternative educational programs are preventive and implemented at the 
time of first offense, some provide model school experiences for 
incarcerated young people, and some are implemented after juveniles are 
released from incarceration to reintegrate them with the mainstream 
educational system.
    Although there is a clear need for interventions to reduce sexual 
risk behaviors among young people at risk for school dropout, little 
research has been conducted to determine intervention efficacy for this 
population. While alternative and dropout prevention program students 
have been exposed to mainstream school HIV and STD prevention programs 
at relatively high rates, these programs may not adequately meet the 
needs of young people at high risk. One study of students in a dropout 
recovery program in Illinois found that a lack of tailored 
interventions has resulted in low basic knowledge regarding sexual 
risk, as well as high levels of risk behavior.

Purpose

    These awards will support evaluation of promising interventions to 
decrease sexual risk behaviors among young people in alternative 
educational settings. This cooperative agreement will support applied 
research that meets the following criteria:
    1. Identifies a promising group-level intervention based on a sound 
theoretical foundation. Promising programs are those with demonstrated 
effectiveness based on preliminary evaluation data, expert appraisal, 
or favorable response by participants. A rationale should be provided 
that justifies use of the intervention in the current population and 
setting. Programs may be revised, improved, or updated for purposes of 
the current research.
    2. Implements and evaluates intervention strategies among young 
people in alternative educational settings to reduce sexual risk 
behavior.
    3. Collaborates with academic, program, and community partners in 
conducting, and evaluating the proposed intervention, and proposes to 
work with partners throughout the project period to sustain successful 
interventions beyond the project's duration.

Program Requirements

    Studies will be quasi-experimental or experimental in design and 
should measure knowledge, attitudes, and behavior related to HIV and 
other STDs. Measures of behavior should include, but are not limited 
to, abstinence, correct and consistent condom use among sexually active 
young people, past sexual experience including victimization, measures 
of number of partners, and frequency of sexual intercourse. While the 
major focus of the cooperative agreement is to decrease HIV and STD 
related risk behaviors, interventions may include as a secondary focus 
reducing the prevalence of alcohol and drug use, or sexual behaviors 
related to unintended pregnancy, including increasing effective 
contraceptive use among sexually active young people.
    Studies should include at least two sites in which the intervention 
will be implemented, and sites or individual participants (or some 
other justified sampling unit) should be randomized to the control or 
comparison condition or the experimental condition. Studies should be 
designed to follow-up participants at least 12 months after the end of 
the intervention. Extensive strategies to maintain an adequate response 
rate throughout the follow-up will be of critical importance. The 
overall evaluation of these programs will include both process and 
outcome evaluation components.
    In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program, 
the recipient will be responsible for the activities under A. 
(Recipient Activities), and CDC will be responsible for conducting 
activities under B. (CDC Activities).

A. Recipient Activities

    1. Establish and maintain staff positions allocated to specific 
responsibilities, with at least a 50 percent time research director and 
a 100 percent time project director with training, experience, and 
authority sufficient to achieve the objectives of this program 
announcement.
    2. Identify and implement a promising intervention designed to 
reduce sexual risk behavior among young people in alternative 
educational settings. Examples include, but are not limited to, the 
following:
    (a) Increasing knowledge about HIV and other STDs, and promoting 
attitudes and behavioral intentions that support reductions in sexual 
risk behavior.
    (b) Providing skill-based training that increases, through modeling 
and practice, decision-making and communication skills that support 
reduction of sexual risk behaviors.
    (c) Identifying, creating, or mobilizing school, family, peer, and 
other social networks to support and reinforce sexual risk reduction 
through activities including, but not limited to, mentoring, peer-
influence, familial involvement, increased communication with sexual 
partners, community involvement, or social diffusion.
    (d) Promoting resiliency, social skills, and youth assets through a 
youth development approach.
    (e) If alcohol and drug-related behavior is a secondary focus, then 
promoting knowledge, attitudes,

