[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 26, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33968-33971]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15966]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Maternal and Child Health Federal Set-Aside Program; Special 
Projects of Regional and National Significance; Partnership for 
Information and Communication Cooperative Agreement

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), DHHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 
announces that up to $750,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2001 funds is 
available to fund one cooperative agreement under the Partnership for 
Information in Communication (PIC) program activity. This award will be 
made under the program authority of section 501(a)(2) of the Social 
Security Act, the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Federal Set-Aside 
Program (42 USC 701(a)(2)). Within the HRSA, grants and cooperative 
agreements for Special Projects of Regional and National Significance 
(SPRANS) under this authority are administered by the Maternal and 
Child Health Bureau (MCHB). This announcement solicits applications 
only from national membership organizations representing certified 
pediatric care providers. The award for this PIC competition will be 
made for a four-year grant period, with continuation after the first 
year subject to satisfactory performance and the continued availability 
of funds. Funds will come from SPRANS funds appropriated under Public 
Law 106-554.

DATES: Entities which intend to submit an application for this 
cooperative agreement are expected to notify MCHB's Division of Child, 
Adolescent and Family Health of their intent by July 11, 2001. The 
deadline for receipt of applications is August 10, 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 3, 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 26, 2001, or register on-line at: http://
www.hrsa.gov/__order3.htm directly. The PIC program uses the standard 
Form PHS 5161-1 (Rev.7/00). Applicants must use Catalog of Federal 
Domestic Assistance (CFDA) #93.110G when requesting application kits. 
The CFDA is a Government wide compendium of enumerated Federal 
programs, project services, and activities which provide assistance. 
All applications should 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].

[[Page 33969]]

    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 the 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 can be made in 
one of three ways: telephone, 301/443-4996; email, [email protected]/; 
mail, Office of Adolescent Health, MCHB, HRSA; Division of Child, 
Adolescent and Family Health; Parklawn Building, Room 18A-30; 5600 
Fishers Lane; Rockville, MD 20857.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne Martone, 301/443-4996, email: 
[email protected]/ (for questions specific to project objectives and 
activities of the program; or the required Letter of Intent, which is 
further described in the application kit); Curtis Colston, 301/443-
3438, email [email protected]/ (for grants policy, budgetary, and 
business questions).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Program Background and Objectives

    The PIC program was established by MCHB in 1990 as a SPRANS 
initiative to develop, strengthen and maintain communication among 
governmental, professional and private organizations representing 
leaders and policy makers on issues concerning maternal and child 
health. The program provides a mechanism for communication and 
collaboration between and among the PIC member organizations. The 
unifying factor is a strong commitment to the development, improvement 
and maintenance of health care systems as the framework for improved 
maternal and child health status. PIC member organizations, with 
assistance from MCHB, utilize the cooperative agreement to: (1) 
Disseminate new information about maternal and child health in a format 
most useful to policy and decision makers concerned with developing MCH 
policies and programs in the public and private sectors at local, State 
and national levels; (2) facilitate understanding of the maternal and 
child health concerns held by policy and decision makers representing 
PIC member organizations; (3) communicate to the PIC member 
organizations and/or their constituencies the position of MCHB, HRSA 
and key Federal agencies on critical issues; (4) facilitate the 
exchange of views among PIC member organizations and/or their 
constituencies concerning existing and proposed Federal and State 
policies and positions on MCH-related issues and concerns; and (5) 
identify, create and expand opportunities for collaboration and 
coordinated effort in response to new, emerging or ongoing MCH issues 
or concerns or issues with the potential to impact MCH populations or 
programs.
    As with existing PIC cooperative agreements for other organization 
categories, this cooperative agreement is expected to assure improved 
maternal and child health status through improved health care systems. 
The grantee and the MCHB determine what MCH issues will be addressed, 
what information will be transmitted, how that information will be 
transmitted, and how responses to the information will be followed up.
    Specific issues to be addressed in this cooperative agreement 
include: (1) Assisting pediatric practitioners in developing components 
of a ``medical home,'' as defined by the American Academy of Pediatrics 
(AAP). Of particular concern is the capacity of the pediatric 
practitioner to link with other community resources in a timely fashion 
to meet the needs of children and their families, to assure a smooth 
referral of patients and families to those resources, and to assure 
effective communication among care providers to the benefit of children 
and their families. Integration of the concepts found in Bright Futures 
and the Healthy Steps initiative into the medical home is another area 
of interest; (2) promoting the concept of ``family pediatrics'' by 
recognizing the impact of psychosocial issues of the family, both as 
individuals and as a group, on children and the resources needed by 
families to parent effectively, and developing a comprehensive plan to 
assist practicing pediatricians to improve their capacity to deliver 
family-oriented care; (3) assisting in developing the capacity of 
pediatric care providers to recognize family mental health issues, to 
develop appropriate response plans, and to identify and collaborate 
with community resources to meet the mental health needs of their 
patients and families; (4) reviewing the functions of pediatric 
practice in the U.S. as compared to other countries (e.g., Great 
Britain); (5) assisting in developing the role of pediatricians in the 
provision of oral health services and in collaborating with dentists 
and other oral health practitioners to provide early and appropriate 
oral health care for children; (6) contingent upon the continued 
availability of funds, assisting States, Territories, Tribes and 
communities in developing and strengthening linkages between 
pediatricians and child care, other health care and family support 
services via the Healthy Child Care America campaign. This is an 
activity for which the AAP, with support from MCHB and the 
Administration on Children and Families' Child Care Bureau, assumed 
coordination in October 1996.

