[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 97 (Thursday, May 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27590-27592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12710]



[[Page 27590]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention


Fiscal Year 1999 Funding Opportunity

AGENCIES: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health 
Services, Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary 
Education, Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and 
Delinquency Prevention.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds for a cooperative agreement for 
a coordinating center for the development of community partnerships and 
the provision of technical assistance to prevent school violence and 
enhance resilience.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance 
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for 
Mental Health Services (CMHS), and the Departments of Education and 
Justice (Agencies) announce the availability of FY 1999 funds for one 
cooperative agreement for the following activity. This activity is 
discussed in more detail under section 4 of this notice. This notice is 
not a complete description of the activity; potential applicants must 
obtain a copy of the Guidance for Applicants (GFA) before preparing an 
application.

    Note: SAMHSA also published notices of available funding 
opportunities for FY 1999 in previous issues of the Federal Register.

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                                                                           Estimated
            Activity                Application      Estimated funds       number of         Project period
                                     deadline           available           awards
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Violence Prevention Coordination        07/13/99  $2.8 Million........               1  Up to 3 yrs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The actual amount available for awards and their allocation may 
vary, depending on unanticipated program requirements and the number 
and quality of applications received. FY 1999 funds for the activity 
discussed in this announcement were appropriated by the Congress under 
Public Law No. 105-277. SAMHSA's policies and procedures for peer 
review and Advisory Council review of grant and cooperative agreement 
applications were published in the Federal Register (Vol. 58, No. 126, 
page 35962) on July 2, 1993.
    The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the 
health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People 
2000, a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. The 
SAMHSA Centers' substance abuse and mental health services activities 
address issues related to Healthy People 2000 objectives of Mental 
Health and Mental Disorders; Alcohol and Other Drugs; Clinical 
Preventive Services; HIV Infection; and Surveillance and Data Systems. 
Potential applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000 (Full 
Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-
001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government 
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone: 202-512-1800).

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: Applicants must use application form PHS 5161-1 
(Rev. 5/96; OMB No. 0937-0189). The application kit contains the GFA 
(complete programmatic guidance and instructions for preparing and 
submitting applications), the PHS 5161-1 which includes Standard Form 
424 (Face Page), and other documentation and forms. Application kits 
may be obtained from the organization specified for the activity 
covered by this notice (see section 4).
    When requesting an application kit, the applicant must specify the 
particular activity for which detailed information is desired. This is 
to ensure receipt of all necessary forms and information, including any 
specific program review and award criteria.
    The PHS 5161-1 application form and the full text of the activity 
(i.e., the GFA) described in section 4 are available electronically via 
SAMHSA's World Wide Web Home Page (address: http://www.samhsa.gov).

APPLICATION SUBMISSION: Applications must be submitted to: SAMHSA 
Programs, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 
Suite 1040, 6701 Rockledge Drive MSC-7710, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-
7710.*

(* Applicants who wish to use express mail or courier service should 
change the zip code to 20817.)

APPLICATION DEADLINES: The deadline for receipt of applications is 
listed in the table above.
    Competing applications must be received by the indicated receipt 
date to be accepted for review. An application received after the 
deadline may only be accepted if it carries a legible proof-of-mailing 
date assigned by the carrier and that date is not later than one week 
prior to the deadline date. Private metered postmarks are not 
acceptable as proof of timely mailing.
    Applications received after the deadline date and those sent to an 
address other than the address specified above will be returned to the 
applicant without review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for activity-specific 
technical information should be directed to the program contact person 
identified for the activity covered by this notice (see section 4).
    Requests for information concerning business management issues 
should be directed to the grants management contact person identified 
for the activity covered by this notice (see section 4).

