[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 111 (Friday, June 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30937-30938]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14455]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


State Grants for Traumatic Brain Injury

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 
announces that about $1.2 million in fiscal year (FY) 2001 funds is 
available for up to 14 State Grants for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) 
awards. Grant programs for TBI provide health and other services for 
people who have sustained a traumatic brain injury. Awards will be made 
in two categories--Planning Grants, to assist States in developing the 
infrastructure needed to implement a State TBI program; and a new 
category of Post Demonstration Grants for States which have 
successfully completed a TBI Implementation Grant. All grants will be 
made under the program authority of the Public Health Service Act, 
Title XII, Section 1252 (42 U.S.C. 300d-52), as amended, and will be 
administered by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), HRSA. 
Awards for TBI Planning Grants (CFDA #93.234B) may be approved for up 
to two years, and range from $50,000 to $75,000. Awards for TBI Post 
Demonstration Grants (CFDA #93.234C) are available for only one year, 
in amounts up to $100,000. Funding for these grant categories beyond FY 
2001 is contingent upon the availability of funds.

DATES: Entities which intend to submit an application for this grant 
program are expected to notify MCHB's Division of their intent by June 
18, 2001. The deadline for receipt of applications is July 16, 2001. 
Applications will be considered ``on time'' if they are either received 
on or before the deadline date or postmarked on or before the deadline 
date. The projected award date is September 29, 2001.

ADDRESSES: To receive a complete application kit, applicants may 
telephone the HRSA Grants Application Center at 1-877-477-2123 (1-877-
HRSA-123) beginning June 4, 2001, or register on-line at: http://www.hrsa.gov/_order3.htm directly. The Traumatic Brain Injury State 
Grant Program uses the standard Form PHS 5161-1 (rev. 7/00) for 
applications (approved under OMB No. 0920-0428). Applicants must use 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) #93.234B when requesting 
an application kit. The CFDA is a Government-wide compendium of 
enumerated Federal programs, project services, and activities which 
provide assistance. All applications must be mailed or delivered to 
Grants Management Officer, MCHB: HRSA Grants Application Center, 1815 
N. Fort Meyer Drive, Suite 300, Arlington , Virginia 22209: telephone 
1-877-477-2123: E-mail: [email protected].
    Necessary application forms and an expanded version of this Federal 
Register notice may be downloaded in either Microsoft Office 2000 or 
Adobe Acrobat format (.pdf) from the MCHB Home Page at http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov. Please contact Joni Johns, at 301/443-2088, or 
[email protected]/, if you need technical assistance in accessing the 
MCHB Home Page via the Internet.
    This notice will appear in the Federal Register and or HRSA Home 
Page at http://www.hrsa.dhhs.gov/. Federal Register notices are found 
on the World Wide Web by following instructions at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html.
    Letter of Intent: Notification of intent to apply should be 
directed to Betty Hastings, M.S.W., by email, [email protected]/; or 
mail, MCHB, HRSA; Division of Child, Adolescent and Family Health, 
Parklawn Building, Room 18A-38; 5600 Fishers Lane; Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betty Hastings, M.S.W., 301/443-5599, 
or email: [email protected]/ (for questions specific to project 
objectives and activities of the program; or the required Letter of 
Intent); Marilyn Stewart, 301/443-1440, email [email protected]/ (for 
grants policy, budgetary, and business questions).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Traumatic brain injury (i.e., cranio-
cerebral head trauma) is an occurrence of injury to the head arising 
from blunt or penetrating trauma or from acceleration-deceleration 
forces that is associated with any of these symptoms or signs 
attributed to the injury: Decreased level of consciousness, amnesia, 
other neurologic or neuropsychologic abnormalities, skull fracture, 
diagnosed intracranial lesions, or death.
    Motor vehicle crashes, falls, violence, and sports injuries are the 
major causes of TBI; the number one killer and cause of disability for 
young people in the United States. The Centers of Disease Control and 
Prevention has found that approximately 5.3 million Americans live with 
the effects of TBI. About half the estimated 1.9 million Americans who 
experience TBI each year incur at least short-term disability; 52,000 
people die as a result of their injuries and more than 90,000 people 
sustain severe brain injuries leading to debilitating loss of function. 
The direct medical costs for treatment of TBI have been estimated at 
more than $4 billion annually.
    In 1996, Public Law 104-166 established a program of grants to 
States to carry out TBI demonstration projects to increase access to 
rehabilitation, employment, education, and other long-term community 
support services, in addition to health and medical services.
    State Grants for TBI support projects by States to implement 
statewide systems, ensuring access to comprehensive and coordinated TBI 
Services. These projects are successfully bringing together 
representatives of relevant State agencies, disciplines, organizations, 
and consumers.
    Until FY 2001, two categories of TBI demonstration grant programs 
were available--State TBI Planning Grants and State TBI Implementation 
Grants. To date, 31 States and the District of Columbia have received 
basic planning support to establish the necessary infrastructure core 
capacity components needed to develop an Action Plan to improve the 
State's TBI service system. State TBI planning grantees develop four 
``core capacity'' components, identified as the essential elements in 
any plan for State implementation of a TBI service system. These 
include: (1) A statewide TBI Advisory Board; (2) Designated State 
agency and staff position(s) responsible for State TBI activities; (3) 
a statewide needs/resource assessment to address the full spectrum of 
services from initial acute treatment through rehabilitation and long-
term community services for individuals with TBI; and (4) a statewide 
Action Plan to develop a comprehensive, community-based system of care 
that encompasses physical, psychological, educational, vocational, and 
social aspects of TBI services. This Action

