[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 117 (Monday, June 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32829-32830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15199]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Final Notice on Increasing Income Levels Used To Identify a 
``Low-Income'' Family and Announcement of New Annual ``Low-Income'' 
Levels for Various Health Professions and Nursing Programs Included in 
Titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides the Department's response to comments on 
increasing low-income levels and announces the new ``low-income'' 
levels for various programs included in titles VII and VIII of the 
Public Health Service (PHS) Act, which use the U.S. Bureau of the 
Census ``low-income'' levels to determine eligibility for program 
participation. The Department periodically publishes in the Federal 
Register low-income levels used to determine eligibility for grants and 
cooperative agreements to institutions providing training for (1) 
disadvantaged individuals, (2) individuals from a disadvantaged 
background, or (3) individuals from ``low-income'' families.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    This notice announces the proposed increase in income levels 
intended for use in determining eligibility for participation in the 
following programs:

Advanced Education Nursing (section 811)
Allied Health Special Projects (section 755)
Basic Nurse Education and Practice (section 831)
Dental Public Health (section 768)
Faculty Loan Repayment and Minority Faculty Fellowship Program (section 
738)
General and Pediatric Dentistry (section 747)
Health Administration Traineeships and Special Projects (section 769)
Health Careers Opportunity Program (section 739)
Loans to Disadvantaged Students (section 724)
Physician Assistant Training (section 747)
Primary Care Residency Training (section 747)
Public Health Traineeships (section 767)
Quentin N. Burdick Program for Rural Interdisciplinary Training 
(section 754)
Residency Training in Preventive Medicine (section 768)
Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (section 737)
Public Health Training Centers (section 766)
Nursing Workforce Diversity (section 821)

    These programs generally award grants to accredited schools of 
medicine, osteopathic medicine, public health, dentistry, veterinary 
medicine, optometry, pharmacy, allied health, podiatric medicine, 
nursing, chiropractic, public or private nonprofit schools which offer 
graduate programs in behavioral health and mental health practice, and 
other public or private nonprofit health or education entities to 
assist the disadvantaged to enter and graduate from health professions 
and nursing schools. Some programs provide for the repayment of health 
professions or nursing education loans for disadvantaged students.

Response to Comments

    The Department published a notice in the Federal Register on March 
30, 2001 (66 FR 17433) requesting public comments on increasing income 
levels used to identify a ``low-income'' family for the purpose of 
providing training in the various health professions and nursing 
programs included in titles VII and VIII of the PHS Act. The Department 
received five letters. Each commenter supported the new formula that 
increases income levels used to identify a ``low-income'' family.

Low-Income Levels

    The Secretary defines a ``low-income'' family for programs included 
in titles VII and VIII of the PHS Act as having an annual income that 
does not exceed 200 percent of the Department's poverty guidelines. The 
Department's poverty guidelines are based on poverty thresholds 
published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, adjusted annually for 
changes in the Consumer Price Index.
    The Secretary annually adjusts the low-income levels based on the 
Department's poverty guidelines and makes them available to persons 
responsible for administering the applicable programs. The following 
income figures will be used for health professions and nursing grant 
applications requesting FY 2002 funding.

[[Page 32830]]



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                                                            Income
              Size of parent's family \1\                  level\2\
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1......................................................      $17,180
2......................................................       23,220
3......................................................       29,260
4......................................................       35,300
5......................................................       41,340
6......................................................       47,380
7......................................................       53,420
8......................................................      59,460
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\1\ Includes only dependents listed on Federal Income tax forms.
\2\ Adjusted gross income for calendar year 2000.


    Dated: June 7, 2001.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-15199 Filed 6-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P