[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 81 (Friday, April 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20876-20879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10327]



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Part III





Department of Health and Human Services





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Announcement of Availability of Funds for Family Planning General 
Training and Technical Assistance Projects; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 81 / Friday, April 26, 2002 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Announcement of Availability of Funds for Family Planning General 
Training and Technical Assistance Projects

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, 
Office of Population Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Authority: Section 1003 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act.

SUMMARY: The Office of Population Affairs (OPA) announces the 
availability of funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 Family Planning General 
Training and Technical Assistance grants. Funds are available to 
provide both training and specialized technical assistance to family 
planning personnel in order to maintain the high level of performance 
of family planning services projects funded under Title X of the PHS 
Act. The OPA solicits applications for competing grant awards to 
support one general training center in each of the ten Department of 
Health and Human Services' (DHHS) regions.

DATES: Applications must be received in the Office of Grants 
Management, or clearly postmarked, no later than June 10, 2002. A 
legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service 
will be accepted in lieu of a postmark. Private metered postmarks will 
not be accepted as proof of timely mailing. Applications which do not 
meet the deadline will not be accepted for review, and will be 
returned.

ADDRESSES: Applications kits may be requested from, and applications 
submitted to: Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services, 
1301 Young Street, Suite 766, Dallas, TX 75202.
    Application kits are also available online at the Office of 
Population Affairs web site at http://opa.osophs.dhhs.gov or may be 
requested by fax at (214) 767-3425.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:   

Administrative and Budgetary Requirements

    Regions I-X: Maudeen Pickett, Office of Grants Management for 
Family Planning Services, 214-767-3401.

Program Requirements

    Regional Program Consultants for Family Planning: Region I 
(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, 
Vermont)--Suzanne Theroux, 617-565-1063; Region II (New Jersey, New 
York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)--Robin Lane, 212-264-3935; Region 
III (Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West 
Virginia)--Louis Belmonte, 215-861-4641; Region IV (Kentucky, 
Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, 
South Carolina)--Cristino Rodriguez, 404-562-7900; Region V (Illinois, 
Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)--Janice Ely, 312-886-
3864; Region VI (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)--
Evelyn Glass, 214-767-3088; Region VII (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, 
Nebraska)--Elizabeth Curtis, 816-426-2924; Region VIII (Colorado, 
Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)--Jill Leslie, 303-
844-7856; Region IX (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Republic of 
Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall 
Islands)--Nadine Simons, 415-437-7984; Region X (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, 
Washington)--Janet Wildeboor, 206-615-2776.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Definitions

    For the purposes of this announcement, the following definitions 
apply:
    Application/Proposal (used interchangeably)--a request for 
financial support of a project submitted to OPA on specified forms and 
in accordance with instructions provided.
    Grant--financial assistance in the form of money, awarded by the 
Federal Government to an eligible recipient (a grantee or recipient is 
the entity that receives a Federal grant and assumes the legal and 
financial responsibility and accountability for the awarded funds and 
performance of activities approved for funding).
    Project--those activities described in the grant application and 
supported under the approved budget.
    Family Planning Training--``job-specific skill development, the 
purpose of which is to promote and improve the delivery of family 
planning services'' [42 CFR 59.202(e)]. This training should include 
abstinence education for pre-adolescents, adolescents and young adults.
    Family Planning Technical Assistance--specific, highly skilled 
family planning training provided to a single organization based on an 
identified need that enables the organization to promote and improve 
the delivery of family planning services, to include abstinence 
education.
    Evidence-based--relevant scientific evidence that has undergone 
comprehensive review and rigorous analysis.
    Eligible Applicants--any public or nonprofit private entity located 
in a State (which includes one of the 50 United States, the District of 
Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, 
Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of 
the Marshall Islands) is eligible to apply for a Title X family 
planning training and technical assistance grant. Faith-based 
organizations are eligible to apply for these Title X family planning 
training and technical assistance grants.

Background

    This notice announces the availability of approximately $3,500,000 
in funding, and solicits applications for general training and 
technical assistance projects to assist in the establishment and 
operation of one regional training center in each of the ten PHS 
regions. Grants will be funded within certain ranges as set out in 
Table I below. Funding of individual grants within each funding range 
will be based on the Regional Health Administrator's assessment of such 
factors as the training and technical assistance needs within the 
region and the cost and availability of personnel for the project.
    Competing grant applications are invited for training and technical 
assistance projects as follows:

                                 Table I
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             Region                    States        Total funding range
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I..............................  CN, ME, MA, NH,        $237,000-287,000
                                  RI, VT.
II.............................  NJ, NY, PR, VI...       378,000-428,000
III............................  DE, DC, MD, PA,         392,000-442,000
                                  VA, WV.
IV.............................  KY, MS, NC, TN,         459,000-509,000
                                  AL, FL, GA, SC.