[[Page 30938]]

Plan must also address the needs of individuals with TBI and their 
families.
    State TBI Implementation Grants have been used to help States move 
toward a statewide system that will assure access to comprehensive and 
coordinated services for people with TBI. Through implementation 
grants, States focus on the key priorities identified in their 
statewide action plans. Since FY 1997, 26 States have received 
Implementation Grants, which have addressed the following initiatives 
within the program: (1) Leadership in integrating individuals with TBI 
and their families into the broader service delivery system; (2) Human 
resources, personnel, training, and education on TBI issues; (3) Data 
collection, evaluation, and information management to improve delivery 
of TBI services; (4) Public information and education regarding TBI 
issues; (5) and Coordination with other public health and disability 
community services.
    As part of the reauthorization of the TBI program, in the 
Children's Health Act of 2000, a third grant category has been 
established--Post Demonstration Grants for States which have 
successfully completed a TBI Implementation Grant. The purpose of these 
grants is to continue the systems development efforts begun by an 
Implementation Grant. These new grants will address issues that will 
encompass specific State capacity building initiatives to contribute to 
sustainable change in the system of community services and supports 
that reflect the best practices in the field of traumatic brain injury.
    This Notices announces availability of funds only for TBI Planning 
Grants and TBI Post Demonstration Grants. No awards will be made 
through the Notice for TBI Implementation Grants in FY 2001.
    Authorization: Public Health Service Act, Title XII, Section 1252, 
42 U.S.C. 300d-52, as amended by Public Law 106-310, Section 1304.
    Purpose: The purpose of the TBI grant program is to improve access, 
availability, appropriateness and the acceptability of health and other 
services for people who have sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) 
and their families, through funding systems change initiatives. State 
TBI Planning Grants provide funds to assist States in developing 
infrastructure in the four identified ``core capacity'' components 
identified above. State TBI Post Demonstration Grants provide funds for 
capacity-building initiatives to contribute to sustainable change in 
their systems of community services and supports that reflect best 
practices.
    Eligibility: For all TBI grants, State governments are the only 
eligible applicants for funding. It is understood that applications for 
a TBI Post-Demonstration Grant will come from the State agency 
designated as the lead for TBI services; the State must have completed 
a three-year State TBI Implementation Demonstration Grant.
    Funding Level/Project Period: Approximately $525,000 is available 
in FY 2001 to support seven State TBI State Planning awards, at $75,000 
per award, for project periods of up to two years. Approximately 
$700,000 is available in FY 2001 to support seven TBI State Post 
Demonstration awards, at $100,000 per award, for a one-year project 
period. For each award, the State must contribute, in cash or in kind 
(including plant, equipment and services), not less than $1 for each $2 
of Federal funds provided under the TBI State Grants. Amounts provided 
by the Federal Government, or services assisted or subsidized to any 
significant extent by the Federal Government, may not be included in 
the amount of such contributions.
    The initial budget period for TBI Planning Grants is expected to be 
12 months, with any subsequent budget period being 12 months. 
Continuation of any TBI project from one budget period to the next is 
subject to satisfactory performance, availability of funds, and program 
priorities.
    Review Criteria: Applications will be reviewed using criteria 
covering the following areas:
    (1) State Planning Grants:
    (a) The strength of the plan to develop a statewide Advisory Board.
    (b) The adequacy of the State's methodology to develop the four 
``core capacity'' components.
    (c) The comprehensiveness of the approach to collaboration and 
partnership.
    (d) The adequacy of the organizational and management plan.
    (2) Post Demonstration Grants:
    (a) The capabilities of the designated State lead agency.
    (b) The adequacy of the involvement of the statewide Advisory 
Board.
    (c) The strength of the statewide TBI Action Plan in addressing 
community services and supports that reflect the best practice in the 
field of traumatic brain injury.
    (d) The State's capacity building efforts.
    Final criteria used to review and rank applications for this 
competition are included in the application kit. Applicants should pay 
strict attention to addressing these criteria, as they are the basis 
upon which their applications will be judged.
    Executive Order 12372: This program has been determined to be a 
program which is subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372 
concerning intergovernmental review of Federal programs by appropriate 
health planning agencies, as implemented by 45 CFR Part 100. Executive 
Order 12372 allows States the option of setting up a system for 
reviewing applications from within their States for assistance under 
certain Federal programs. The application packages to be made available 
under this notice will contain a listing of States which have chosen to 
set up such a review system and will provide a single point of contact 
(SPOC) in the States for review. Applicants (other than federally-
recognized Indian tribal governments) should contact their State SPOCs 
as early as possible to alert them to the prospective applications and 
receive any necessary instructions on the State process. For proposed 
projects serving more than one State, the applicant is advised to 
contact the SPOC of each affected State. The due date for State process 
recommendations is 60 days after the application deadline for new and 
competing awards. The granting agency does not guarantee to 
``accommodate or explain'' for State process recommendations it 
receives after that date. (See Part 148, Intergovernmental Review of 
PHS Programs under Executive Order 12372 and 45 CFR Part 100 for a 
description of the review process and requirements).

    Dated: May 31, 2001.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-14455 Filed 6-7-01; 8:45 am]
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