[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 128 (Wednesday, July 3, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44744-44747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-16732]



[[Page 44743]]

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Part IV





Department of Health and Human Services





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Announcement of Anticipated Availability of Funds for Family Planning 
Clinical Specialty Training Projects; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 128 / Wednesday, July 3, 2002 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Announcement of Anticipated Availability of Funds for Family 
Planning Clinical Specialty Training Projects

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Population Affairs (OPA) announces the 
availability of approximately $1,000,000 to support two Family Planning 
Clinical Specialty Training grants, as authorized under Section 1003 of 
the PHS Act. The training projects to be funded will provide 
specialized, evidence-based information to clinical providers working 
in family planning services projects funded under Title X of the PHS 
Act. This training will enable Title X clinical service providers to 
maintain a high level of clinical knowledge and skill in family 
planning and reproductive health.


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

DATES: Applications must be received in the Office of Grants 
Management, or clearly postmarked, not later than August 12, 2002. 
Applications which do not meet the deadline will not be accepted for 
review, and will be returned. Applications sent via facsimile or by 
electronic mail will not be accepted for review.

ADDRESSES: Applications kits may be requested from, and applications 
submitted to: Office of Grants Management, Office of Population 
Affairs, 4350 East-West Highway, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814.
    Application kits are also available online at the Office of 
Population Affairs (OPA) Web site at http://opa.osophs.dhhs.gov or may 
be requested by FAX at 301-594-5980.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Administrative and Budgetary 
Requirements: Andrea Brandon, Office of Grants Management/Office of 
Population Affairs, 301-594-4012.
    Program Requirements: Kathleen Woodall, Office of Family Planning/
Office of Population Affairs, 301-594-4008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Definitions

    For the purposes of this announcement, the following definitions 
apply:
    Advanced practice nurse--a registered professional nurse who has 
graduated from an educational program beyond basic nursing preparation, 
and is currently recognized to practice as an advanced practice nurse 
in at least one state, including current licensure as a registered 
nurse in that state .
    Application--a request for financial support of a project submitted 
to OPA on specified forms and in accordance with instructions provided.
    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 Clinical Specialty Training grant. Faith-based organizations 
are eligible to apply for these Title X Family Planning Clinical 
Specialty Training grants.
    Evidence-based--relevant scientific evidence that has undergone 
comprehensive review and rigorous analysis.
    Family planning clinical specialty training--specialized, evidence-
based family planning training, the purpose of which is to promote and 
improve the knowledge, skills, and abilities of persons delivering 
clinical family planning services.
    Family planning training--job-specific skill development, the 
purpose of which is to promote and improve the delivery of family 
planning services.
    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).
    Health care practitioner--an advanced practice nurse, physician's 
assistant, Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy who is recognized 
by a state to practice within the scope of the applicable state 
practice act or law.
    Project--those activities described in the grant application and 
supported under the approved budget.
    Registered professional nurse--a nurse who has graduated from a 
state-approved nursing education program and is currently licensed to 
practice as a registered nurse in at least one state.

Statutory and Regulatory Background

    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).'' 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, Office of Population 
Affairs (at the address above), or downloaded from the Office of 
Population Affairs Web site at http://opa.osophs.dhhs.gov.

Program Background

    From the early 1970s until the year 2000, the Office of Family 
Planning in the Office of Population Affairs funded certificate family 
planning/women's health nurse practitioner training programs in order 
to prepare registered professional nurses to serve the clinical needs 
of clients in Title X family planning services projects. Changes in 
state practice requirements and the health care system, as well as the 
increasing availability of more broadly prepared providers, under-
utilization of the Title X-supported nurse practitioner training 
programs, and the growing diversity of populations served in Title

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X family planning services projects (including an increasing number of 
males) prompted a reassessment of the need for the nurse practitioner 
training program. This reassessment prompted the transition depicted in 
the March 23, 1999, Federal Register Notice (64 FR 14080) requesting 
applications for Family Planning Nurse Practitioner and Specialty 
Training grants. This announcement phased-out full-course certificate 
nurse practitioner training, and replaced it with targeted specialty 
training in family planning and reproductive health for credentialed 
advanced practice nurses, physician's assistants, and physicians. These 
projects have been in operation for two years.
    Title X family planning services project grantees, training 
providers, and Federal Title X staff have recently identified a need to 
also provide clinical training for registered professional nurses 
working in family planning projects who are not advanced practice 
nurses. This component has been incorporated into this solicitation for 
applications, but may not include training for procedures or practices 
that are beyond the scope of nursing practice, as delineated by the 
Nurse Practice Act for the specific state.