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V..............................  IL, IN, MI, MN,         397,000-447,000
                                  OH, WI.
VI.............................  AR, LA, NM, OK,         371,000-421,000
                                  TX.
VII............................  IA, KS, MO, NE...       237,000-287,000
VIII...........................  CO, MT, ND, SD,         231,000-281,000
                                  UT, WY.
IX.............................  AZ, CA, HI, NV          331,000-381,000
                                  and the 6 US
                                  Associated
                                  Pacific
                                  Jurisdictions.
X..............................  AK, ID, OR, WA...       231,000-281,000
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Statutory and Regulatory Authority

    Title X of the PHS Act, 42 U.S.C. 300 et seq., authorizes grants 
for projects to provide family planning services to persons from low-
income families and others. Section 1001 of the Act, as amended, 
authorizes grants ``to assist in the establishment and operation of 
voluntary family planning projects which shall offer a broad range of 
acceptable and effective family planning methods and services 
(including natural family planning methods, infertility services, and 
services for adolescents).'' The broad range of services should include 
abstinence education. Section 1003 of the Act, as amended, authorizes 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to entities 
to provide the training for personnel to carry out family planning 
service programs. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 
93.260). Section 1008 of the Act, as amended, stipulates that ``none of 
the funds appropriated under this title shall be used in programs where 
abortion is a method of family planning.''
    The regulations set out at 42 CFR part 59, subpart C, govern grants 
to provide training for family planning service providers. Prospective 
applicants should refer to the regulations in their entirety. Training 
provided must be in accordance with the requirements regarding the 
provision of family planning services under Title X. These requirements 
can be found in the Title X statute, the implementing regulations which 
govern project grants for family planning services (42 CFR part 59, 
subpart A), and the ``Program Guidelines for Project Grants for Family 
Planning Services,'' issued in January 2001. Copies of the Title X 
statute, regulations, and Program Guidelines may be obtained by 
contacting the Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services 
(at the address above), or downloaded from the OPA web site at http://opa.osophs.dhhs.gov.

Role and Operation of the Training and Technical Assistance Program

    The purpose of the family planning general training program is to 
ensure that personnel working in Title X family planning services 
projects have the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary for the 
effective delivery of family planning services. Training supported 
under these grants is intended to provide specialized information that 
is evidence-based. The purpose of the training is to ensure that family 
planning program services and management are of high quality.
    Successful applicants will be responsible for the development and 
overall management of the general training program within the PHS 
Region for which the grant is awarded. The PHS Project Officer in the 
respective Region will have final approval for all training plans and 
plans for the use of resources. Each grantee will be required to work 
closely with federal, state and/or local government entities, family 
planning providers, other community-based organizations and other 
training providers (e.g., HRSA AIDS Education Training Centers, CDC 
Prevention Training Centers, Administration for Children and Families 
(ACF) Infant Adoption Awareness Training Program, etc.) to maximize 
resources and achieve program objectives.
    Proposals should be developed with a focus on the Title X program 
priorities and key issues identified below. Additionally, specific 
training priority topics will be identified for each year of the 
project period. Applicants should demonstrate flexibility in resource 
utilization, including training plan design, in order to respond to 
training priority topics, new initiatives, and program need during each 
year of the project period.

Title X Program Priorities

    The following priorities represent overarching goals for the Title 
X program:
    (1) Assurance of continued high quality clinical family planning 
and reproductive health services that will improve the overall health 
of individuals;
    (2) Increasing access to family planning and reproductive health 
services by partnering with public health providers and other 
community-based organizations that have related interests and that work 
with similar populations;
    (3) Emphasis on clinical services for hard-to-reach populations, 
e.g., uninsured or under-insured women, males in need of clinical 
services, adolescents, substance abusers, migrant workers, and the 
homeless; and
    (4) Assuring access to a broad range of family planning and 
reproductive health clinical services, including provision of highly 
effective contraceptive methods; breast and cervical cancer screening 
and prevention; STD and HIV prevention education, counseling, and 
testing; and abstinence education and counseling. The broad range of 
services does not include abortion as a method of family planning.

