[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51088-51091]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20425]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

    This notice amends Part R of the Statement of Organization, 
Functions and Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA) (60 FR 56605, as amended November 6, 1995; as last amended at 75 
FR 48980-48983 dated August 12, 2010).
    This notice reflects organizational changes in the Health Resources 
and Services Administration. Specifically, this notice updates the 
Bureau of Health Professions (RP) functional statement as a result of 
the Affordable Care Act, to better align functional responsibility to 
improve coordination and functional management; establishing clear 
lines of authority, responsibility, and accountability for resources 
and effectiveness; improving programmatic and administrative 
efficiencies; and optimizing use of available staff resources.

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Chapter RP--Bureau of Health Professions

Section RP-10, Organization

    Delete in its entirety and replace with the following:
    The Bureau of Health Professions (RP) is headed by the Associate 
Administrator, who reports directly to the Administrator, Health 
Resources and Services Administration. BHPr includes the following 
components:
    (1) Office of the Associate Administrator (RP);
    (2) Office of Administrative Management Services (RP1);
    (3) Office of Shortage Designation (RP2);
    (4) Office of Policy Coordination (RP3);
    (5) Division of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Education 
(RPF);
    (6) Division of Medicine and Dentistry (RPC);
    (7) Division of Nursing (RPB);
    (8) Division of Practitioner Data Banks (RPG);
    (9) Division of Student Loans and Scholarships (RPD);
    (10) Division of Workforce and Performance Management (RPV); and
    (11) National Center for Analysis (RPW).

Section RP-20, Functions

    (1) Delete the functional statement for the Bureau of Health 
Professions (RP) and replace in its entirety.
Bureau of Health Professions (RP)
    The Bureau of Health Professions' (BHPr) programs are designed to 
improve the health of the Nation's underserved communities and 
vulnerable populations by assuring a diverse, culturally competent 
workforce is ready to provide access to quality health care services. 
BHPr program components provide workforce studies, identification of 
shortage designations, training grants for health professions, 
financial support to students, protection to the public from unsafe 
health care practitioners and support for the Nation's freestanding 
children's hospitals by providing funding for graduate medical 
education to these institutions. The Health Professions Training 
programs award grants to health professions schools and training 
programs in every State, which use the funds to develop, expand, and 
enhance their efforts to train the workforce America needs.
Office of the Associate Administrator (RP)
    The Office of the Associate Administrator (OAA) provides overall 
leadership, direction, coordination, and planning in support of the 
BHPr programs to ensure alignment and support of the Agency mission and 
strategic objectives. Specifically, the OAA: (1) Directs and provides 
policy guidance for workforce recruitment, student assistance, 
training, and placement of health professionals to serve in underserved 
areas; (2) establishes program goals, priorities and provides oversight 
of program quality and integrity in execution; (3) maintains effective 
relationships within HRSA and with other Federal and non-Federal 
agencies, State and local governments, and other public and private 
organizations concerned with health personnel development and improving 
access to health care for the Nation's underserved; (4) plans, directs, 
and coordinates Bureau-wide management and administrative activities; 
(5) leads and guides Bureau programs in recruiting and retaining a 
diverse workforce; and (6) coordinates, reviews, and provides clearance 
of correspondence and official documents entering and leaving the 
Bureau.
Office of Administrative Management Services (RP1)
    Collaborates with BHPr leadership to plan, coordinate, and direct 
Bureau-wide administrative management activities. Specifically: (1) 
Plans and directs financial management activities including budget 
formulation, presentation, and execution functions and supports linking 
of the budget and planning processes; (2) provides human resource 
services regarding all aspects of personnel management, workforce 
planning as well as the allocation and utilization of personnel 
resources; (3) conducts all business management aspects of the review, 
negotiation, award, and administration of grants, cooperative 
agreements and contracts; (4) coordinates, reviews, and provides 
clearance of correspondence and official documents entering and leaving 
the Bureau as needed; and (5) provides other support services including 
the acquisition, management, and maintenance of supplies, equipment and 
space, training, and travel.
Office of Shortage Designation (RP2)
    Directly supports national efforts to address equitable 
distribution of health professionals for access to health care to 
underserved populations. Specifically: (1) Recommends health 
professional shortage areas and medically-underserved populations; (2) 
proactively collaborates with other Federal, State, and private sector 
partners regarding health professional shortage areas and medically-
underserved populations; (3) approves designation requests and 
finalizes designation policies and procedures for both current and 
proposed designation criteria; (4) negotiates and approves State 
designation agreements, and (5) oversees grants to State primary care 
offices.
Office of Policy Coordination (RP3)
    Serves as the focal point for coordination and integration of 
Bureau policy development, analyses, and evaluation. Specifically: (1) 
Coordinates Bureau-wide, cross-cutting initiatives; (2) links Bureau 
policy activities to HRSA-wide policy development, analyses, and 
evaluation; (3) serves as a key point of contact to coordinate public 
relations and media communications as well as activities related to 
congressional inquiries, and other stakeholder groups in conjunction 
with the Agency and Department; (4) prepares policy analysis papers and 
other planning documents as required, (5) analyzes issues arising from 
legislation, budget proposals, regulatory actions and other program or 
policy actions; and (6) assumes special projects or takes the lead on 
certain issues as tasked by the Bureau Associate or Deputy Associate 
Administrator.
Division of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Education (RPF)
    Serves as the Bureau lead for increasing the public health 
workforce, interdisciplinary health professions issues and programs, 
including geriatric training, and activities to increase the diversity 
of the health professional workforce. Specifically: (1) Provides grants 
and technical assistance for programs of public health in the 
development and improvement of education for public health or 
specialized training in public health to expand and enhance training 
opportunities and competencies, critical to the current and future 
public health workforce; (2) plans, promotes, supports, and evaluates 
academic-community partnerships in development of interdisciplinary, 
community-based programs designed to improve the quality of health 
professions inter-professional education and training, continuing 
education for health care professionals, and/or provides health career 
recruitment programs for K-12 students; (3) develops, supports, 
recommends, coordinates and evaluates health resources and health 
career opportunities for diverse and disadvantaged populations; (4) 
provides support and guidance for career

