[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 166 (Friday, August 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44369-44370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20818]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Notice of Availability of Draft Policy Document for Comment

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

ACTION: This Policy Information Notice (PIN) describes the 
documentation that will be considered by the Health Resources and 
Services Administration (HRSA) to establish whether an organization can 
qualify as a ``public agency'' (also referred to in previous PINs as 
``public entities'' or ``public applicants'') for the purpose of 
determining eligibility for a Health Center Program grant under Section 
330 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (``Section 330'') and/or 
Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike designation. This 
draft PIN is available on the Internet at http://bphc.hrsa.gov/draftsforcomment/publiccenter.

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DATES: Comments must be received by October 13, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted to [email protected] by 
close of business October 13, 2009.
SUMMARY: HRSA believes that community input is valuable to the 
development of policies and policy documents related to the 
implementation of HRSA programs, including the Health Center Program. 
Therefore, we are requesting comments on the PIN referenced above. 
Comments will be reviewed and analyzed, and a summary and general 
response will be published as soon as possible after the deadline for 
receipt of comments.
    Background: HRSA administers the Health Center Program, which 
supports more than 1,100 organizations operating more than 7,500 health 
care delivery sites, including community health centers, migrant health 
centers, health care for the homeless centers, and public housing 
primary care centers. Health centers serve medically underserved 
communities delivering preventive and primary care services to patients 
regardless of their ability to pay. The Health Center Program's 
authorizing statute and implementing regulations (Section 330 of the 
PHS Act and 42 CFR Part 51c) state that any public or non-profit 
private entity is eligible to apply for a grant under the Health Center 
Program. The term ``public agency'' is not explicitly defined in 
Section 330 or in the Health Center Program's regulations; however, 
reference is made in Section 330 to these types of organizations within 
the definition of a public center as ``a health center funded (or to be 
funded) through a grant under this section to a public agency'' 
(Section 330(k)(3)(M) of the PHS Act). HRSA is issuing this PIN to 
describe the documentation that will be considered to establish whether 
an organization can qualify as a ``public agency'' (also referred to in 
previous PINs as ``public entities'' or ``public applicants'') for 
purposes of determining eligibility for a Health Center Program grant 
under Section 330 of the PHS Act and/or FQHC Look-Alike designation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding this notice, 
please contact the Office of Policy and Program

[[Page 44370]]

Development, Bureau of Primary Health Care, HRSA, at 301-594-4300.

    Dated: August 24, 2009.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-20818 Filed 8-27-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P