Key Issues

    The following key issues impact the current and future delivery of 
family planning services, and will require significant, specialized 
training efforts:
    (1) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' priorities 
and Healthy People 2010 objectives (http://www.health.gov/healthypeople);
    (2) Medicaid waivers, managed care, State Children's Health 
Insurance Program (SCHIP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families 
(TANF), Title XX of the Social Services Block Grant, state support, and 
private insurance coverage related to family planning and reproductive 
health services, teen pregnancy and abstinence education (e.g., Title 
XX of the PHS Act Adolescent Family Life (AFL) Program, Title V of the 
Social Security Act--SPRANS and State Block Grants for Abstinence 
Education), and ACF Infant Adoption Awareness Training Program;
    (3) Increased need for current and reliable data to use in program 
planning and monitoring program performance;
    (4) Use of electronic technologies in program activities and 
management;
    (5) Use of evidence-based information to support program 
activities; and
    (6) Legislative mandates such as counseling teens on involving 
families

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and avoiding coercive sexual relationships, and program compliance with 
state reporting laws regarding child abuse, child molestation, sexual 
abuse, rape or incest.
    Applicants should demonstrate a broad range of expertise and skill 
in providing training programs, managing training resources, and 
working with consultants and service providers. Applicants should 
demonstrate the capacity to utilize electronic technologies and 
evidence-based training delivery techniques. The proposed project plan 
should demonstrate knowledge of evidence-based learning theory and 
adult learning behavior, and application to proposed activities. 
Applicants should include evidence of their ability to design, 
implement, and evaluate training that prepares family planning project 
personnel to increase effectiveness in working with select population 
groups (racial, ethnic, linguistic) and with persons of differing 
educational and physical abilities.
    The proposal should demonstrate the applicant's expertise and 
ability to develop, implement and evaluate training in the areas of 
information, education and communication; program management; and 
clinical service delivery. Within each of these areas, at a minimum, 
the grantee will be expected to provide training that includes the 
following topics:

Information, Education and Communication

     Increasing effectiveness in working with hard-to-reach and 
diverse populations to reduce health disparities;
     Use of electronic technologies in program activities and 
management;
     Use of print and mass media to achieve program goals and 
objectives.

Program Management

     Government requirements related to privacy and 
transmission of client information;
     Improving the management skills of family planning grantee 
staff;
     Increasing the ability of family planning grantee staff to 
assess, plan, design and utilize management information systems;
     Designing, implementing and utilizing data reports in 
project operations;
     Utilizing financial systems to monitor, track, record and 
control Title X and other financial resources according to Federal 
grants requirements;
     Improving program efficiency and enhancing cost savings 
and recovery mechanisms; and
     Utilizing the Office of Population Affairs electronic 
grants management system.

Clinical Activities

     Improving the performance of clinical staff (professional 
and other) involved in health care delivery through continuing 
education and quality assurance activities;
     Educational clinical activities addressing intimate 
partner violence;
     Clinical issues which impact reproductive health and 
family planning, (e.g., HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases [STDs], 
cervical and breast cancer, adolescent pregnancy, and abstinence 
counseling);
     Title X Program requirements, legislative mandates, and 
compliance with state reporting laws regarding child abuse, child 
molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest;
     Current family planning and reproductive health methods, 
drugs, devices, and technologies;
     Best practices for presenting non-directive counseling, 
including adoption counseling for pregnant clients.
    In addition to providing general training on the issues mentioned 
above, successful applicants must also demonstrate the capacity to 
develop and implement a system for providing technical assistance to 
Title X service providers in the applicable PHS region. Technical 
assistance consists of specific, specialized or highly skilled family 
planning training that is usually provided to a single organization 
based on an identified need. The objective of this assistance is to 
provide projects with the technical resources needed to address Title X 
priorities and key issues impacting family planning. In facilitating 
the provision of technical assistance, the successful applicant will 
work closely with the Regional PHS Project Officer.
    Successful proposals will provide evidence of the applicant's 
ability to identify and deploy qualified and competent consultants in 
specialized and highly technical fields related to family planning 
program and management issues. The proposal should include a plan for 
making all necessary arrangements with consultants in association with 
approved requests for technical assistance.
    All technical assistance provided with this grant must have prior 
approval of the PHS Project Officer. A portion of the total grant award 
will be earmarked for technical assistance, and a final budget will be 
negotiated between the successful applicant and the PHS Regional 
Project Officer.

Evaluation

    Applicants must include an evaluation plan of high quality which 
assesses all aspects of the training program. Project evaluation should 
be consistent with the scope of the training project, and should 
include evaluation of the content of the training program and 
effectiveness of training in meeting the stated objectives.

