[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 33 (Thursday, February 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8186-8188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3863]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 Funding Opportunities

AGENCY: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of funding availability.

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SUMMARY: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
(SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) announces the 
availability of FY 2000 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 Parts I and II of the 
Guidance for Applicants (GFA) before preparing an application. Part I 
is entitled Cooperative Agreement for a Technical Assistance Center for 
the Evaluation of Adult Mental Health Systems Change. Part II is 
entitled General Policies and Procedures Applicable to all SAMHSA 
Applications for Discretionary Grants and Cooperative Agreements.

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                                                     Estimated
                                    Application        funds        Estimated No. of
            Activity                 deadline      available, FY         awards              Project period
                                                       2000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TA Center for Evaluation of            4/17/2000        $600,000  One................  3 years.
 Adult Mental Health Systems
 Change.
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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 2000 funds for the activity 
discussed in this announcement were appropriated by the Congress under 
Public Law No. 106-113. 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).
    SAMHSA has published additional notices of available funding 
opportunities for FY 2000 in past issues of the Federal Register.

General Instructions

    Applicants must use application form PHS 5161-1 (Rev. 6/99; OMB No. 
0920-0428). The application kit contains the two-part application 
materials (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 
described in Section 4 are also available electronically via SAMHSA's 
World Wide Web Home Page (address: http://www.samhsa.gov).

Application Submission

    Applications must be submitted to: Mr. Ray Lucero, SAMHSA Referral 
Officer, Division of Extramural Activities, Policy and Review, 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Parklawn 
Building, Room 17-89, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857* (* 
Applicants who wish to use express mail or courier service should 
change the zip code to 20852.).

Application Deadlines

    The deadline for receipt of applications is April 17, 2000.
    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).

Programmatic Information

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

[[Page 8187]]

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 2000 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 2000 KD&A program 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 it is 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, and 
preparation of special materials will be used, in addition to normal 
communication 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 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

3.1  General Review Criteria
    Review criteria that will be used by the peer review groups are 
specified in the application guidance material.
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. Availability 
of funds will also be an award criteria. Additional award criteria 
specific to the programmatic activity may be included in the 
application guidance materials.

4. Special FY 2000 SAMHSA Activities

    Cooperative Agreement for a Technical Assistance Center for the 
Evaluation of Adult Mental Health Systems Change (short title: TA 
Center for Evaluation, SM00-002)
     Application Deadline: The receipt date is April 17, 2000.
     Purpose: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) 
announces the availability of funds to support a Technical Assistance 
Center for the Evaluation of Adult Mental Health Systems Change in 
order to provide evaluation technical assistance to States, public and 
private non-profit entities, to assist them in using the results of KDA 
program evaluation and to improve the planning, development, and 
operation of adult mental health services provided under the Community 
Mental Health Block Grant.
     Eligible Applicants: Public and domestic private non-
profit and for-profit entities, units of State or local government, 
community-based organizations, and State or private universities and 
colleges.
     Amount: $600,000 in total costs (direct and indirect) to 
support one award.
    Period of Support: Support may be requested for a period of up to 3 
years.
     Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.119.
     Program Contact: For questions concerning program issues, 
contact: Mary L. Westcott, Ph.D., Community Support Program Branch, 
Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health 
Services Administration, Room 11C26, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 
20857, (301) 443-2826.
    For questions regarding grants management issues, contact: Steve 
Hudak, Grants Management Officer, Division of Grants Management, OPS, 
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Room 13-301, 
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, (301) 443-4446.
     Application kits are available from: National Mental 
Health Services, Knowledge Exchange Network (KEN), P.O. Box 42490, 
Washington, DC 20015, Telephone: 1-800-789-2647, TTY: (301) 443-9006, 
Fax: (301) 984-8796.

5. Public Health System Reporting Requirements

    The Public Health System Impact Statement (PHSIS) is intended to 
keep State and local health officials apprised of proposed health 
services grant and cooperative agreement applications submitted by 
community-based nongovernmental organizations within their 
jurisdictions.
    Community-based nongovernmental service providers who are not 
transmitting their applications through the State must submit a PHSIS 
to the head(s) of the appropriate State and local health agencies in 
the area(s) to be affected not later than the pertinent receipt date 
for applications. This PHSIS consists of the following information:
    a. A copy of the face page of the application (Standard form 424).
    b. A summary of the project (PHSIS), not to exceed one page, which 
provides:
    (1) A description of the population to be served.
    (2) A summary of the services to be provided.
    (3) A description of the coordination planned with the appropriate 
State or local health agencies.
    State and local governments and Indian Tribal Authority applicants 
are not subject to the Public Health System Reporting Requirements.
    Application guidance materials will specify if a particular FY 2000 
activity

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is 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, Public Law 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 2000 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 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: Division 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: February 13, 2000.
Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, SAMHSA.
[FR Doc. 00-3863 Filed 2-16-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P