[[Page 34429]]

behavioral intentions, and behavior to reduce alcohol and illegal drug 
use, or to reduce harm associated with use.
    (f) If pregnancy prevention is a secondary focus, then increasing 
knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions and behavior to 
increase effective contraceptive use (which may include multiple 
methods of contraception) to prevent HIV, STD, and unintended pregnancy 
among sexually active young people.
    3. Measure the success of interventions with targeted populations 
in comparison to a control/comparison group. Self-reported outcome 
measures may include, but are not limited to:
    (a) Past sexual experience, including sexual victimization;
    (b) Sexual initiation;
    (c) Correct and consistent condom use among sexually active young 
people;
    (d) Knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions to reduce 
sexual risk behavior;
    (e) Number of sexual partners and frequency of sexual intercourse;
    (f) Number of STDs diagnosed;
    (g) HIV testing reported by participants;
    (h) Social assets, communication skills, perception of peer norms, 
increased integration in familial and community networks;
    (i) If alcohol and drug-related behavior is a secondary focus, then 
knowledge, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and alcohol and drug use 
behavior, and the impact of alcohol and drug-use on sexual risk 
behaviors; and
    (j) If pregnancy prevention is a secondary focus, then knowledge, 
attitudes, behavioral intentions, and behavior. Measures may include, 
but are not limited to, number of pregnancies in the sample, and 
effective contraception use (including multiple methods) among sexually 
active young people.
    4. Develop and refine research questions and methods, conceptual 
frameworks, measurement and analysis strategies, and intervention 
protocols so that findings can be used to facilitate national efforts 
to prevent HIV and STDs among young people in alternative educational 
settings. This may require modifying conceptual frameworks, sampling 
plans, data collection instruments, intervention activities, and other 
elements of the applicant's proposal to meet the program goals.
    5. Develop, revise, and submit a written justification package and 
other documentation necessary for obtaining Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) clearance.
    6. Collaborate and coordinate efforts with appropriate educational, 
corrections, health, substance abuse, youth-serving, community-based, 
and minority organizations who deliver services or interventions to the 
targeted populations. Include members of the targeted population in 
planning, developing, and revising the research and intervention 
activities whenever appropriate and feasible. Collaborate with service 
providers to sustain successful interventions beyond the duration of 
the project.
    7. Develop a plan for disseminating results of the research to 
members of the scientific, programmatic, and targeted communities.
    8. Disseminates evaluation findings through peer-reviewed 
publications and presentations.

B. CDC Activities:

    1. Provide scientific and technical assistance in the design and 
development of the research, and evaluation protocols, selection of 
measures and instruments, operational plans and objectives, and data 
analysis strategies.
    2. Provide scientific and technical coordination of the general 
operation of the research project, including data management support.
    3. Participate in the analysis of data gathered from program 
activities and the reporting of results.
    4. Conduct site visits to assess program progress.
    5. Assist in the development of a research protocol for 
Institutional Review Board (IRB) review by all cooperating institutions 
participating in the research project. The CDC IRB will review and 
approve the protocol initially and on at least an annual basis until 
the research project is completed.

Technical Reporting Requirements

    An original and two copies of the progress report and financial 
status report must be submitted on an annual basis and are due 90 days 
after the end of the budget period. The progress report must include 
the following for each program, function, or activity involved: (1) a 
brief program description; (2) a comparison of actual accomplishments 
to goals and objectives established for the 12-month period; (3) 
explanations for all goals or objectives either delayed or not 
accomplished and a plan of corrective action; (4) data on participation 
in intervention and research activities, including numbers of completed 
baseline and follow-up interviews, and recruitment and retention rates 
(5) other pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis 
and explanation of unexpectedly high costs for performance. All 
manuscripts supported in part or whole by the cooperative agreement 
will be required to go through CDC clearance before submission for 
publication.
    A final financial report is required no later than 90 days after 
the end of the project period. All reports are submitted to the Grants 
Management Office, CDC.