Application Requirements

    Applications must include a one-page abstract of the proposed 
project. The abstract will be used to provide reviewers with an 
overview of the application, and will form the basis for the 
application summary in grants management documents. It is the practice 
of the Office of Population Affairs to maintain a summary of funded 
grants, and to post this information on the OPA web site. The abstract 
will be used as the basis for this posting and for other requests for 
summary information.
    Applications must be submitted on the Form OPHS-1 (Revised 6/01) 
and in the manner prescribed in the application kits available from the 
Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services at Dallas, TX 
and on the OPA web site. Applicants are required to submit an 
application signed by an individual authorized to act for the applicant 
agency or organization and to assume the obligations imposed by the 
terms and conditions of the grant award. Applicants are required to 
submit an original application and two copies.
    Applicants should submit their applications in accordance with the 
deadline requirements set out in the DATES section of this 
announcement. Applications that do not conform to the requirements of 
the program announcement or meet the applicable requirements of 42 CFR 
part 59, subpart C, will not be accepted for review, and will be 
returned to the applicant.
    Any public or private nonprofit organization or agency located in a 
state is eligible to apply for a Title X family planning training and 
technical assistance grant. Faith-based organizations are eligible to 
apply for these Title X family planning training and technical 
assistance grants. It is not required that an entity applying for a 
grant be physically located in the region to be served by the proposed 
project. Awards will be made only to those organizations or agencies 
which demonstrate the capability of providing

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the proposed services and which have met all applicable requirements.
    A copy of the legislation and regulations governing this program 
will be sent to applicants as part of the application kit package. 
Applicants should use the legislation, regulations, and information 
included in this announcement to guide them in developing their 
applications. Applications should be limited to 50 double-spaced pages, 
not including appendices. Appendices may provide a roster of 
consultants, curriculum vitae, examples of organizational capabilities, 
or other supplemental information.

Application Consideration and Assessment

    Eligible competing grant applications will be reviewed by a multi-
disciplinary panel of independent reviewers and assessed according to 
the following criteria:
    1. The degree to which the project plan adequately provides for the 
requirements set forth in 42 CFR 59.205 (25 points);
    2. The extent to which the training program promises to fulfill the 
family planning services delivery needs of the area to be served, which 
may include, among other things:
    (i) Development of a capability within family planning service 
projects to provide pre- and in-service training to their own staffs;
    (ii) Improvement of the family planning services delivery skills of 
family planning and health services personnel;
    (iii) Improvement in the utilization and career development of 
paraprofessional and paramedical manpower in family planning services;
    (iv) Expansion of family planning services, particularly in rural 
areas, through new or improved approaches to program planning and 
deployment of resources;

(20 points total for this section)
    3. The extent to which the proposed training and technical 
assistance program will increase the delivery of services to people, 
particularly low-income groups, with a high percentage of unmet need 
for family planning services (15 points);
    4. The administrative and management capability and competence of 
the applicant (15 points);
    5. The competence of the project staff in relation to the services 
to be provided (15 points); and
    6. The capacity of the applicant to make rapid and effective use of 
the grant assistance, including evidence of flexibility in the 
utilization of resources and training plan design (10 points).
    In making grant award decisions, the Regional Health Administrator 
in each Region will fund one project which will, in his or her 
judgment, best promote the purposes of sections 1001 and 1003 of the 
Act, within the limits of funds available for such projects.
    Grants will be available for project periods of up to three years. 
Grants are funded in annual increments (budget periods). Funding for 
all approved budget periods beyond the first year of the grant is 
contingent upon satisfactory progress of the project, efficient and 
effective use of grant funds provided, and availability of funds.

Review Under Executive Order 12372

    Applicants under this announcement are subject to the requirements 
of Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Department of 
Health and Human Services Programs and Activities,'' as implemented by 
45 CFR part 100. As soon as possible, the applicant should discuss the 
project with the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for each state in 
the area to be served. The application kit contains the currently 
available listing of the SPOCs which have elected to be informed of the 
submission of applications. For those states not represented on the 
listing, further inquiries should be made by the applicant regarding 
the submission of the relevant SPOC. The SPOC's comment(s) should be 
forwarded to the Office of Grants Management for Family Planning 
Services, 1301 Young Street, Suite 766, Dallas, Texas 75202. To be 
considered, such comments should be received by the Office of Grants 
Management for Family Planning Services by June 10, 2002.

Notification of Grant Award

    When final funding decisions have been made, each applicant will be 
notified by letter of the outcome. The official document notifying an 
applicant that a project applicant has been approved for funding is the 
Notice of Grant Award, which specifies to the grantee the amount of 
money awarded, the purposes of the grant, and terms and conditions of 
the grant award.

    Dated: April 22, 2002.
Mireille B. Kanda,
Acting Director, Office of Population Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-10327 Filed 4-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-34-P