Authorization

    Section 501(a)(2) of the Social Security Act, the MCH Federal Set-
Aside Program (42 USC 701(a)(2)).

Purpose

    The purpose of this announcement is to solicit applications for a 
PIC cooperative agreement from national membership organizations 
representing certified pediatric care providers.
    The overall purpose of PIC is to facilitate, through cooperative 
agreements with major governmental, professional and private 
organizations representing leaders concerned with issues related to 
maternal and child health, the dissemination of new information in a 
format that will be most useful to them when developing MCH policies 
and programs in the private and public sectors at local, state and 
national levels. The forum offered by PIC provides those individuals 
and organizations a means of communicating issues directly to each 
other and with MCH programs at all levels.
    Organizations currently receiving support as part of this 
cooperative agreement represent State governors and their staffs; State 
legislatures and their staffs; State, city and county local health 
officials; city and county health policymakers; municipal policymakers; 
private business; philanthropic organizations; families of children 
with special health needs; nonprofit and/or for-profit managed care 
organizations; coalitions of organizations promoting the health of 
mothers and infants and; national membership organizations representing 
survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI), providers of emergency 
medical care for children, and State EMSC programs.

Eligibility

    Under SPRANS project grant regulations at 42 CFR 51a.3, any public

[[Page 33970]]

or private entity, including an Indian tribe or tribal organization (as 
defined at 25 U.S.C. 450b), is eligible to apply for grants covered by 
this announcement.

Preference

    For this competition, preference will be given to national 
membership organizations representing certified pediatric care 
providers. Specific issues of importance to be addressed in this 
cooperative agreement include: medical home; family pediatrics; mental 
health; the role of the pediatrician in pediatric care; oral health; 
and the Healthy Child Care America Campaign, which is dedicated to 
expanding the use of national health and safety standards in organized 
day care settings.

Funding Level/Project Period

    Approximately $750,000 is available to support this award in FY 
2001, with a project period of up to four years. Continuation in 
funding of the project from one budget period to the next is subject to 
satisfactory performance, availability of funds, and program 
priorities. The initial budget period is expected to be 12 months, with 
subsequent budget periods being 12 months.

Funding Mechanism

    The administrative and funding instrument to be used for this 
project will be a cooperative agreement, in which substantial MCHB 
scientific and/or programmatic involvement with the awardee is 
anticipated during the performance of the project. Under the terms of 
this Cooperative Agreement, in addition to the required monitoring and 
technical assistance provided under grants, Federal responsibilities 
will include:
    (1) Assurance of the availability of the services of experienced 
Federal personnel to participate in the planning and development of all 
phases of this activity.
    (2) Participation in meetings and seminars conducted during the 
period of the Cooperative Agreement.
    (3) Review and approval of procedures established for carrying out 
the scope of work.
    (4) Assistance in establishing and maintaining Federal interagency 
and interorganizational contacts necessary to carry out the project.
    (5) Participation in the dissemination of information about project 
activities.
    (6) Facilitation of effective project communications and 
accountability to MCHB/HRSA, with special attention to new program 
initiatives and policy development in the public health field relating 
to maternal and child health.