Application Content

    Applications must be developed in accordance with PHS Form 5161-1 
(OMB Number 0937-0189), information contained in the program 
announcement, and the instructions and format provided below.

Applications should describe:

    1. The identification of a promising program to reduce sexual risk 
behavior among young people in alternative educational settings, 
including a theoretical basis, rationale, and explanation of previous 
use.
    2. Implementation and evaluation of an intervention to reduce 
unprotected sexual intercourse among young people in alternative 
educational settings, including the evaluation design, sampling plan, 
and analysis strategy.
    3. A feasible and timely strategy for disseminating findings from 
this research to scientific, public health, and community partners, and 
efforts to be made throughout the project to ensure that the 
intervention will be sustained once Federal funding ends.
    The application should include a general introduction, followed by 
one narrative subsection per application content element (A-H) in the 
order in which the elements appear below. Each narrative subsection 
should be labeled with the element title and contain all of the 
information needed to evaluate that element of the application (except 
for curriculum vitae, references, intervention descriptions and 
materials, and letters of support that are appropriate for the 
appendixes).

A. Intervention Plan

    1. Provide a review of the relevant literature to provide a 
theoretical, empirical, and programmatic justification for the proposed 
research, and clearly describe how the proposed intervention will 
advance efforts to prevent HIV and STDs among young people in 
alternative educational settings.
    Specifically, the application should include explicit models (with 
schematic drawings) that illustrate factors to be modified through the 
intervention and to explain the mechanisms by which outcome effects are 
produced.
    2. Discuss why the intervention is promising, to include a 
discussion of

[[Page 34430]]

the settings and populations in which the intervention was previously 
implemented. Intervention descriptions and materials should be provided 
if possible. Discuss feasibility and acceptability of the intervention 
in the selected setting.

B. Research Plan

    1. Specify a set of clear and testable research questions and 
hypotheses that are responsive to the intended purposes of the research 
sought under this cooperative agreement.
    2. Describe all aspects of the study design and methods including 
the evaluation design (both process and outcome) and how threats to 
validity will be handled; a detailed description of the targeted 
population, including but not limited to age, grade, sex, race, 
socioeconomic status, HIV and STD risk factors, and how the population 
will be accessed; instrumentation; the sampling strategy (including a 
justification for the sampling unit), sample size, and power analysis 
justifying the sample size and including an indication of expected 
effect sizes, the randomization strategy; training plans for 
individuals collecting data, and data collection plans, including but 
not limited to, linking participants' responses between measurement 
periods.
    3. Describe expected sample attrition. Describe how study 
participants will be tracked and what strategies will be used to 
increase retention.
    4. Describe how the intervention implementation process will be 
measured and how the findings will be used to monitor implementation 
and provide feedback to staff, and to explicate other findings. Include 
plans to maintain detailed records of the costs involved in 
implementation such that cost-effectiveness estimates can be derived.
    5. Describe the plans and quality assurance monitoring for data 
management, analysis, and interpretation.
    6. Describe key dissemination products including peer-reviewed 
publications and presentations that can be used by program planners, 
policy makers, and other interested parties.
    7. Describe the potential limitations of the results given the 
complexity of the research focus, the targeted population, and the 
applied nature of the evaluation; to whom the findings will be 
generalizable; and how they can be used to develop national 
recommendations for reducing unprotected sexual intercourse among young 
people in alternative educational settings.
    8. As appropriate and necessary, provide for the inclusion of women 
and racial and ethnic minority groups as required by CDC/ATSDR policy, 
or, where inclusion is inappropriate or not feasible, provide an 
explanation for the exclusion of women and racial and ethnic minority 
groups from the research design. (See ``Other Requirements'' section of 
this announcement for details.)

