[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 4171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1734]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Development of Application Guidance for Fiscal Year 2005 Funding 
Opportunities for New Access Points Under the Consolidated Health 
Center Program, CFDA Number 93.224

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: In preparation for the development of Fiscal Year 2005 
application guidance for New Access Point funding opportunities under 
the President's Initiative to Expand Health Centers, the Health 
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is offering public and 
private nonprofit entities, including tribal, faith-based and 
community-based organizations, an opportunity to comment on the current 
Program Information Notice (PIN) 2004-02 titled ``Requirements of 
Fiscal Year 2004 Funding Opportunity for Health Center New Access Point 
Grant Applications''. PIN 2004-02 is available on HRSA's Bureau of 
Primary Health Care (BPHC) Web site at http://bphc.hrsa.gov/pinspals/pins.htm. This PIN details eligibility requirements, review criteria, 
and awarding factors for applicants seeking support for the operation 
of a new delivery site for the provision of comprehensive primary and 
preventive health care services.
    HRSA believes that consultation with the community is an integral 
part of the application guidance development effort directed at 
creating new and expanded health center access points.
    The Opportunity to Comment includes (1) identifying those areas in 
the guidance that need clarification and/or improvement, and (2) 
offering suggestions for achieving improvements. Comments will be 
reviewed, analyzed, and summarized for use in developing requirements 
for the fiscal year 2005 funding opportunity for health center new 
access point grant applications.
    Background: The goal of the President's Initiative to Expand Health 
Centers, which began in fiscal year 2002, is to create health care 
access for 1,200 of the Nation's neediest communities through new and/
or significantly expanded health center access points over five years. 
One way to achieve this goal is through the creation of new access 
points for the provision of comprehensive primary and preventive health 
care services in areas of high need that will improve the health status 
and decrease health disparities of the medically underserved 
populations to be served. These access points may be targeted toward an 
entire community or toward a specific population group in a community 
that has been identified as having unique and significant barriers to 
affordable and accessible health care services.
    Authorizing Legislation: Section 330(e)(1)(A) of the Public Health 
Service Act, as amended, authorizes support for the operation of public 
and nonprofit health centers that provide health services to medically 
underserved populations.

DATES: Please send comments no later than COB March 29, 2004. The 
comments should be addressed to Dr. Sam Shekar, Associate Administrator 
for Primary Care, Health Resources and Services Administration, 4350 
East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Tonya Bowers, Division of Health 
Center Development, Bureau of Primary Health Care. Ms. Bowers may be 
contacted by e-mail at [email protected] or via telephone at area code 
301-594-4110.

    Dated: January 20, 2004.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 04-1734 Filed 1-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P