Review Criteria

    The following review criteria will be used to evaluate applications 
for this program:
    (1) Representational Capacity of Applicant. The extent to which the 
applicant provides evidence of the capacity to identify and represent 
the interest and concerns of pediatric care providers.
    (2) Specific Issues and General Concerns in Maternal and Child 
Health. The extent to which the applicant identifies and describes 
programmatic issues that further the purposes of maternal and child 
health and are of concern to both the MCHB and to the applicant, 
analyzes factors relevant to these issues, and determines their 
susceptibility to change.
    (3) Strategies for Addressing Problems. The extent to which the 
applicant discusses methods for achieving a functional collaboration 
with MCHB that addresses items relating to the ``Purpose,'' in item 
(2), above; and also addresses any issues relating to ``Identification 
and Analysis,'' in item (2), above. This discussion is expected to 
include clear descriptions of: (a) How the applicant organization plans 
to improve transmission to its target population of information 
available from the Federal Government about important maternal and 
child health issues; and (b) how the applicant organization plans to 
initiate or increase dialogue between organization members and the 
Federal Government in order to improve prospects for effective maternal 
and child health programming.
    (4) Monitoring and Evaluation. The extent to which the applicant 
describes how the project staff will determine the successful conduct 
and completion of proposed activities, based on the objectives 
outlined. All key activities that are tracked must be identified and 
measured as to the achievement of project goals and objectives.
    (5) Capabilities of the Applicant. The extent to which the 
applicant demonstrates that it is capable of successfully carrying out 
the project, including: (a) The sufficiency of proposed resources; and 
(b) the number and adequacy of proposed project personnel, based on 
curricula vitae that document education, skills and experience relevant 
and necessary for the proposed project.
    (6) Budget Justification. The extent to which the applicant 
documents how it plans to support the activities outlined in the budget 
and justifies how each requested item was determined relative to the 
project plan, including (a) The number of person-hours for each staff 
person, in terms of the project activities requiring the knowledge, 
skills, and experience of each person; and (b) travel times, equipment, 
contractual services, supplies, and other categories. A description of 
contractual services that the applicant plans to use, including the 
purpose, scope and project cost of the contract. The derivation of 
travel costs includes who, where, length of time, purpose, and 
associated costs of each proposed trip.
    Additional criteria may be used to review and rank applications for 
this competition. Any such criteria will be identified in the 
application kit. Applicants should pay strict attention to addressing 
these criteria in addition to those referenced above. Also, to the 
extent that regulatory review criteria generally applicable to all 
Title V programs (at 42 CFR 51a) are relevant to this specific project, 
such factors will be taken into account.
    OMB approval for any data collection in connection with this 
cooperative agreement will be sought, as required under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995.

Public Health System Reporting Requirements

    This program is subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements (approved under OMB No. 0937-0195). Under these 
requirements, the community-based nongovernmental applicant must 
prepare and submit a Public Health System Impact Statement (PHSIS). The 
PHSIS is intended to provide information to State and local health 
officials to keep them apprized of proposed health services grant 
applications submitted by community-based nongovernmental organizations 
within their jurisdictions.
    Community-based nongovernmental applicants are required to submit 
the following information to the head of the appropriate State and 
local health agencies in the area(s) to be impacted no later than the 
Federal application receipt due date:
    (a) A copy of the face page of the application (SF 525).
    (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 and local health agencies.

Executive Order 12372

    This program has been determined to be a program which is not 
subject to the

[[Page 33971]]

provisions of Executive Order 12372 concerning intergovernmental review 
of Federal programs by appropriate State and local officials.

    Dated: June 19, 2001.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-15966 Filed 6-25-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P