[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 13 (Thursday, January 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4040-4041]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1236]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related 
Disabilities MCH Training Program

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of Class Deviation from Project/Budget Period Funding 
Policies.

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SUMMARY: HRSA will provide 2 additional years of support in the absence 
of competition for one cohort of grants under the Leadership Education 
in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) MCH 
Training Program. HRSA will extend the project period to June 30, 2011, 
for the cohort of the LEND program expected to compete in fiscal year 
(FY) 2009, which would correspond to the sunset of the Combating Autism 
Act. Currently, there are 34 LEND grants split into two cohorts (17 
each) with different end dates; one group is scheduled to compete in FY 
2009 (Cohort A), and the other in FY 2011 (Cohort B). HRSA will non-
competitively extend with funds the 5-year project periods for those 
LEND grantees ending on June 30, 2009, for 2 additional budget periods 
at the same level of support for the same scope of activities which 
they received in FY 2008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Intended Recipients of the Award

    Seventeen programs in the LEND cohort are expected to compete in FY 
2009. These programs presently have active LEND grants: University of 
Iowa, Johns Hopkins University, University of Missouri, University of 
Nebraska, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Albert Einstein College 
of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of South 
Dakota, University of Vermont, Virginia Commonwealth University, West 
Virginia University, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Ohio 
State University, Vanderbilt University, Children's Research Institute, 
Indiana University, University of Oklahoma.
    Amount of Individual Supplemental Awards: Note: These funding 
levels are expected to continue in FYs 2009 and 2010.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               FY 2008
                          Grantee                               award
------------------------------------------------------------------------
University of Iowa.........................................     $491,265
Johns Hopkins University...................................      884,277
University of Missouri.....................................      393,012
University of Nebraska.....................................      412,663
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.........................      451,964
Albert Einstein College of Medicine........................      491,265
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh..........................      393,012
University of South Dakota.................................      432,313
University of Vermont......................................      451,964
Virginia Commonwealth University...........................      451,964
West Virginia University...................................      439,825
University of Massachusetts Medical School.................      604,256
Ohio State University......................................      393,011
Vanderbilt University......................................      393,012
Children's Research Institute..............................      393,012
Indiana University.........................................      481,440
University of Oklahoma.....................................      442,139
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    Current Project Periods: 7/1/04 through 6/30/09.
    Period of Supplemental Funding: 7/1/09 through 6/30/11.

    Authority: Combating Autism Act of 2006, Public Law No. 109-416, 
Sec.  399BB(e)(1)(A), 120 Stat 2821, 2826 (2006).

    CFDA Number: 93.110.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Kavanagh; Branch Chief, MCH 
Training Program, Division of Research, Training and Education; 
Maternal and Child Health Bureau; (301) 443-2254.

[[Page 4041]]

    Justification for the Exception to Competition: HRSA is ending the 
two cohort system for the following reason:

    The Combating Autism Act of 2006 is scheduled to sunset in 
September of 2011. With this legislation, it is critical to have 
sufficient and accurate data to evaluate the progress of screening 
and diagnosing a greater number of children with autism spectrum 
disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities and assuring 
that they receive evidenced based services. A national evaluation 
will be conducted to contribute to the HHS Secretary's Report to 
Congress on progress related to ASD and other developmental 
disabilities as required by the Combating Autism Act. From a 
programmatic perspective, it is imperative to collect data from the 
same group of grantees over the project period to assess program 
goals as requested in the National Evaluation. By extending the 
project period for two additional years for the LEND cohort with the 
current project period ending date of June 30, 2009, MCHB will be 
able to collect common data elements from both LEND cohorts through 
the end of Combating Autism Act which sunsets in 2011. Doing so will 
help ensure that there will be a more cohesive and uniform 
collection of data being gathered and analyzed across both cohorts 
which will increase sample size and ultimately, data validity and 
study power. If it becomes necessary to hold a competition for the 
LEND cohort in FY 2009 and new applicants were to apply and be 
successful, there would be the potential for less uniformity in the 
data collection. It is crucial that there is as much meaningful data 
gathered in the remaining time available from both cohorts to ensure 
that the National Evaluation is an accurate reflection of the 
program activities.

Under this deviation, MCHB will provide the LEND grantees in LEND 
Cohort A, currently expected to compete in FY 2009, with the same 
amount of funds for the same scope of activities that they received in 
FY 2008 for both the FY2009 and 2010 budget periods.

    Dated: January 13, 2009.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-1236 Filed 1-21-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P