[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9422-9425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4736]



[[Page 9421]]

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Part V





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________



National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Notice of 
Proposed Funding Priorities for Fiscal Years 1999-2000 for Certain 
Centers and Projects; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 37 / Thursday, February 25, 1999 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; 
Notice of Proposed Funding Priorities for Fiscal Years 1999-2000 for 
Certain Centers and Projects

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed funding priorities for fiscal years 1999-
2000 for certain centers and projects.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes funding priorities for four 
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs) and two Disability 
and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs) under the National 
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for fiscal 
years 1999-2000. 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 March 29, 1999.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning these proposed priorities should be 
addressed to Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Maryland 
Avenue, SW, room 3418, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2645. 
Comments may also be sent through the Internet: [email protected].
    You must include the term ``NIDRR Centers and Projects Proposed 
Priorities'' 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) 205-9136. 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 four RRTCs related to: rehabilitation for persons with 
long-term mental illness; rehabilitation for children with disabilities 
with special health care needs; policies affecting the provision of 
services to children with emotional disturbances and their families; 
and improving services and supports to children with emotional 
disturbances and their families. The notice also contains proposed 
priorities for two DRRPs related to: rehabilitation for women with 
disabilities; and analysis of service delivery and policies affecting 
emerging disability populations. The proposed priorities refer to 
NIDRR's proposed Long-Range Plan (LRP). The proposed LRP can be 
accessed on the World Wide Web at:

http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/1998-4/
102698a.html

    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. 762(g) and 764).
    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.

Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers

    Authority for the RRTC program of NIDRR is contained in section 
204(b)(2) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 
764(b)(2)). Under this program the Secretary makes awards to public and 
private organizations, including institutions of higher education and 
Indian tribes or tribal organizations for coordinated research and 
training activities. These entities must be of sufficient size, scope, 
and quality to effectively carry out the activities of the Center in an 
efficient manner consistent with appropriate State and Federal laws. 
They must demonstrate the ability to carry out the training activities 
either directly or through another entity that can provide that 
training.
    The Secretary may make awards for up to 60 months through grants or 
cooperative agreements. The purpose of the awards is for planning and 
conducting research, training, demonstrations, and related activities 
leading to the development of methods, procedures, and devices that 
will benefit individuals with disabilities, especially those with the 
most severe disabilities.

Description of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers

    RRTCs are operated in collaboration with institutions of higher 
education or providers of rehabilitation services or other appropriate 
services. RRTCs serve as centers of national excellence and national or 
regional resources for providers and individuals with disabilities and 
the parents, family members, guardians, advocates or authorized 
representatives of the individuals.
    RRTCs conduct coordinated, integrated, and advanced programs of 
research in rehabilitation targeted toward the production of new 
knowledge to improve rehabilitation methodology and service delivery 
systems, to alleviate or stabilize disabling conditions, and to promote 
maximum social and economic independence of individuals with 
disabilities.
    RRTCs provide training, including graduate, pre-service, and in-
service training, to assist individuals to more effectively provide 
rehabilitation services. They also provide training including graduate, 
pre-service, and in-service training, for rehabilitation research 
personnel and other rehabilitation personnel.
    RRTCs serve as informational and technical assistance resources to 
providers, individuals with disabilities, and the parents, family 
members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of these 
individuals through conferences, workshops, public education programs, 
in-service training programs and similar activities.
    RRTCs disseminate materials in alternate formats to ensure that 
they are accessible to individuals with a range of disabling 
conditions.
    NIDRR encourages all Centers to involve individuals with 
disabilities and individuals from minority backgrounds as recipients of 
research training, as well as clinical training.
    The Department is particularly interested in ensuring that the 
expenditure of public funds is justified by the execution of intended 
activities and the advancement of knowledge and, thus, has built this 
accountability into the selection criteria. Not later than three years 
after the establishment of

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any RRTC, NIDRR will conduct one or more reviews of the activities and 
achievements of the Center. In accordance with the provisions of 34 CFR 
75.253(a), continued funding depends at all times on satisfactory 
performance and accomplishment.

