[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 18, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48149-48150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23200]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Announcement of a Cooperative Agreement for Assessing the 
Provision of Genetic Services and Factors Affecting the Supply and 
Demand for Genetic Services

    The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces 
its intention to award a sole-source Cooperative Agreement to the 
University of Maryland at Baltimore (UMB) to fund a national study that 
assesses the delivery of genetic services and the roles of geneticists 
and other health professionals in genetic service delivery. 
Specifically, this project will describe the current and emerging 
health care models for providing genetic services, the genetics 
specialist workforce, the role of primary care physicians and other 
clinicians in genetic services, and factors influencing the supply and 
demand for services across the country. This study will serve as a 
baseline for building longitudinal analyses of these issues.
    The purpose of this Cooperative Agreement is to support a study 
that will provide: (1) Baseline information; (2) an understanding of 
the models for delivering genetic services; (3) the factors affecting 
the demand for genetic services; (4) and the health personnel involved 
with the delivery of genetic services. This information will be shared 
with policymakers, the genetics community, health care professionals 
and educators, and those involved with delivering or planning for 
genetic services.
    UMB will manage this project in collaboration with four HRSA-funded 
university-based health workforce research centers (State University of 
New York at Albany; University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC); University 
of California at San Francisco (UCSF); and the University of Washington 
at Seattle).
    Each of the four collaborating Centers will have faculty and staff 
participating on the research team. All four have been actively 
involved in specific projects and tasks which relate to their 
respective strengths and expertise, which allows this proposed project 
to draw upon their experience and on their established collaborative 
relationships. For example, the Suny/Albany Center is leading the 
survey of geneticists, and the UW Center is helping to lead the survey 
of primary clinicians.

Authorizing Legislation

    This Cooperative Agreement will be awarded under the following 
authorities: (1) Section 485B of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, 
which authorizes the National Center for Human Genome Research to plan 
and coordinate research goals of the genome project; (2) section 761 as 
amended of the PHS Act, which authorizes the collection of data and the 
analysis of workforce related issues; (3) and section 501(a)(2) of the 
Social Security Act, which authorizes special projects of regional and 
national significance with respect to maternal and child health and 
children with special health care needs.
    The Federal role in the conduct of this Cooperative Agreement 
allows for substantial Federal programmatic involvement with planning, 
development, administration, and evaluation. The Federal role in this 
Cooperative Agreement will include the following:
    (a) Participation in the planning and development of all phases of 
this project, including review and consultation regarding contracts and 
agreements developed during the implementation of project activities.
    (b) Participation in the development of an evaluation plan for the 
project.
    (c) Assistance in establishing priorities for each budget year that 
will be consistent with the overall mission of the Federal funding 
agencies and within the scope of work of the approved project.
    (d) Participation in the annual program review and development of 
specific objectives for each subsequent year.
    (e) Consultation on Federal and other organizational contacts 
necessary to carry out the program.
    (f) Participation in the approval of study protocols and 
methodologies.
    (g) Assistance in identifying Federal and other national 
organizations and coalitions with whom collaboration is essential in 
order to further the cooperative agreement (mission) and develop 
specific strategies to support the work of these related groups.

Availability of Funds

    Approximately $500,000 is available to fund this sole-source 
Cooperative Agreement in FY 2001. HRSA's Bureau of Health Professions 
(BHPr) will be joined by HRSA's Maternal and Child

[[Page 48150]]

Health Bureau (MCHB), and the National Human Genome Research 
Institute's (NHGRI) Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) 
Program in funding this national study of the delivery of genetics 
services and the roles of geneticists and other health professionals in 
service delivery. One-third of the funds will be provided by BHPr, 
MCHB, and the NHGRI/ELSI Program, respectively. The project period will 
be 3 years. Competing renewals of the project are not anticipated. UMB 
may request up to $500,000 per year in total costs (direct plus 
indirect costs) for up to 3 years. Funding for years after the first 
year will depend on satisfactory performance and the availability of 
appropriations.
    UMB must share in the cost of the program as follows: for each year 
funds are awarded under this program, the matching contribution must be 
at least one-third of the amount of the Federal award for that year. Up 
to 50 percent of UMB's matching contribution may be in the form of in-
kind contributions such as faculty time, staff time, use of computers 
and other shared resources.

Background

    Led by UMB, this collaborative project will provide baseline 
information and descriptions of the models for delivering genetics 
services, the factors affecting the demand for genetic services, and 
the health personnel involved with the delivery of such services. This 
information will be shared with policymakers, the genetics community, 
health care professionals and educators, and those involved with 
delivering or planning for genetics services.
    The project's specific research aims are to:
    1. Assess the current providers of genetics services through survey 
studies of genetic specialists and primary care clinicians, and develop 
a system to monitor changes in delivery of services, the demand for 
services, and profession practice over time;
    2. Describe the current models for delivering genetics services and 
variations in providing the services within these models, and identify 
ways that various groups have met the demand for genetic services and 
potential best practice models;
    3. Describe the ways genetic services are provided in a 
representative sample of communities across the country, identifying 
the factors that affect service delivery, such as local health care 
organization, the supply and roles of various health care personnel, 
referral patterns, providers for underserved groups, insurers and 
managed care plans, regulation, and competition;
    4. Describe and assess the factors that influence demand for 
genetics services such as genetic testing volume, coverage and payment 
by health insurers and managed care plans, state and federal policies 
and regulations, public awareness and advocacy groups efforts;
    5. Develop working relationships and efficient communications with 
key public and private organizations and stakeholders involved with 
planning for genetics services, and disseminate study findings to these 
and other relevant stakeholders.

Eligible Applicants

Single Source

    Assistance will be provided only to the University of Maryland at 
Baltimore (UMB). No other applications are solicited. UMB is uniquely 
qualified to conduct this complex and comprehensive study of genetic 
services under this Cooperative Agreement because it has a unique set 
of resources and research capacity which include:
    1. Comprehensive genetic clinical service and training programs;
    2. Leadership in genetics organizations and advisory groups; and
    3. Faculty expertise in health profession workforce studies.
    UMB will conduct high-quality research and disseminate its findings 
to colleagues and policymakers at the institutional, Federal, and State 
levels. Also from its findings, UMB will produce reports that move the 
field forward, in the form of peer reviewed publications, web-based 
documents and other publications as well as presentations at national, 
regional or State forums.

Additional Information

    Questions concerning programmatic aspects of the Cooperative 
Agreement may be directed to Herb Traxler, PhD, National Center for 
Health Workforce Information and Analysis, Bureau of Health 
Professions, HRSA, Room 8-55, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, 
Rockville, MD 20867; or e-mail address at [email protected]. Herb 
Traxler's telephone number is (301) 443-3148.

    Dated: September 7, 2001.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 01-23200 Filed 9-17-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P