[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17422-17425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6744]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information; 
Grants for the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems; Notice 
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215M.
    Dates: Applications Available: April 5, 2005. Deadline for 
Transmittal of Applications: May 16, 2005. Deadline for 
Intergovernmental Review: July 18, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs), local 
educational agencies (LEAs), and Indian tribes. LEAs or consortia of 
LEAs that have ever received funds or services under the Safe Schools/
Healthy Students Initiative (CFDA Number 84.184L), or will receive 
funds under the FY 2005 competition for CFDA Number 84.184L, are not 
eligible for funding under this program.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,960,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make 
additional awards in FY 2006 from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$350,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $250,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20.


    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.


    Project Period: Up to 18 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: Grants for the Integration of Schools and 
Mental Health Systems will provide funds to increase student access to 
high-quality mental health care by developing innovative approaches 
that link school systems with the local mental health system.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority 
is from section 5541 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (ESEA) (20 
U.S.C. 7269).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards based on the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Increasing student access to quality mental health care by 
developing innovative approaches to link local school systems with the 
local mental health system. A program funded under this absolute 
priority must include all of the following activities:
    (1) Enhancing, improving, or developing collaborative efforts 
between school-based service systems and mental health service systems 
to provide, enhance, or improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment 
services to students.
    (2) Enhancing the availability of crisis intervention services, 
appropriate referrals for students potentially in need of mental health 
services, and ongoing mental health services.
    (3) Providing training for the school personnel and mental health 
professionals who will participate in the program.
    (4) Providing technical assistance and consultation to school 
systems and mental health agencies and families participating in the 
program.
    (5) Providing linguistically appropriate and culturally competent 
services.
    (6) Evaluating the effectiveness of the program in increasing 
student access to quality mental health services, and making 
recommendations to the Secretary about sustainability of the program.
    Additional Requirements:
    (a) Coordination of Activities: Recipients funded under this 
competition will be required to coordinate activities under this 
program with projects funded under the Department of Health and Human 
Services' Substance Abuse and Mental

[[Page 17423]]

Health Services Administration's Mental Health Transformation State 
Infrastructure Grants (MHTSIG), if a grantee's State receives a MHTSIG 
award. If a recipient of a grant under this program also has received 
or receives a Department of Education Emergency Response and Crisis 
Management (ERCM) grant (CFDA 84.184E), the recipient must also 
coordinate mental health services activities under this grant with 
those planned under its ERCM grant.
    (b) Application Requirements: Applicants for an award under this 
program must develop and submit with their application a preliminary 
interagency agreement (IAA). The preliminary IAA submitted with 
application must contain the signatures of an authorized representative 
of (1) one or more SEAs or LEAs or Indian tribes; (2) one or more 
juvenile justice authorities; and (3) one or more State or local public 
mental health agencies. At a minimum, the preliminary IAA submitted 
with the application must include the following information that 
details the work to be completed should the applicant receive a grant 
award under this competition:
    (1) The designation of a lead agency that will direct, in 
compliance with section 5541(e) of the ESEA, the establishment of the 
grantee's final interagency agreement among LEAs, juvenile justice 
authorities, mental health agencies, and other relevant entities in the 
State, in collaboration with local entities and parents and guardians 
of students;
    (2) Commitment of the parties in the applicant's preliminary IAA to 
participate in the development of the final interagency agreement 
described in (1). The final interagency agreement must specify, with 
regard to each participating agency, authority, or entity--
     Financial responsibility for the services that it will 
provide as part of the program;
     Conditions and terms of responsibility for the services, 
including quality, accountability, and coordination of services;
     Conditions and terms of reimbursement with and among the 
other agencies, authorities, or entities that are parties to the 
interagency agreement, including procedures for dispute resolution; and
     Policies and procedures to ensure appropriate parental or 
caregiver consent for any planned services, pursuant to state or local 
laws or requirements.
    (3) A statement that the parties in the preliminary IAA will 
complete the required final IAA and submit it to the U.S. Department of 
Education no later than 12 months after the award date.
    (4) An assurance that:
     Persons providing services under the grant will be 
adequately trained to provide such services;
     Services provided under the grant will be consistent with 
the six requirements in the absolute priority;
     Teachers, principal administrators, and other school 
personnel will be made aware of the program; and
     Parents of students participating in services under the 
program will be involved in the design and implementation of the 
services.
    Applications that fail to include the required preliminary IAA 
(with required content and signatures) will not be submitted for peer 
review.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on priorities and other grant requirements. 
Section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) (20 
U.S.C. 1232(d)(1)), however, allows the Secretary to exempt from 
rulemaking requirements, regulations governing the first grant 
competition under a new or substantially revised program authority. 
This is the first competition for Grants for the Integration of Schools 
and Mental Health Systems under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 
and therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely 
grant awards, under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, the Secretary has 
decided to forgo public comment on the Additional Requirements and the 
eligibility restriction pertaining to LEAs or consortia of LEAs that 
have received or will receive funding under the Safe Schools/Healthy 
Students Initiative (84.184L). These Additional Requirements and the 
eligibility restriction will apply to the FY 2005 grant competition and 
any subsequent year in which we make awards based on the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7269.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, 99, and 299.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,960,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make 
additional awards in FY 2006 from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$350,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $250,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20.