Proposed General Requirements

    The Secretary proposes that the following requirements apply to 
these RRTCs pursuant to these absolute priorities unless noted 
otherwise. An applicant's proposal to fulfill these proposed 
requirements will be assessed using applicable selection criteria in 
the peer review process. The Secretary is interested in receiving 
comments on these proposed requirements:
    Each RRTC must provide: (1) training on research methodology and 
applied research experience; and (2) training on knowledge gained from 
the Center's research activities to persons with disabilities and their 
families, service providers, and other parties, as appropriate.
    Each RRTC must develop and disseminate informational materials 
based on knowledge gained from the Center's research activities, and 
disseminate the materials to persons with disabilities, their 
representatives, service providers, and other interested parties.
    Each RRTC must involve individuals with disabilities and, if 
appropriate, their representatives, in planning and implementing its 
research, training, and dissemination activities, and in evaluating the 
Center.
    Each RRTC must conduct a state-of-the-science conference and 
publish a comprehensive report on the final outcomes of the conference. 
The report must be published in the fourth year of the grant.
    Each RRTC must coordinate with other entities carrying out related 
research or training activities.

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: Rehabilitation for Persons With Long-term Mental 
Illness

Introduction
    Chapter Two of NIDRR's proposed LRP addresses the employment status 
of persons with mental illness (63 FR 57197--57198) and Chapter Six (63 
FR 57208) sets forth the background to research addressing their 
rehabilitation needs within the framework of community integration. The 
National Institute of Mental Health estimates that there are over 3 
million adults ages 18-69 who have a serious mental illness 
(Manderscheid, R.W. & Sonnenschein, M.A. (Eds.), Mental Health, United 
States 1992 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, 
MD; DHHS Publication No.(SMA) 92-1942).
    The psychiatric rehabilitation model includes recovery as an 
outcome for persons experiencing long-term mental illness (LTMI). The 
recovery paradigm is defined as the personal, unique process of 
changing one's attitudes, values, skills, and roles to maximize 
personal functioning (Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, Inc., http:/
/www.psychdismgmt.com/index.html). It refers to persons with LTMI 
regaining social function and developing new meaning and purpose in 
their lives through understanding and accepting their disability, 
taking personal responsibility, developing hope, and effectively 
utilizing support. There is a need to determine the effectiveness of 
the recovery approach to rehabilitation for persons with LTMI.

Proposed Priority

    The Secretary, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration and the Center for Mental Health 
Services, proposes to establish an RRTC on rehabilitation for persons 
with LTMI to address the employment status of persons with LTMI and 
investigate the effectiveness of functional recovery. The RRTC must:
    (1) Investigate individual and environmental factors that 
facilitate or hinder recovery, and describe the recovery process;
    (2) Investigate whether the recovery process differs for 
individuals based on diagnosis, ethnicity, and history of physical or 
psychological abuse;
    (3) Investigate the relationships between recovery and job 
training, education, and employment; and
    (4) Investigate the impact of various alternative health care 
practices and wellness activities such as exercise, diet, meditation, 
peer support, and personal assistance services on employment outcomes 
for persons with LTMI.

Proposed Priority 2: Rehabilitation for Children With Disabilities With 
Special Health Care Needs

Introduction
    Chapter Four of NIDRR's proposed LRP addresses health care and 
health care systems for persons with disabilities (63 FR 57202--57203). 
For the purposes of this proposed priority, children with disabilities 
with special health care needs have a chronic physical, developmental, 
behavioral, or emotional condition and also require health and related 
services of a type or amount beyond that required by children 
generally.
    As the trend toward enrolling Medicaid-eligible populations in 
capitated healthcare delivery programs (e.g., health maintenance 
organizations) continues, States have begun to address the challenges 
of providing coordinated, high quality health care to high cost 
populations. Children with disabilities with special health care are 
among those high cost populations because they tend to need multiple 
services, advanced technologies, and specialized services. Research is 
needed to determine whether cost control strategies are preventing 
children with disabilities with special health care needs from 
receiving access to the range of specialized and support services, and 
technologies that they need to treat their condition and prevent 
further disability.

Proposed Priority

    The Secretary proposes to establish an RRTC to improve 
rehabilitation outcomes for children with disabilities with special 
health care needs. The RRTC must:
    (1) Investigate access to pediatric rehabilitation, including 
specialized and support services, and technologies, by children with 
disabilities with special health care needs;
    (2) Analyze the impact of cost control strategies on the provision 
of health care to children with disabilities with special health care 
needs;
    (3) Identify best practices in the transition from pediatric to 
adult medical care in capitated managed care settings;
    (4) Assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of using 
telerehabilitation to provide health care services to children with 
disabilities with special health care needs in remote settings; and
    (5) Identify training issues for service providers who diagnose and 
assess the assistive technology needs of children with disabilities who 
have special health care needs.
    In carrying out these purposes, the RRTC must coordinate with the 
Maternal and Child Health Bureau and the Office of Policy and Planning 
in the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Special 
Education Programs, the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, and 
the

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Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Telerehabilitation.