Role and Operation of the Clinical Specialty Training Program

    The purpose of the clinical specialty training program is to ensure 
that health care practitioners and registered professional nurses 
working in Title X family planning services projects have the 
knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to provide effective, high 
quality clinical family planning services. This announcement solicits 
applications from all eligible applicants, including faith-based 
organizations, to support two clinical specialty training programs, as 
follows:
    (1) One grant with a range of $450,000-$500,000 to support a 
clinical specialty training program in PHS Regions I-V:

    Region I (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, 
Rhode Island and Vermont); Region II (New Jersey, New York, Puerto 
Rico and the Virgin Islands); Region III (Delaware, Maryland, 
Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia); 
Region IV (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North 
Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee); Region V (Illinois, 
Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin).

    (2) One grant with a funding range of $450,000-$500,000 to support 
a clinical specialty training program in PHS Regions VI-X:

    Region VI (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma); 
Region VII (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska); Region VIII 
(Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming); 
Region IX (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, 
Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Marshall Islands, 
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau and 
Guam); Region X (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington).

    The training programs funded under this announcement will be 
responsible for design and delivery of specialty training for health 
care practitioners and registered professional nurses which will 
enhance knowledge, skills, and abilities in the provision of family 
planning and reproductive health services in Title X-funded projects. 
Each grantee funded under this announcement will be expected to conduct 
two types of training activities: (1) Specialty training specific to 
the provision of clinical family planning and reproductive health for 
health care practitioners in Title X family planning services projects; 
and (2) Training courses relevant to the provision of family planning 
and reproductive health services where continuing education credits are 
granted for registered nurses and health care practitioners in Title X 
family planning services projects. Training provided with these grant 
funds is not intended to substitute for formal nurse practitioner 
education, but rather to enhance the ability of multiple levels of 
clinical providers to deliver quality family planning and reproductive 
health services within the scope of applicable State practice acts or 
laws. Training content and design should be adjusted to the skill and 
practice role of the target audience as well as the scope of practice 
as delineated in applicable State practice acts or laws.
    Content of specialty training may vary depending on the needs of 
the service providers in the applicable regions. However, the course 
offerings should promote and improve family planning and reproductive 
health knowledge and clinical skills as they relate to the provision of 
family planning services in Title X-funded projects. The full clinical 
specialty training course is available only to health care 
practitioners as defined in this announcement. Registered professional 
nurses, as defined in this announcement, may participate only in 
continuing education courses that are not intended to train on 
procedures or practices that are appropriate to the role of the health 
care practitioner. Training content described in the application should 
include the following topics: (1) Abstinence education and counseling; 
(2) HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted disease (STD) education and 
counseling; and (3) Intimate partner violence and compliance with state 
reporting laws regarding child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, 
rape or incest. At a minimum, successful specialty training 
applications will include a description of how the following components 
will be implemented in the training program:
     Training specific to provision of clinical family planning 
and reproductive health services in Title X-funded projects, including 
training on abstinence education and counseling, and HIV/AIDS and STD 
education and counseling;
     Face-to-face didactic and supervised clinical courses for 
increasing knowledge and enhancing clinical skills of health care 
practitioners in selected content areas (e.g., women's reproductive 
health, men's reproductive health, IUD insertion, etc.);
     Methodology for evaluating the knowledge, competence and 
skill level of health care practitioners and registered professional 
nurses after completion of training as compared with their knowledge, 
competence and skill level prior to completion of training;
     Availability of continuing education credit through on-
site and/or distance learning for registered professional nurses and 
health care practitioners;
     Clinical mentor/preceptorship arrangements for health care 
practitioners returning to practice settings;
     Training in identifying and providing appropriate 
counseling and referral in cases of intimate partner violence;
     Training in identifying cases of child abuse, child 
molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest, and in complying with 
applicable state reporting laws.
    The content and number of offerings should be based on an 
assessment of the need of the Title X family planning service providers 
in the applicable regions. Offerings should be designed and delivered 
in a manner appropriate to the content and professional preparation of 
the participants. The on-site didactic and supervised clinical 
components of specialty course offerings should provide adequate time 
for instruction and interaction with faculty, but must not exceed a 
total of three weeks per course. In order to assure integration into 
practice of the knowledge and skills learned in the on-site component 
of specialty training