C. Research and Intervention Capacity

    1. Demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed research by 
providing a detailed timeline, with specific products, specifying which 
staff person will be responsible for which task.
    2. Describe the research team and show that the proposed research 
staff for the project represent an interdisciplinary team of behavioral 
and social scientists with the scientific training and the previous 
scientific and practical experience needed to conduct and complete high 
quality research within the specified timeline, as evidenced by the 
successful completion of past research in the areas proposed in this 
application. Describe previous service or research conducted with this 
population.
    3. Demonstrate the adequacy of the proposed staff, through 
curriculum vitae and position descriptions that detail 
responsibilities, to carry out all proposed activities (i.e., 
sufficient in number, percentage of time commitments, behavioral or 
social scientists in key project positions, and qualifications).
    4. Describe the facilities, data processing and analysis capacity, 
and systems for management of data security and participant 
confidentiality.

D. Collaboration and Sustainability

    1. Describe how academic, program, and community partners will 
participate in developing, conducting, and evaluating the proposed 
research. Specifically, describe the involvement of appropriate key 
organizations and members of the targeted population and discuss 
previous work of the proposed collaborators. Include letters of support 
from proposed collaborating organizations indicating willingness to 
participate in the proposed research, including but not limited to, 
evidence of past successful collaboration, willingness to be randomized 
to a control/comparison or experimental condition, and containing 
information on the number and demographic characteristics of young 
people served.
    2. Define the responsibilities of collaborating partners.
    3. Discuss efforts to be made throughout the project period to 
ensure that the intervention will be sustained once Federal funding 
ends.

E. Dissemination

    Provide a clear dissemination plan to include but not limited to, 
the timely sharing of findings with local partners; and include a plan 
to work with CDC and other sites to ensure that analysis and production 
of peer-reviewed papers, and reports give priority to findings that can 
be used to develop national prevention recommendations for young people 
in alternative educational settings to prevent HIV and STDs.

F. Budget with Justification

    Provide a detailed budget request and complete line-item 
justification that is consistent with the proposed activities.

G. Human Subjects

    Describe any risks to human subjects and the procedures that will 
be used to protect human subjects both through local institutional 
review boards. Involvement by the CDC in the design, analysis, and 
dissemination of research involving human subjects also requires the 
study to be cleared through the CDC human subjects review process. The 
applicant will be responsible for providing assurance in accordance 
with the appropriate guidelines and form provided in the application 
kit.

Typing and Mailing

    Applicants are required to submit an original and two copies of the 
application. The application may not exceed 60 single-spaced pages in 
length, excluding appendixes. Provide a one-page abstract of the 
proposal. Number all pages clearly and sequentially and include a 
complete Table of Contents to the application and its appendixes. The 
original and each copy of the application must be submitted unstapled 
and unbound. Print all material, single-spaced, in a 12-point or larger 
font on 8.5'' by 11'' paper, with at least 1'' margins and printed on 
one side only.

Evaluation Criteria (Total 100 Points)

    Objective Review panels evaluate the scientific and technical merit 
of applications and their responsiveness to the information requested 
in the ``Application Content'' section above. Applications will be 
reviewed and evaluated according to the following criteria:

A. Intervention Plan (20 Points)

    1. The extent to which the research proposed will advance efforts 
to reduce the risk of HIV and other STDs among

[[Page 34431]]

young people in alternative educational settings. The extent to which 
the intervention represents a careful application of a theoretically, 
empirically, and programmatically justified prevention approach; can be 
expected to produce the intended effect; and can be evaluated by using 
a scientifically rigorous evaluation design and methods.
    2. The extent to which the intervention is promising, and has the 
potential for use with young people in alternative educational settings 
or with populations served in alternative educational settings (such as 
interventions designed for adjudicated young people).

