[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 121 (Thursday, June 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33897-33900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16141]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, and Center for Substance 
Abuse Prevention; Fiscal Year 1999 Funding Opportunity

AGENCIES: Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse 
Treatment (CSAT), and Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP).

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds for grants to support the 
development of community-based practice/research collaboratives.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance 
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for 
Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and the Center for Substance Abuse 
Prevention (CSAP), announce the availability of FY 1999 funds for 
grants 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.

[[Page 33898]]



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                                                                                   Estimated
             Activity               Application     Estimated funds  available     Number of     Project period
                                      deadline                                       awards
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Practice/Research Collaboratives..     08/11/99  $2.5 Million...................         8-10  1 year.
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    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) 
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 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

[[Page 33899]]

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 may include:
     Availability of funds.

4. Special FY 1999 SAMHSA Activity

4.1. Bridging the Gap: Developing Community-Based Practice/Research 
Collaboratives (Short Title: Practice/Research Collaboratives, TI 99-
006)

     Application Deadline: August 11, 1999.
     Purpose: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) 
announces the availability of grants to support the development of 
Practice/Research Collaboratives hereinafter referred to as PRCs. The 
purpose of this program is to improve the quality of substance abuse 
clinical preventive and treatment services by increasing interaction 
and knowledge exchange among key community based stakeholders, 
including substance abuse treatment providers, community-based 
organizations providing support services to substance abusers, 
researchers, and policy makers, including health plan managers and 
purchasers of substance abuse treatment. It is expected that the PRCs 
will develop the necessary infrastructure and capacity to further 
knowledge development and to be able to participate effectively in 
federally-funded knowledge development and applications projects. 
Through these efforts, the PRCs will be able, over time, to make 
significant contributions to the field's knowledge and understanding 
about substance abuse treatment and related clinical preventive 
practices. SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Prevention is 
participating with CSAT in this initiative.
    This program is eventually expected to have two types of grants: 
Development Grants and Implementation Grants. This announcement (GFA 
No. TI99-006) provides guidelines for Development Grant applications 
only.
     Priorities: None.
     Eligible Applicants: Applications for Development Grants 
may be submitted by domestic public and private nonprofit and for-
profit entities, such as community-based organizations, public or 
private universities, colleges, and hospitals, and units of State or 
local government.
     Grants/Amount: It is estimated that $2.5 million will be 
available to support approximately 8-10 Development awards under this 
program in FY 1999. Awards are not expected to exceed $250,000 in total 
costs (direct+indirect). CSAT anticipates that next fiscal year there 
will be funds to support both Development and Implementation Grants.
     Period of Support: Support will be available for a period 
of 12 months to develop full network membership, establish the 
operational model proposed for the PRC, and develop research and 
knowledge application plans in preparation for submitting a separate 
application for an Implementation Grant.
     Catalog of Domestic Federal Assistance: 93.230.
     Program Contact: For programmatic or technical assistance 
(not for application kits) contact:

Fran Cotter, Office of Managed Care, Center for Substance Abuse 
Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 
Rockwall II, Suite 740, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 
443-8796,
    or
Ed Craft, Ph.D., Office of Evaluation, Scientific Analysis and 
Synthesis, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration, Rockwall II, Suite 840, 5600 
Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-3953

     For grants management assistance, contact: Peggy Jones, 
Division of Grants Management, OPS, Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration, Rockwall II, Suite 614, 5600 Fishers Lane, 
Rockville, Maryland 20857, (301) 443-9666.
     Application kits are available from: National 
Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, PO Box 2345, Rockville, 
MD 20847-2345, (1-800) 729-6686.

5. Public Health System Reporting Requirements

    This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements.

6. 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.

7. Executive Order 12372

    Applications submitted in response to the FY 1999 activity listed 
above are subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of 
Executive Order 12372, as implemented through DHHS regulations at 45 
CFR Part 100. E.O. 12372 sets up a system for State and local 
government review of applications for Federal financial assistance. 
Applicants (other than Federally

[[Page 33900]]

recognized Indian tribal governments) should contact the State's Single 
Point of Contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert them to the 
prospective application(s) and to receive any necessary instructions on 
the State's review process. For proposed projects serving more than one 
State, the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC of each affected 
State. A current listing of SPOCs is included in the application 
guidance materials. The SPOC should send any State review process 
recommendations directly to: Office of Extramural Activities, Policy 
and Review, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 
Parklawn Building, Room 17-89, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 
20857.
    The due date for State review process recommendations is no later 
than 60 days after the specified deadline date for the receipt of 
applications. SAMHSA does not guarantee to accommodate or explain SPOC 
comments that are received after the 60-day cut-off.

    Dated: June 18, 1999.
Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-16141 Filed 6-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P