[[Page 51090]]

development in geriatric specialists through faculty development, 
fellowships, and interdisciplinary education focused on older 
Americans; (5) promotes the dissemination and application of findings 
arising from supported programs; (6) provides leadership and staff 
support for the Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary, Community-
Based Linkages; and (7) maintains effective relationships within HRSA 
and with other Federal and non-Federal agencies, State and local 
governments, and other public and private organizations concerned with 
health personnel development and improving access to health care for 
the Nation's underserved.
Division of Medicine and Dentistry (RPC)
    Serves as the Bureau lead in support and evaluation of medical and 
dental personnel development and utilization including, primary care 
physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, physician assistants, and 
other primary care specialties to provide health care in underserved 
areas. Specifically: (1) Administers grants to educational institutions 
for the development, improvement, and operation of educational programs 
for primary care physicians (pre-doctoral, residency), physician 
assistants; including support for community-based training and funding 
for faculty development to teach in primary care specialties training; 
(2) provides technical assistance and consultation to grantee 
institutions and other governmental and private organizations on the 
operation of these educational programs, which includes funding for the 
Nation's free standing children's hospitals to meet the costs of 
providing graduate medical education; (3) evaluates programmatic data 
and promotes the dissemination and application of findings arising from 
supported programs; (4) collaborates within the Bureau to conduct, 
support, or obtain analytical studies to determine the present and 
future supply and requirements of physicians, dentists, dental 
hygienists, physician assistants, and other health professionals by 
specialty, geographic location, and for State planning efforts; (5) 
supports and conducts programs with respect to activities associated 
with the international migration, domestic training, and utilization of 
foreign medical graduates and U.S. citizens studying abroad; (6) 
supports joint degree programs to provide interdisciplinary and inter-
professional graduate training in public health and other health 
professions; (7) provides leadership and staff support for the Advisory 
Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry and for 
the Council on Graduate Medical Education; and (8) represents the 
Bureau, Agency, and Federal Government, as designated, on national 
committees and maintains effective relationships within HRSA and with 
other Federal and non-Federal agencies, State and local governments, 
and other public and private organizations concerned with health 
personnel development and improving access to health care for the 
Nation's underserved.
Division of Nursing (RPB)
    Serves as a principal Agency source of leadership for nursing 
education and practice, including increasing the diversity of the 
nursing workforce to improve access to health care in underserved 
areas. Specifically: (1) Provides grants and technical assistance for 
schools of nursing in the development, improvement of education for 
nursing or specialized training in primary care to enhance training 
opportunities and competencies critical to the current and future 
nursing workforce; (2) addresses nursing workforce shortages through 
projects that focus on expanding enrollment in baccalaureate programs, 
developing internship and residency programs, or providing education in 
new technologies, including distance learning, nurse practice projects 
that focus on establishing/expanding practice arrangements in non-
institutional settings, providing care for underserved populations and 
other high-risk groups, skill-building in managed care, quality 
improvement and other skills needed in existing and emerging organized 
health care systems, or developing cultural competencies; (3) develops, 
supports, recommends, coordinates and evaluates health resources and 
health career opportunities for diverse and disadvantaged populations; 
(4) promotes the involvement of States and communities in developing 
and administering nursing programs and assists States and communities 
in improving access to nursing services and educational programs; (5) 
facilitates coordination of nursing-related issues with other 
governmental agencies and consults with them on national or 
international nursing workforce planning and development issues; (6) 
promotes the dissemination and application of findings arising from 
supported programs; (7) leads initiatives in the area of international 
nursing information exchange and nursing workforce planning and 
development; (8) the Director, on behalf of the Secretary, serves as 
the Chair of the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and 
Practice, and provides staff support; and (9) maintains effective 
relationships within HRSA with external health professional groups, 
with other Federal and non-Federal agencies, State and local 
governments, and other public and private organizations with a common 
interest in the Nation's capacity to deliver nursing services.
Division of Practitioner Data Banks (RPG)
    Coordinates with the Department and other Federal entities, State 
licensing boards, and national, State, and local professional 
organizations, to promote quality assurance efforts and deter fraud and 
abuse by administering the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and 
the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB). 
Specifically: (1) Monitors adverse licensure information on all 
licensed health care practitioners and health care entities; (2) 
develops, proposes, and monitors efforts for (a) credentials 
assessment, granting of privileges, and monitoring and evaluating 
programs for physicians, dentists, and other health care professionals 
including quality assurance, (b) professional review of specified 
medical events in the health care system including quality assurance, 
and (c) risk management and utilization reviews; (3) encourages and 
supports evaluation and demonstration projects and research concerning 
quality assurance, medical liability and malpractice; (4) ensures 
integrity of data collection and follows all disclosure procedures 
without fail; (5) conducts and supports research based on NPDB and 
HIPDB information; (6) maintains active consultative relations with 
professional organizations, societies, and Federal agencies involved in 
the NPDB and HIPDB; (7) works with the Secretary's office to provide 
technical assistance to States undertaking malpractice reform; and (8) 
maintains effective relations with the Office of the General Counsel, 
the Office of Inspector General, and HHS concerning practitioner 
licensing and data bank issues.
Division of Student Loans and Scholarships (RPD)
    Serves as the focal point for overseeing Federal loan and 
scholarship programs supporting health professionals. Specifically: (1) 
Monitors and assesses educational and financial institutions with 
respect to capabilities