B. Research Plan (30 Points)

    1. The clarity and testability of the research questions and 
hypotheses, and the extent to which the questions are responsive to the 
intended purposes of the research sought under this cooperative 
agreement.
    2. The extent to which the study and evaluation design and methods 
are scientifically sound and capable of producing the intended results, 
and will result in the adequate recruitment of participants.
    3. The adequacy with which study participants will be tracked, and 
the extent to which strategies presented are likely to produce adequate 
retention of participants.
    4. The extent to which the intervention implementation process can 
be measured and findings used to replicate the intervention in other 
settings, including cost-benefit estimates.
    5. The extent to which the plans for data management, analysis, and 
interpretation are clear, appropriate and are adequately monitored for 
quality.
    6. The extent to which dissemination products will result in the 
generation of peer-reviewed papers and presentations.
    7. The extent to which the evaluation will provide results that are 
scientifically sound, generalizable, and useful for developing national 
recommendations for reducing unprotected sexual intercourse among young 
people in alternative educational settings.
    8. The extent to which the applicant has met the CDC Policy 
requirements regarding the inclusion of women and ethnic and racial 
groups in the proposed research. This includes:
    (a) The proposed plan for the inclusion of both sexes and racial 
and ethnic minority populations for appropriate representation.
    (b) The proposed justification when representation is limited or 
absent.
    (c) A statement as to whether the design of the study is adequate 
to measure differences when warranted.
    (d) A statement as to whether the plans for recruitment and 
outreach for study participants include the process of establishing 
partnerships with community(ies) and recognition of mutual benefits 
will be documented.

C. Research and Intervention Capacity (25 Points)

    1. The feasibility of the proposed research plan and the adequacy 
of the timeline with specific products.
    2. The extent to which the proposed research staff for the project 
represent an interdisciplinary team of behavioral and social scientists 
with the scientific training and the previous scientific and practical 
experience needed to conduct and complete high quality research within 
the specified timeline, as evidenced by the successful completion of 
past research in the areas proposed in this application. The extent of 
the applicant's familiarity with, access to, and good working 
relationships with young people in this setting, as evidenced by 
previous service or research with proposed population.
    3. The adequacy of the proposed staff to conduct all proposed 
activities (i.e., sufficient in number, percentage of time commitments, 
behavioral scientists in key project positions, and qualifications).
    4. The adequacy of facilities, data processing and analysis 
capacity, and systems for management of data security and participant 
confidentiality.

D. Collaboration and Sustainability (15 Points)

    The extent to which the applicant includes academic, program, and 
community partners in developing, conducting, and evaluating the 
proposed research, and to sustain the intervention after completion of 
the research as evidenced by inclusion of appropriate key 
organizations, members of the targeted population, and selected 
collaborators; defined responsibilities for organizations and 
individuals; and planned efforts to ensure that the intervention will 
be sustained once Federal funding ends.

E. Dissemination (10 Points)

    The extent to which the dissemination plan is clearly articulated 
and includes the timely sharing of findings with local partners and a 
plan to work with appropriate others to ensure production of papers and 
presentations.

F. Budget (Not Weighted)

    Extent to which the budget is reasonable, itemized, clearly 
justified, and consistent with the intended use of the funds.

G. Human Subjects (Not Weighted)

    Whether or not exempt from the Department of Health and Human 
Services regulations, procedures must be adequate for the protection of 
human subjects. Recommendations on the adequacy of protections include: 
(1) protections appear adequate and there are no comments to make or 
concerns to raise, or (2) protections appear adequate, but there are 
comments regarding the protocol, or (3) protections appear inadequate 
and the Objective Review Group (ORG) has concerns related to human 
subjects, or (4) disapproval of the application is recommended because 
the research risks are sufficiently serious and protection against the 
risks are inadequate as to make the entire application unacceptable.

