[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 136 (Friday, July 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43769-43770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-17835]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Program Announcement Number 00102]


Announcement of a Cooperative Agreement With the Hispanic-Serving 
Health Professions Schools (HSHPS), Inc. To Enhance Research, 
Infrastructure, and Capacity Building

A. Purpose

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency 
for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) announce the 
availability of fiscal year (FY) 2000 funds for a cooperative agreement 
program with the Hispanic-Serving Health Professions Schools, Inc. 
(HSHPS). The purpose of the program is to assist the HSHPS in 
developing the commitment and capacity of their member institutions to 
promote education, development, research, leadership and community 
partnerships that enhance the health status of Hispanics in the United 
States and enhance the participation of Hispanics in the health 
professions.
    The CDC and ATSDR are committed to achieving the health promotion 
and disease prevention objectives of ``Healthy People 2010'', a 
national activity to reduce morbidity and mortality and to improve the 
quality of life. This announcement is related to the 2010 objectives 
which specify improving the health of groups of people bearing a 
disproportionate burden of poor health as compared to the total 
population. Several themes distinguished ``Healthy People 2010'' from 
past efforts, reflecting the progress and experience of 10 years, as 
well as an expanded science base for developing health promotion and 
disease prevention objectives. The framework of ``Healthy People 2010'' 
consists of two broad goals which are to:
    1. Increase quality and years of healthy life; and
    2. Eliminate health disparities.
    ``Healthy People 2010'' is well established as the Nation's 
prevention goals and as a scorecard for monitoring health status. The 
new national goals and objectives for ``Healthy People 2010'' will 
build upon this foundation by establishing a small set of leading 
health indicators that could be presented to the general public and 
non-health professionals as an introduction to ``Healthy People''. 
``Healthy People 2010'' will be a tool for monitoring America's health. 
For the conference copy of ``Healthy People 2010'' visit the internet 
site: http://www.health.gov/healthypeople>
    The life expectancy of Americans has steadily increased. In 1979, 
when the first set of national health targets was published in ``Health 
People: The Surgeon General's Report on Health Promotion and Disease 
Prevention'', average life expectancy was 73.7 years. Based on current 
mortality experience, babies born in 1995 are expected to live 75.8 
years. However, people have become increasingly interested in other 
health goals, such as preventing disability, improving functioning, and 
relieving pain and the distress caused by physical and emotional 
symptoms.
    The proportion of the population who assess their current health 
status positively has not changed substantially during the past decade. 
In 1987, the percentage was 90.4 percent. During the same period, the 
percentage of the population reporting that they were limited in major 
activity due to chronic conditions actually increased from 18.9 percent 
in 1988, to 21.4 percent in 1995.
    Eliminating disparities by the year 2010 will require new knowledge 
about the determinants of disease and effective interventions for 
prevention and treatment. It will also require improved access for all 
to the resources that influence health. Reaching this goal will 
necessitate improved collection and use of standardized data to 
correctly identify all high-risk populations and monitor the 
effectiveness of health interventions targeting these groups. Research 
dedicated to a better understanding of the relationships between health 
status and income, education, race and ethnicity, cultural influences, 
environment, and access to quality medical services will help us 
acquire new insights into eliminating the disparities and developing 
new ways to apply our existing knowledge toward this goal. Improving 
access to quality health care and the delivery of preventive and 
treatment services will require working more closely with communities 
to identify culturally sensitive implementation strategies.
    Although health statistics on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status 
and disabilities are sparse, the data we do have demonstrate the volume 
of work needed to eliminate health disparities. The greatest 
opportunities for improvement and the greatest threats to the future 
health status of the nation reside in the population groups that have 
historically been disadvantaged economically, educationally and 
politically. We must do a better job in identifying the disparities 
that exist, work toward elimination, and strive to create better health 
for all.

B. Eligible Applicants

    Assistance will be provided only to the Hispanic-Serving Health 
Professions Schools (HSHPS). No other applications are solicited.
    The Hispanic-Serving Health Professions Schools (HSHPS), Inc. is a 
non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1996 in response to 
the President's Executive Order 12900, ``Educating Excellence for 
Hispanic Americans.'' The mission of the HSHPS is to develop the 
commitment of the member institutions to promote education, research, 
leadership and community partnership that enhance the participation of 
Hispanics in the health professions and to enhance the health status of 
Hispanics in the United States. The HSHPS are the most appropriate and 
qualified institutions to provide services specified under this 
cooperative agreement because:
    1. HSHPS represents 16 medical schools across the country with a 9 
percent Hispanic student enrollment. These schools represent a primary 
educational system that educate and train Hispanic health care 
providers across the United States, with a potential for encompassing a 
full spectrum of the health care providers needed by the Hispanic 
population groups.
    2. HSHPS principle goals are:
    a. to strengthen the nation's capacity to educate and increase the 
numbers of high-quality Hispanic health care providers to serve and 
improve the health status of Hispanics and other populations now and 
into the 21st century;
    b. to develop educational opportunities for health professions 
schools in curriculum, research, and clinical experiences that will 
enable Hispanic and non-Hispanic health professions students to provide 
excellent health care to Hispanic populations;
    c. to establish or expand outreach projects, grants and 
scholarships for Hispanics to enter health professions careers;
    d. to stimulate health professions institutions to increase, 
promote and retain Hispanic faculty and researchers;
    e. to identify targeted health outcomes which will improve the 
health of

[[Page 43770]]

Hispanic populations and support health policies, systems of care, and 
projects which help to achieve these outcomes; and
    f. to promote collaboration at the regional and national levels 
between educational institutions, communities and other partners.
    3. Through the collective efforts of its member institutions, the 
HSHPS has demonstrated the ability to work with academic institutions, 
government health agencies, and the private sectors on mutual 
education, service, and research endeavors.
    4. The HSHPS has demonstrated that it has the leadership necessary 
to attract minority health professions into public health or health 
related professional careers.
    5. The HSHPS has the infrastructure to consult with Hispanic health 
professionals through its national organizations whose member 
institutions are all predominately Hispanic-serving health professions 
institutions with excellent professional performance records.

C. Availability of Funds

    Approximately $300,000 is available in FY 2000 to fund this 
cooperative agreement. Subawards will be funded through CDC and ATSDR. 
A cumulative award of approximately $2,000,000 to the HSHPS is expected 
during FY 2000. It is expected that the awards will begin on September 
30, 2000.
    Funding estimates may vary and are subject to change. Continuation 
awards within the project period will be made on the basis of 
satisfactory progress and the availability of funds.

D. Where to Obtain Additional Information

    A complete program description and information on application 
procedures are contained in the application package. Business 
management technical assistance may be obtained from Dorimar Rosado, 
Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and 
Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2920 
Brandywine Road, Room 3000, M.S. E-15, Koger Center, Colgate Building, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724. Telephone 770-488-2736. E-mail address 
[email protected].
    Program technical assistance may be obtained from Karen E. Harris, 
Senior Advisor for Research Projects, Office of the Associate Director 
for Minority Health, Office of the Director, Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Northeast, Mailstop D-39, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30333. Telephone (404) 639-4313, E-mail address 
[email protected].

    Dated: July 10, 2000.
John L. Williams,
Director, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 00-17835 Filed 7-13-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4163-18-P