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offerings, successful applicants will include a strategy for 
incorporating a clinical mentorship/preceptorship component for 
students returning to their practice settings. Distance learning 
components should provide an opportunity for interaction with faculty 
if needed, and reasonable time for completion of the offering(s). 
Successful applicants will demonstrate the ability to maximize 
available resources to achieve the objectives of the program.

Project Requirements and Management

    The successful applicants will be responsible for all costs 
associated with training program administration and management, and for 
training costs directly associated with the on-site portion of Title X-
sponsored trainee preparation (e.g., educational materials, classroom 
and clinical training sites, etc.). The training projects are not 
expected to be responsible for transportation, housing and other 
personal expenses incurred by trainees. However, training projects 
should be prepared to assist trainees with making necessary 
arrangements at a reasonable cost. There is no required match for this 
Federal grant.
    Each of the two training programs is intended to provide training 
primarily for Title X family planning services projects located in the 
applicable regions. However, applicants may apply for admission to the 
alternate program on a space-available basis and to access offerings 
unique to that program.
    The design of the specialty training program, including the 
curricula, must be consistent with Title X statute and regulations. The 
application should demonstrate the applicant's expertise and ability to 
develop, implement, manage and evaluate clinical training in family 
planning and reproductive health.
    As part of the application, the applicant should submit a proposed 
curriculum outline for the specialty training course, as well as 
projected admissions criteria, training plan, and a course schedule for 
the first year of the grant. In addition, the projected number of 
continuing education courses and subject areas should be submitted with 
the application. Within 60 days of the Notice of Grant Award, a 
finalized curriculum outline, admissions criteria, training plan, 
course schedule, and continuing education course offerings will be 
negotiated with the Office of Family Planning (OFP). In succeeding 
years, the training plan, course schedule, and continuing education 
courses will be a part of the continuation application. Any changes to 
the curriculum outline or admissions criteria after the first year must 
also be submitted as part of the continuation application. The cost to 
the grant per Title X-supported student for the specialty course may 
not exceed $4,000. The maximum cost to the grant for continuing 
education units must be specified in the application, but may not 
exceed $20 per contact hour.
    Successful applicants will be responsible for the overall 
management of training activities within the scope of the approved 
training plan. This responsibility includes:
     Meeting national or State recognition requirements as a 
provider of continuing education through a national nursing 
organization or one of its constituents;
     Facilitating the award of continuing education units 
(CEUs) to program participants;
     Considering for admission trainees from Title X-funded 
services projects before accepting privately-funded students;
     Conducting an annual assessment of the need for family 
planning and reproductive health training for Title X clinical service 
providers in the applicable regions;
     Maintaining data on training activities and trainees 
sufficient to allow evaluation by accrediting bodies, licensing bodies, 
and OPA;
     Developing and implementing an evaluation plan which 
assesses all aspects of the training program and is consistent with the 
scope of the training program. Evaluation should include not only the 
content of the clinical specialty training, the delivery mechanisms, 
and how well the offerings met the needs of the trainee and sponsoring 
agency, but also a description of how the training program will be 
evaluated in terms of improving the quality of care provided;
     Submitting to OPA, as part of the annual progress report, 
the following data regarding trainees and training activities:
    1. Trainees: state; sponsoring agency including funding source 
(i.e., Title X or non-Title X); race/ethnicity; professional 
classification (e.g., registered professional nurse, type of health 
care practitioner); courses/offerings attended; course completion data; 
and number of CEUs awarded.
    2. Training activities: title of course/offering; location; hours 
on site (didactic and clinical)/hours distance learning; course 
content; number of CEUs offered; number and professional classification 
of attendees; faculty data; outcome information.
    Successful applicants will be required to work closely with Title X 
Family Planning Central and Regional Office staffs and a network of 
agencies which include Title X service providers and training advisory 
committees. Working in collaboration with the Regional Training Centers 
for Family Planning is strongly encouraged.
    Grantees will be expected to make available, at cost, all materials 
developed with Title X funds as requested by other Title X projects. 
Grantees will be required to participate in at least one meeting with 
the Office of Family Planning/OPA each year.