Content of Noncompeting Continuation Applications

    In compliance with 45 CFR 74.51(b)(d), 45 CFR 92.10(b)(4) and 
92.40(b), annual noncompeting continuation applications submitted 
within the project period need only include:
    A. A brief progress report that describes the accomplishments of 
the previous budget period.
    B. Any new or significantly revised items or information 
(objectives, scope of activities, operational methods, evaluation, 
etc.) not included in the year 01 application.
    C. An annual budget and justification. Existing budget items that 
are unchanged from the previous budget period do not need 
rejustification. Simply list the items in the budget and indicate that 
they are continuation items. Supporting justification should be 
provided where appropriate.

Executive Order 12372 Review

    Applications are subject to Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs as governed by Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, which sets up a 
system for State and local government review of proposed Federal 
assistance applications. Applicants should contact their State Single 
Point of Contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert them to the 
prospective applications and receive any necessary instructions on the 
State process. For proposed projects serving more than one State, the 
applicant is advised to contact the SPOC for each affected State. A 
current list of

[[Page 34432]]

SPOCs is included in the application kit. If SPOCs have any State 
process recommendations on applications submitted to CDC, they should 
send them to Sharon P. Orum, Grants Management Officer, Grants 
Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Atlanta, 
GA 30305, no later than 30 days after the application deadline date. 
The Program Announcement Number and Program Title should be referenced 
on the document. The granting agency does not guarantee to 
``accommodate or explain'' State process recommendations it receives 
after that date.

Public Health System Reporting Requirements

    This program is subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements. Under these requirements, all community-based 
nongovernmental applicants must prepare and submit the items identified 
below to the head of the appropriate State and/or local health 
agency(s) in the program area(s) that may be impacted by the proposed 
project no later than the receipt date of the Federal application. The 
appropriate State and/or local health agency is determined by the 
applicant. The following information must be provided:
    a. A copy of the face page of the application (SF 424).
    b. A summary of the project that should be titled ``Public Health 
System Impact Statement'' (PHSIS), not to exceed one page, and include 
the following:
    (1) A description of the population to be served;
    (2) A summary of the services to be provided; and,
    (3) A description of the coordination plans with the appropriate 
State and/or local health agencies.
    If the State and/or local health official should desire a copy of 
the entire application, it may be obtained from the State Single Point 
of Contact (SPOC) or directly from the applicant.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.938.

Other Requirements

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

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 
form provided in the application kit.

Women and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups

    It is the policy of the CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and 
Disease Registry (ATSDR) to ensure that individuals of both sexes and 
the various racial and ethnic groups will be included in CDC/ATSDR-
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 or Alaska Native, Asian, 
Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 
White. There will be two categories for data on ethnicity: ``Hispanic 
or Latino'' and ``Not 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 exist that inclusion is 
inappropriate or not feasible, this situation must be explained as part 
of the application. In conducting review for scientific merit, review 
groups will evaluate proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and 
both sexes as part of the scientific assessment of scoring.
    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, pages 47947-47951, dated Friday, September 15, 1995.

HIV/AIDS Requirements

    Recipients must comply with the document entitled Content of AIDS-
Related Written Materials, Pictorials, Audiovisuals, Questionnaires, 
Survey Instruments, and Educational Sessions (June 1992) (a copy is in 
the application kit). To meet the requirements for a program review 
panel, recipients are encouraged to use an existing program review 
panel, such as the one created by the State health department's HIV/
AIDS prevention program. If the recipient forms its own program review 
panel, at least one member must be an employee (or designated 
representative) of a State or local health department. The names of the 
review panel members must be listed on the Assurance of Compliance for 
CDC 0.1113, which is also included in the application kit. The 
recipient must submit the program review panel's report that indicates 
all materials have been reviewed and approved.

Application Submission and Deadline

    An original and two copies of the application PHS Form 5161-1 
(Revised 5/96, OMB Number 0937-0189) must be submitted to Sharron P. 
Orum, Grants Management Officer, Grants Management Branch, Procurement 
and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, Mail Stop E-18, Atlanta, GA 
30305, on or before August 3, 1998.
    1. Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting the 
deadline if they are either:
    (a) Received on or before the deadline date; or
    (b) Sent on or before the deadline date and received in time for 
submission to the objective review group. (Applicants must 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 mailing.)
    2. Late Applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria 
in 1.(a) or 1.(b) above are considered late applications. Late 
applications will not be considered in the current competition and will 
be returned to the applicant.

