[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 111 (Tuesday, June 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34615-34616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-14548]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Fiscal Year 2003 Competitive Cycle for the Graduate 
Geropsychology Education Program (GPEP)-- CFDA 93.191

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 
announces that applications will be accepted for the Graduate 
Geropsychology Education Program (GGEP) for Fiscal Year 2003.
    Authorizing Legislation: These applications are solicited under 
section 755(b)(1)(J) of the Public Health Service Act as amended, and 
the FY 2003 Appropriations Act, Pub. L. 108-7 which provides $1.5 
million to support graduate geropsychology education programs to train 
clinical geropsychologists in accredited psychology programs.
    Purpose: Grants will be awarded to assist eligible entities in 
meeting the costs to plan, develop, operate, or maintain graduate 
geropsychology education programs to train clinical geropsychologists 
to work with underserved elderly populations to foster an integrated 
approach to health care services and address access for underserved 
elderly populations. The Graduate Geropsychology Education Program 
addresses the interrelatedness of behavior and health and the critical 
need for integrated health care services for the underserved elderly. 
Funding may be made available to doctoral programs, doctoral internship 
programs, and post-doctoral residency programs accredited by the 
American Psychological Association (APA).
    Eligible Applicants: Eligible entities: accredited health 
profession schools, universities, and other public or private nonprofit 
entities. Applicant programs must be accredited by the American 
Psychological Association (APA). As provided in section 750, to be 
eligible to receive assistance, the eligible entity must use such 
assistance in collaboration with two or more disciplines.
    Statutory Funding Preference: A funding preference is defined as 
the funding of a specific category or group of approved applications 
ahead of other categories or groups of applications. This statutory 
general preference will only be applied to applications that rank above 
the 20th percentile of applications recommended for approval by the 
peer review group.
    As provided in section 791(a) of the Public Health Service Act, 
preference will be given to any qualified applicant that: (1) Has a 
high rate for placing graduates in practice settings having the 
principal focus of serving residents of medically underserved 
communities; or (2) during the 2-year period preceding the fiscal year 
for which such an award is sought, has achieved a significant increase 
in the rate of placing graduates in such settings. ``High Rate'' refers 
to a minimum of 20 percent of graduates in academic year 2000-2001 or 
academic year 2001-2002, whichever is greater, who spend at least 50 
percent of their worktime in clinical practice in the specified 
settings and that not less than 15% of graduates from the most recent 
years are working in these settings.
    ``Significant Increase in the Rate'' means that, between academic 
years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, the rate of placing graduates in the 
specified settings has increased by a minimum of 50 percent.
    If the applicant is applying for the Funding Preference as a New 
Program, please note the following: New programs (i.e., programs that 
have graduated less than three classes) can qualify for the statutory 
funding preference if four or more of the following criteria are met:
    1. The mission statement of the program identifies a specific 
purpose of preparing health professionals to serve underserved 
populations.
    2. The curriculum includes content that will help to prepare 
practitioners to serve underserved populations.
    3. Substantial clinical training experience is required in 
medically underserved communities.
    4. A minimum of 20 percent of the faculty spend at least 50 percent 
of their time providing/supervising care in medically underserved 
communities.
    5. The entire program or a substantial portion of the program, 
(i.e., the primary, ambulatory education training sites) is physically 
located in a medically underserved community.
    6. Student assistance, which is linked to service in medically 
underserved communities following graduation, is available to the 
students in the program.
    7. The program provides a placement mechanism for deploying 
graduates to medically underserved communities.
    Administrative Funding Preference: An administrative funding 
preference will be given to qualified applicants who have an existing 
clinical geropsychology education program.
    Administrative Funding Priority: A funding priority will be given 
to qualified applicants who educate and train clinical 
geropsychologists in rural and frontier areas.
    Administrative Special Consideration: Special consideration will be 
given to applicants who (a) develop new and innovative approaches to 
education and training using distance learning methodologies/
telehealth, or (b) enhance or expand existing distance learning 
educational programs with the purpose of preparing health professionals 
and health professional students to deliver quality health care in 
medically underserved communities.
    Estimated Amount of Available Funds: $1,300,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 6.
    Estimated Average Size of Each Award: $225,000-$250,000.
    Estimated Funding Period: 3 years.
    Application Requests, Availability, Date and Addresses: Application 
materials will be available for downloading via the Web at http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/grants/default.htm on June 10, 2003. Applicants may also 
request a hardcopy of the application material by contacting the HRSA 
Grants Application Center, 901 Russell Avenue, Suite 450, Gaithersburg, 
Maryland, 20879, by calling at 1-877-477-2123, or by fax at 1-877-477-
2345. In order to be considered for competition, applications must be 
postmarked or submitted to the address listed above by the due date 
July 11, 2003. Applicants should request a legibly dated U.S. Postal 
postmark or obtain a legibly dated receipt from a

[[Page 34616]]

commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks 
shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing. An application 
receipt will be provided. Applications submitted after the deadline 
date will be returned to the applicant and not processed. Applicants 
should note that HRSA anticipates accepting grant applications online 
in the last quarter of the Fiscal Year (July through September). Please 
refer to the HRSA grants schedule at http://www.hrsa.gov/grants.htm for 
more information.
    Projected Award Date: September 15, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Broome, Division of State, 
Community and Public Health, Bureau of Health Professions, HRSA, Room 
8-103, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857; 
or e-mail at [email protected]. Telephone number is (301) 443-6866.
    Paperwork Reduction Act: The application for the Graduate 
Geropsychology Education Program has been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The OMB 
clearance number is 0915-0060. The program is not subject to the 
provisions of Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of 
Federal Programs (as implemented through 45 CFR part 100).

    Dated: May 22, 2003.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 03-14548 Filed 6-9-03; 8:45 am]
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