Application Requirements

    Any public or private nonprofit organization located in a state is 
eligible to apply for a Title X Family Planning Clinical Specialty 
Training grant. If the successful applicant is not physically located 
within one of the applicable regions, a major training facility of the 
organization must be located within the cluster of regions the 
applicant will serve. Awards will be made only to those organizations 
or agencies which demonstrate the capability of providing the proposed 
services and which have met all applicable 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.
    As described earlier, the application must include the proposed 
curriculum outline for the specialty training course, admissions 
criteria, training plan, and course schedule for the first year of the 
training project, as well as the projected continuing education 
courses.
    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, Office of Population Affairs and on the 
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 for the organization the obligations imposed by the terms 
and conditions of the grant award.
    A copy of the legislation and regulations governing this program 
will be included as part of the application kit package. Applicants 
should use the legislation, regulations and other information included 
in this

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announcement to guide them in developing their applications. 
Applications should be limited to 50 double-spaced pages, not including 
appendices. Appendices may provide curriculum vitae, curriculum, or 
examples of organizational capabilities, or other supplemental 
information. Applicants are required to submit an original application 
and two copies.
    Applications must be submitted in accordance with the deadline 
requirements of this announcement. 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 are postmarked or delivered to the 
Office of Grants Management after the deadline date will not be 
accepted for review. Applications which do not conform to the 
requirements of this program announcement or meet the applicable parts 
of 42 CFR part 59, subpart C, will not be accepted for review, and will 
be returned to the applicant.

Application Consideration and Assessment

    Eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel of independent 
reviewers and will be 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 (20 points);
    2. The extent to which the proposed clinical specialty training 
program will increase the delivery of services to people, particularly 
low-income groups, with a high percentage of unmet need for family 
planning services (20 points);
    3. 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 clinical family planning and reproductive health 
knowledge and expertise within family planning services projects to 
provide orientation and in-service training to their own staffs;
    (ii) Improvement of the family planning services delivery skills of 
registered professional nurses and health care practitioners;
    (iii) Improvement in the utilization and career development of 
clinical providers in family planning projects;
    (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)
    4. The competence of the project staff in relation to the services 
to be provided (15 points);
    5. The administrative and management capability and competence of 
the applicant (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 Director, Office of Population 
Affairs, will fund those projects which will, in her judgement, best 
promote the purposes of section 1003 of the Act, within the limits of 
funds available for such projects.
    Grants will be approved for project periods of up to three years 
and will be 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

    Applications under this announcement are subject to the review 
requirements of Executive Order 12372, as implemented by 45 CFR part 
100, ``Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human 
Services Programs and Activities.'' 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 SPOC's 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 applicant regarding the submission to the relevant SPOC. The SPOC 
should forward any comment(s) to the Grants Management Office, Office 
of Population Affairs, 4350 East-West Highway, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 
20814. The SPOC has 60 days from the closing date of this announcement 
to submit any comments.

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 application 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: June 7, 2002.
Mireille B. Kanda,
Acting Director, Office of Population Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-16732 Filed 7-2-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-34-P