Where To Obtain Additional Information

    To receive additional written information and to request an 
application kit, call 1-888-GRANTS4 (1-888-472-6874). You will be asked 
to leave your name and address and will be instructed to identify the 
Announcement Number of interest. You will receive a complete program 
description and information on application procedures and application 
forms. If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the 
documents, business management technical assistance may be obtained 
from Glynnis Taylor, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management 
Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), 255 East

[[Page 34433]]

Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300, Mail Stop E-18, Atlanta, GA 30305, 
telephone (404) 842-6593, by fax (404) 842-6513, or by the Internet 
address: [email protected].
    Programmatic technical assistance and information about studies 
cited in this announcement may be obtained from Leah Robin, Ph.D., 
Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic 
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC), 4700 Buford Highway, NE., Mail Stop K-33, 
Atlanta, GA 30341-3717; telephone (770) 488-3210, or by the Internet 
address: [email protected].
    You may obtain this announcement, and other CDC announcements, from 
one of two Internet sites on the actual publication date: CDC's 
homepage at http://www.cdc.gov or at the Government Printing Office 
homepage (including free on-line access to the Federal Register at 
http://www.access.gpo.gov).
    Please refer to Announcement Number 98085 when requesting 
information and submitting an application.
    Potential applicants may obtain a copy of:
    1. ``Healthy People 2000'' (Full Report, Stock No. 017-001-00474-
0), or ``Healthy People 2000'' (Summary Report, Stock No. 017-001-
00473-1), referenced in the ``Introduction'' through the Superintendent 
of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, 
telephone (202) 512-1800.
    2. ``Reaching Out to Youth Out of the Education Mainstream'' (NCJ 
163920), referenced in the section entitled ``Background,'' through the 
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's Juvenile 
Justice Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000; 
telephone (800) 638-8736; E-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: June 18, 1998.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).

Attachment 1

Youth in High-Risk Situations

    The following is the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention's definition of youth in high-risk situations. (From CDC, 
``Report of the Fourth Meeting of the CDC Advisory Committee on the 
Prevention of HIV Infection,'' November 7-8, 1990.)
    Young people between the ages of 10 and 24 who fit at least one 
of the following categories are considered at high risk for HIV 
infection:
1. Homeless youth
2. Runaway youth
3. Youth not in school and unemployed
4. Youth requiring drug or alcohol rehabilitation
5. Youth who interface with the juvenile corrections system
6. Medically indigent youth
7. Youth requiring mental health services
8. Youth in foster homes
9. Migrant farm worker youth
10. Gay or lesbian youth
11. Youth with STDs, especially genital ulcer disease
12. Sexually abused youth
13. Sexually active youth
14. Pregnant youth
15. Youth seeking counseling and testing for HIV infection
16. Youth with signs and symptoms of HIV infection or AIDS without 
alternative diagnosis
17. Youth who barter or sell sex
18. Youth who use illegal injected drugs (including crack cocaine)

    Some characteristics of youth who fit the definition of youth at 
high risk for HIV infection pose barriers to effective intervention. 
Those characteristics include:
1. feeling invulnerable to disease;
2. having little adult supervision, whether at home, having run away 
from home, or having been asked to leave home;
3. a history of emotional, sexual, and/or physical abuse;
4. distrust of adults;
5. serious emotional and personal problems;
6. disenfranchised from institutions that normally provide structure 
and support; and
7. difficulty filling basic human needs for food, shelter, money, 
and safety--consequently placing prevention of HIV infection a low 
priority.

[FR Doc. 98-16766 Filed 6-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P