    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.


    Project Period: Up to 18 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs, LEAs, and Indian tribes. LEAs or 
consortia of LEAs that have ever received funds or services under the 
Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative (CFDA Number 84.184L), or will 
receive funds under the FY 2005 competition for CFDA Number 84.184L, 
are not eligible for funding under this program.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost 
sharing or matching but does have a supplement-not-supplant 
requirement. Any services provided through programs carried out under 
this grant must supplement, and not supplant, existing mental health 
services, including any services provided under the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll 
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 
1-877-576-7734.
    You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: 
[email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.215 M.
    You may also download the application from the Department of 
Education's Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact 
person listed in this section.
    The public can also obtain applications directly from the program

[[Page 17424]]

office: Dana Carr, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW., room 3E242, FB-6, Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone: (202) 260-
0823 or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: April 5, 
2005. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 16, 2005.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants system, or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by 
mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV.6. Other Submission 
Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 18, 
2005.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference additional regulations 
outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of 
this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you 
must use e-Application available through the Department's e-Grants 
system, accessible through the e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    While completing your electronic application, you will be entering 
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
     You must complete the electronic submission of your grant 
application by 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application deadline 
date. The e-Application system will not accept an application for this 
competition after 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application deadline 
date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the 
application deadline date to begin the application process.
     The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site 
are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until 
midnight Saturday, Eastern Time. Please note that the system is 
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on 
Thursdays, Eastern Time, for maintenance. Any modifications to these 
hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you submit your application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget 
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary 
assurances and certifications.
     Any narrative sections of your application should be 
attached as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF 
(Portable Document) format.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
     Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may 
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement that will include a PR/Award 
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
     Within three working days after submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the ED 424 to the Application Control 
Center after following these steps:
    (1) Print ED 424 from e-Application.
    (2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
    (3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the 
hard-copy signature page of the ED 424.
    (4) Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at 
(202) 245-6272.
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
other forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System 
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting 
your application on the application deadline date because the e-
Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of 
one business day in order to transmit your application electronically, 
by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
    (1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have 
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
    (2) (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or 
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 
application deadline date; or
    (b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time 
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application 
deadline date.
    We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability 
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to 
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may 
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If the system is down and therefore 
the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all 
registered users who have initiated an e-Application.
    Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the 
unavailability of the Department's e-Application system. If the e-
Application system is available, and, for any reason, you are unable to 
submit your application electronically or you do not receive an 
automatic acknowledgement of your submission, you may submit your 
application in paper format by mail or hand delivery in accordance with 
the instructions in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the 
original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable 
following address: By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA 
Number 84.215M), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260
     or

[[Page 17425]]

    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.215M), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing 
consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service,
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier, or
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark, or
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.


    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.215M), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time, except Saturdays, Sundays, 
and Federal holidays.
    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail 
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 4 of the ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix letter, 
if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your 
application.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application 
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant 
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
in the application package.
    2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in 
selecting an application for an award are the equitable distribution of 
grants among the geographical regions of the United States and among 
urban, suburban, and rural populations.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. You must also submit a progress report nine months 
after the award date. This report should provide the most current 
performance and financial expenditure information, including baseline 
data.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of 
the Grants for the Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems 
program:
    a. The percentage of schools served by the grant that have 
comprehensive, detailed linkage protocols in place will increase; and
    b. The percentage of school personnel served by the grant who are 
trained to make appropriate referrals to mental health services will 
increase.
    These two measures constitute the Department's indicators of 
success for this program. Consequently, applicants for a grant under 
this program are advised to give careful consideration to these two 
outcomes in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation of their 
proposed project. If funded, applicants will be asked to collect and 
report data in their performance and final reports about progress 
toward these goals. The Secretary will also use this information to 
respond to the evaluation requirements concerning this program 
established in Section 5541(f) of the ESEA.

VII. Agency Contact

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana Carr, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E242, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 260-0823 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this 
section.

VIII. Other Information

    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.


    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: March 31, 2005.
Deborah A. Price,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 05-6744 Filed 4-5-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P