[[Page 51091]]

and management of Federal support for students and the tracking of 
obligatory service requirements; (2) develops and conducts training 
activities for staff of educational and financial institutions; (3) 
coordinates financial aspects of programs with educational 
institutions; (4) develops program data needs and reporting 
requirements; and (5) maintains effective relationships within HRSA and 
with other Federal and non-Federal agencies, State and local 
governments, and other public and private organizations concerning 
student assistance.
Division of Workforce and Performance Management (RPV)
    Serves as the Bureau focal point for internal program planning, 
coordination, reporting, evaluation, and analysis. Specifically: (1) 
Leads, guides and coordinates program planning, reporting, and 
evaluation activities of the Bureau Divisions and Offices; (2) provides 
staff services to the Associate Administrator for program and strategic 
planning and to the budgetary and regulatory processes; (3) assumes 
special projects or takes the lead on certain issues as tasked by the 
Bureau Associate or Deputy Associate Administrator; and (4) maintains 
effective relationships within HRSA and with other Federal and non-
Federal agencies, State and local governments, and other public and 
private organizations concerning health personnel development and 
improving access to health care for the Nation's underserved; and (5) 
works collaboratively with the National Center for Workforce Analysis.
National Center for Workforce Analysis (RPW)
    Provides leadership in the development and dissemination of 
accurate and timely data for analysis and research regarding the 
Nation's health workforce in order to inform decisionmaking for 
policymakers and to support goals related to the Nation's health 
professionals' workforce. Specifically: (1) Develops the capacity to 
directly collect health professions workforce data to quantify and 
measure supply, demand, distribution, shortages and surpluses at the 
national level, for selected disciplines and selected States and 
regions; (2) collaborates and conducts studies to assess and monitor 
factors, such as policy actions likely to impact future supply, demand, 
distribution and/or use of health professionals; (3) develops and 
coordinates the Bureau data collection and modeling on health 
professions' workforce in conjunction with other entities involved in 
data collection and analysis; (4) maintains effective relationships and 
conducts data collection and assesses quality within HRSA staff, other 
Federal and non-Federal agencies, and organizations on the health 
professions workforce; (5) produces reports and disseminates data on 
the health professions workforce within HRSA, to other Federal and non-
Federal agencies, State and local governments, other public and private 
organizations, and the public concerned with health personnel 
development and improving access to health care for the Nation's 
underserved; and (6) works collaboratively with the Division of 
Workforce and Performance Management.

Section RP-30, Delegations of Authority

    All delegations of authority and re-delegations of authority made 
to HRSA officials that were in effect immediately prior to this 
reorganization, and that are consistent with this reorganization, shall 
continue in effect pending further re-delegation.
    This reorganization is effective upon date of signature.

    Dated: August 11, 2010.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-20425 Filed 8-17-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P