Two Priorities Addressing Children With Emotional Disturbances

    Chapter Seven of NIDRR's proposed LRP (63 FR 57213) addresses 
public policy issues for people with disabilities including the 
integration of service systems. Children with emotional disturbances 
and their families are likely to receive services from a number of 
social service systems. Gaining a better understanding of the policies 
that serve as the foundation for these services, and their interaction, 
may contribute to improvements in the quality of services.
    Approximately 3.5 to 4 million youngsters (from ages 9-17) are 
estimated to have an emotional disturbance accompanied by substantial 
functional impairment (Center for Mental Health Services, Publication 
SMA96-308, Chapter 6, 1996).

Proposed Priority 3: Policies Affecting the Provision of Services to 
Children With Emotional Disturbances and Their Families

Introduction
    Many children with emotional disturbances receive services over 
extended periods of time from multiple agencies including child welfare 
and protective services agencies, schools and local educational 
agencies, and elements of the juvenile justice system. Coordination of 
the delivery of services from multiple agencies is a difficult 
undertaking that may be facilitated by ensuring that the public 
policies authorizing the services are compatible and promote 
coordination and collaboration.
    The costs, or part of the costs, of mental health services provided 
to children with emotional disturbances are routinely covered by 
insurance programs. Research is needed to understand the impact of 
changes in the field of health care financing on mental health services 
provided to children with emotional disturbances.

Proposed Priority

    The Secretary, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration and the Center for Mental Health 
Services, proposes to establish an RRTC to improve policies affecting 
the provision of services to children with emotional disturbances and 
their families. The RRTC must:
    (1) Develop an analytical framework for assessing: family 
characteristics and policies, structure of service systems, service 
delivery processes, interagency coordination and collaboration, and 
outcomes for children with emotional disturbances and their families;
    (2) Using the methodology developed above, determine the 
effectiveness of specific policies, implementation strategies, service 
delivery procedures, and coordination practices in meeting the needs of 
children with an emotional disturbances and their families;
    (3) Identify the impact of specific characteristics of interagency 
collaboration and coordination on the provision of services to children 
with emotional disturbances and their families;
    (4) Assess the impact of specific policies on access to services of 
children with emotional disturbances from diverse cultural, linguistic, 
ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds; and
    (5) Investigate the impact of changes in health care financing, 
particularly the State Children's Health Insurance Program, on mental 
health services provided to children with emotional disturbances.
    In carrying out these purposes, the RRTC must:
     Coordinate with the Center for Mental Health Services and 
the Office of Policy and Planning in the Department of Health and Human 
Services, the Office of Special Education Programs, and the Federal 
Interagency Coordinating Council; and
     Establish practical statistical methodologies and 
measurement tools that specifically assess the policies affecting 
families of children with serious emotional disturbance.

Proposed Priority 4: Improving Services and Supports to Children With 
Emotional Disturbances and Their Families

Introduction
    Families of children with emotional disturbances face multiple 
challenges and need appropriate services for their children as well as 
supportive services for the family. Early identification of an 
emotional disturbance is beneficial not only to the child, but also to 
the family who must learn to address the impact of their child's 
behavior on the family and to navigate various service systems. In 
order to address family needs and be successful advocates for their 
child, families must learn to communicate effectively with providers. 
At the same time, service providers must have the ability to understand 
families' needs and respond positively to those needs.

Proposed Priority

    The Secretary, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration and the Center for Mental Health 
Services, proposes to establish an RRTC to improve services and 
supports for children with emotional disturbances and their families. 
The RRTC must:
    (1) Develop and evaluate service delivery models for children with 
an emotional disturbance and their families, including family centered 
and culturally sensitive services;
    (2) Define and evaluate the formal and informal components of 
family support and identify successful family support interventions;
    (3) Identify and evaluate early intervention strategies; and
    (4) Identify, develop, and evaluate communication skills to enable 
families and service providers to communicate effectively with each 
other.
    In carrying out these purposes, the RRTC must coordinate with the 
Center for Mental Health Services and the Office of Policy and Planning 
in the Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of Special 
Education Programs, and the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council.

Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects

    Authority for Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects 
(DRRPs) is contained in section 204(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 
1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 764(a)). 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.

Proposed Priority 5: Improved Economic Outcomes for Women With 
Disabilities

Introduction
    Chapter One of NIDRR's proposed LRP (63 FR 57192) addresses the 
need for research to explore new ways of measuring and assessing 
disability in context, taking into account the effects of physical, 
policy, and social environments, and the dynamic nature of disability 
over the life span and across environments. Among the

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objectives for persons with disabilities are satisfactory employment, 
economic self-sufficiency, and the opportunity to participate in 
mainstream community life.
    There is evidence that the economic conditions of women with 
disability are comparatively poor. Disabled women have lower levels of 
educational attainment, lower employment rates regardless of education, 
and lower earnings. Also, they are more likely to be dependent on 
public income supports, to live in poverty, and to be single parents at 
some time during their lives, with responsibility for the care and 
support of children (Introduction to Disability, McColl, M. and 
Bickenbach, J., Eds., W.B. Saunders Co., 1998).
    NIDRR expects this project to contribute to our understanding of 
strategies that women with disabilities can use to achieve greater 
economic independence. The project may focus on ways to maximize 
earnings from work, self-employment, and financial life planning. In 
the effort to maximize earnings, some women with disabilities at 
various educational levels are setting career goals, attaining 
appropriate training and education throughout the life span, and 
developing networks and support systems to improve their employment 
outcomes. Some disabled women, especially those with young children, 
are now considering the advantages and disadvantages of home-based 
employment.

Proposed Priority

    The Secretary proposes to establish a DRRP to evaluate the economic 
status of women with disabilities and identify strategies to improve 
employment outcomes and economic independence.
    (1) Analyze, using existing data sources, the employment conditions 
and economic status of disabled women, including uses of public and 
private income supports;
    (2) Analyze the skills and conditions that promote lifelong 
economics self-sufficiency for disabled women;
    (3) Identify innovative strategies to improve employment outcomes, 
including earnings, career progression, and benefits packages, for 
women with disabilities; and
    (4) Identify innovative strategies, including peer support 
strategies, to assist disabled women to develop plans to increase 
lifelong economic security.

Proposed Priority 6: Analysis of Service Delivery and Policies 
Affecting Emerging Disability Populations

Introduction
    Chapter 2 of NIDRR's proposed LRP (63 FR 57196-57198) describes 
what has become known as the ``emerging universe of disability.'' 
Demographic, social and environmental trends affect the prevalence and 
distribution of various types of disability as well as the demands of 
those disabilities on social policy and service systems. Studies of 
such emergent disabilities address factors that include: (1) changing 
etiologies for existing disabilities; (2) growth in segments of the 
population with higher prevalence rates for certain disabilities, 
including the aging of the population of individuals with disabilities; 
(3) the consequences of changes in public policy and in health care 
services and technologies; and (4) the appearance of new disabilities.

Proposed Priority

    The Secretary proposes to establish a DRRP to improve the provision 
of services to persons with emerging disabilities. The DRRP must:
    (1) Evaluate the implications of emerging disabilities for service 
systems and social policy; and
    (2) Assess the particular needs, with attention to identifying 
unmet needs of the emerging universe for independent living services, 
assistive technology services, community-based supports, and other 
services such as vocational rehabilitation, special education, medical 
and psychosocial rehabilitation, income supports, and medical 
assistance.
    In carrying out these purposes the DRRP must:
     Use a range of existing data sources to estimate and 
describe the emerging universe of disability and predict future trends;
     Assess the feasibility of using existing, or establishing 
new surveillance systems in order to improve the accuracy of predicting 
changes in the emerging universe;
     Identify etiologies, including environmental or social 
factors, associated with these emerging disabilities;
     Design a practical and prioritized agenda for a future 
research program to address gaps in service delivery, to develop 
interventions and to develop policy approaches to address the 
disability-related problems of various segments of the emerging 
universe; and
     Convene a conference to discuss the Center's findings and 
their implications, with an emphasis on dissemination of results of the 
conference to appropriate NIDRR grantees.

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.html
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 SW, Washington, DC, 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.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.133A, Disability 
and Rehabilitation Research Projects, and 84.133B, Rehabilitation 
Research and Training Centers)

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

    Dated: February 19, 1999.
Curtis L. Richards,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. 99-4736 Filed 2-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P