[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 30, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30780-30783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-4936]


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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) 2006

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215M

DATES: Applications Available: May 30, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 10, 2006.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 9, 2006.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs), local 
educational agencies (LEAs), and Indian tribes. Additional eligibility 
requirements are listed elsewhere in this notice under section I. 
Funding Opportunity Description, Additional Requirements.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,861,300. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make 
additional awards in FY 2007 from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$350,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $243,065.
    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 (ESEA) (20 U.S.C. 7269).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2006 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: The following requirements are from the 
notice of final requirements for this program published elsewhere in 
this issue of the Federal Register.

Requirement 1--Coordination of Activities

    Recipients of a grant under the Grants for the Integration of 
Schools and Mental Health Systems program are required to coordinate 
project activities with projects funded under the Department of Health 
and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration's Mental Health Transformation State Infrastructure 
Grants (MHTSIG) program (CFDA 93.243), if a grantee's State receives a 
MHTSIG award. If a recipient of a grant under the Grants for the 
Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems program has received 
or receives a grant under the Department of Education's Emergency 
Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) program (CFDA 84.184E), the 
recipient must coordinate mental health service activities under this 
grant with those planned under its ERCM grant. Projects funded by this 
program must complement, rather than duplicate, existing or ongoing 
efforts.

Requirement 2--Safe Schools/Healthy Students Recipients Excluded From 
Receiving Awards

    Former or current recipients under the Safe Schools/Healthy 
Students program (CFDA 84.184L) are not eligible to receive a grant 
under this program. Recipients of Safe Schools/Healthy Students awards 
are responsible for completing a scope of work under that program that 
is very similar to the activities required under the Grants for the 
Integration of Schools and Mental Health Systems program. By 
restricting the applicant pool to eliminate former or current grantees 
under the Safe Schools/Healthy Students program, we will be able to 
focus Federal funds on entities that have not yet received Federal 
support to develop and implement strong linkages with other entities in 
their communities for the provision of mental health services to 
students.
    Applicants may compete for both the Grants for the Integration of 
Schools and Mental Health Systems and Safe Schools/Healthy Students 
programs in the same year; if applicants are deemed eligible for 
funding in both grant competitions, the applicant will receive the 
larger and more comprehensive of the awards.

Requirement 3--Preliminary Interagency Agreement (IAA)

    Applicants for an award under the Grants for the Integration of 
Schools and Mental Health Systems program must develop and submit with 
their applications a preliminary interagency agreement (IAA). The IAA 
must contain the signatures of an authorized representative of at least 
(1) one or more State or local educational agencies or Indian tribes; 
(2) one or more juvenile justice authorities; and (3) one or more State 
or local public mental health agencies. This preliminary IAA would 
confirm the commitment of these partners to complete the work under the 
proposed project, if funded. If the applicant is funded, recipients 
will complete a final IAA as required by section 5541(e) of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). The 
final IAA must be completed and submitted to us, signed by all parties, 
no later than 12 months after the award date.
    Applications that do not include the proposed preliminary IAA with 
all of the required signatures will be rejected and not be considered 
for funding.

[[Page 30781]]

Requirement 4--Inclusion of Parental Consent Considerations in Final 
IAA

    The final IAA must include a description of policies and procedures 
that would ensure appropriate parental or caregiver consent for any 
planned services, pursuant to State or local laws or other 
requirements.

Requirement 5--Provision of Direct Services

    Grant funds under this program must not be used to provide direct 
services to students.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7269.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) 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.
    (b) The notice of final requirements for this program published 
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

    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: $4,861,300. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make 
additional awards in FY 2007 from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$350,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $243,065.
    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. Additional 
eligibility requirements are listed elsewhere in this notice under 
section I. Funding Opportunity Description, Additional Requirements.
    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: http://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 
office: Dana Carr, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW., room 3E242, 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, including the requirements 
for Interagency Agreements, together with the forms you must submit, 
are in the application package for this program.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: May 30, 
2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 10, 2006.
    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: August 9, 2006.
    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 competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: Grant funds under this program will not be 
used to provide direct services to students. 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., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application 
for this competition after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC 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, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is 
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on 
Thursdays, Washington, DC 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. If you choose to submit your application

[[Page 30782]]

electronically, you must attach any narrative sections of your 
application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF 
(Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the 
three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, 
we will not review that material.
     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 acknowledgment 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 to enable you 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., Washington, DC 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., Washington, DC 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 acknowledgment 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 acknowledgment 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
    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., Washington, DC 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 
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed 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.

[[Page 30783]]

    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 an interim progress report 
twelve 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; and
    b. The percentage of school personnel served by the grant who are 
trained to make appropriate referrals to mental health services.
    These two measures constitute the Department's measures of success 
for this program. Consequently, applicants for a grant under this 
program are advised to give careful consideration to these two measures 
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 
measures. 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 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.
    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: May 24, 2006.
Deborah A. Price,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 06-4936 Filed 5-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P