1. Program Background and Objectives

    SAMHSA's mission within the Nation's health system is to improve 
the quality and availability of prevention, early intervention, 
treatment, and rehabilitation services for substance abuse and mental 
illnesses, including co-occurring disorders, in order to improve health 
and reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society.
    Reinventing government, with its emphases on redefining the role of 
Federal agencies and on improving customer service, has provided SAMHSA 
with a welcome opportunity to examine carefully its programs and 
activities. As a result of that process, SAMHSA moved assertively to 
create a renewed and strategic emphasis on using its resources to 
generate knowledge about ways to improve the prevention and treatment 
of substance abuse and mental illness and to work with State and local 
governments as well as providers, families, and consumers to 
effectively use that knowledge in everyday practice.
    SAMHSA's FY 1999 Knowledge Development and Application (KD&A) 
agenda is the outcome of a process whereby providers, services 
researchers, consumers, National Advisory Council

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members and other interested persons participated in special meetings 
or responded to calls for suggestions and reactions. From this input, 
each SAMHSA Center developed a ``menu'' of suggested topics. The topics 
were discussed jointly and an agency agenda of critical topics was 
agreed to. The selection of topics depended heavily on policy 
importance and on the existence of adequate research and practitioner 
experience on which to base studies. While SAMHSA's FY 1999 KD&A 
programs will sometimes involve the evaluation of some delivery of 
services, they are services studies and application activities, not 
merely evaluation, since they are aimed at answering policy-relevant 
questions and putting that knowledge to use.
    SAMHSA differs from other agencies in focusing on needed 
information at the services delivery level, and in its question-focus. 
Dissemination and application are integral, major features of the 
programs. SAMHSA believes that it is important to get the information 
into the hands of the public, providers, and systems administrators as 
effectively as possible. Technical assistance, training, preparation of 
special materials will be used, in addition to normal communications 
means.
    SAMHSA also continues to fund legislatively-mandated services 
programs for which funds are appropriated.

2. Special Concerns

    SAMHSA's legislatively-mandated services programs do provide funds 
for mental health and/or substance abuse treatment and prevention 
services. However, SAMHSA's KD&A activities do not provide funds for 
mental health and/or substance abuse treatment and prevention services 
except sometimes for costs required by the particular activity's study 
design. Applicants are required to propose true knowledge application 
or knowledge development and application projects. Applications seeking 
funding for services projects under a KD&A activity will be considered 
nonresponsive.
    Applications that are incomplete or nonresponsive to the GFA will 
be returned to the applicant without further consideration.

3. Criteria for Review and Funding

    Consistent with the statutory mandate for SAMHSA to support 
activities that will improve the provision of treatment, prevention and 
related services, including the development of national mental health 
and substance abuse goals and model programs, competing applications 
requesting funding under the specific project activity in section 4 
will be reviewed for technical merit in accordance with established 
PHS/SAMHSA peer review procedures.

3.1  General Review Criteria

    As published in the Federal Register on July 2, 1993 (Vol. 58, No. 
126), SAMHSA's ``Peer Review and Advisory Council Review of Grant and 
Cooperative Agreement Applications and Contract Proposals,'' peer 
review groups will take into account, among other factors as may be 
specified in the application guidance materials, the following general 
criteria:
     Potential significance of the proposed project;
     Appropriateness of the applicant's proposed objectives to 
the goals of the specific program;
     Adequacy and appropriateness of the proposed approach and 
activities;
     Adequacy of available resources, such as facilities and 
equipment;
     Qualifications and experience of the applicant 
organization, the project director, and other key personnel; and
     Reasonableness of the proposed budget.

3.2  Funding Criteria for Scored Applications

    Applications will be considered for funding on the basis of their 
overall technical merit as determined through the peer review group and 
the appropriate National Advisory Council review process.
    Other funding criteria will include:
     Availability of funds.

4. Special FY 1999 SAMHSA Activity

4.1. Coordinating Center for the Development of Community Partnerships 
and the Provision of Technical Assistance to Prevent School Violence 
and Enhance Resilience (Violence Prevention Coordination, SM 99-013)

     Application Deadline: July 13, 1999
     Purpose: The U. S. Department of Health and Human 
Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
(SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and the Departments 
of Education and Justice announce the availability of a cooperative 
agreement for a Coordinating Center for the Development of Community 
Partnerships and the Provision of Technical Assistance to Prevent 
School Violence and Enhance Resilience, hereinafter referred to as the 
Violence Prevention Coordinating Center (VPC), to provide technical 
assistance for grantees in the Inter-Departmental Safe Schools/Healthy 
Students (SS/HS) Initiative, the CMHS School Action Grant Program, and 
other CMHS violence prevention-related activities. This Cooperative 
Agreement requires the grantee to develop a model for providing 
assistance designed to provide the highest quality of facilitation, 
training, and technical assistance to the Federal grantees in SS/HS and 
School Action Grant programs and to other contractors involved in the 
CMHS School Violence Prevention program by creating an organized group 
of nationally known experts and established TA entities who have the 
knowledge and skills pertinent to the programmatic goals of the 
targeted grantees. Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative and School 
Action grantees are linked to expert consultants through individualized 
brokering based on local need. The VPC Consultant/Broker is responsible 
for matching a grantee's TA needs to an expert or experts who can be 
effective in offering consultation or facilitation in solving specific 
grantee problems or challenges. Over the course of this grant program, 
TA could increasingly be provided by peer grantees who have developed 
significant expertise. The VPC shall emphasize and encourage 
accountability through the creation and maintenance of continuous 
feedback mechanisms.
     Eligibility: Applications may be submitted by domestic 
public or private nonprofits such as incorporated volunteer 
organizations, units of State or local governments, community-based 
organizations, and public or private universities, colleges, and 
hospitals. The U.S. Department of Education is an essential partner in 
the Inter-Departmental Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. The 
Department of Education is statutorily restricted to funding only 
nonprofit recipients. It is seen to be in the interest of the 
Departments and the Inter-Departmental grantees to provide technical 
assistance in a comprehensive and coordinated manner to the Inter-
Departmental grantees, and to avoid the separation and fragmentation 
involved in awarding to two types of recipients, i.e., a profit maker 
and a nonprofit. The grantees will thus be able to obtain assistance 
from one source, a nonprofit, which will better ensure the success and 
effectiveness of the Initiative.
     Grants/Amounts: Approximately $2.8 million will be 
available per year to support one grantee. This award covers both 
direct and indirect costs.
     Period of Support: Support may be requested for a period 
of up to 3 years. Annual awards will be made subject to

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continued availability of funds and progress achieved.
     Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.230
     Program Contact: For programmatic or technical assistance 
contact:

Gail F. Ritchie, M.S.W., Special Programs Development Branch, Division 
of Program Development, Special Populations and Projects, Center for 
Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 18C-07, Rockville, MD 20857, 
(301) 443-7790, 301-443-7912 (Fax).
Gwendolyn G. Bennett, Public Health Advisor, Special Programs 
Development Branch, Division of Program Development, Special 
Populations and Projects, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance 
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, 
Room 18C-07, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-7790, (301) 443-7912 (Fax).

     Questions Regarding Grants Management Issues may be 
directed to Stephen J. Hudak, Division of Grants Management, OAPS, 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Room 15C-05, Rockville, Maryland 20857; (301) 443-4456, E-Mail: 
[email protected].
     For application kits, contact: Knowledge Exchange Network 
(KEN). PO Box 42490, Washington, DC 20015. Voice (800) 789-2647, TTY: 
(301) 443-9006, FAX (301) 984-8796

5. PHS Non-Use of Tobacco Policy Statement

    The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to 
provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco 
products. In addition, Pub. L. 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, 
prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion 
of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day 
care, health care, or early childhood development services are provided 
to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and 
advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

    Dated: May 11, 1999.
Nelba Chavez,
Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration.

    Dated: May 13, 1999.
Judith Johnson,
Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary 
Education.

    Dated: May 14, 1999.
Shay Bilchik,
Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
[FR Doc. 99-12710 Filed 5-19-99; 8:45 am]
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