[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 1 (Monday, January 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 159-160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-33063]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Discretionary Grant Program

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

ACTION: Notice of noncompetitive program supplemental award.

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SUMMARY: HRSA will be issuing non-competitive supplemental grant 
funding to the University of Wisconsin, Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, 
Wisconsin, under the Maternal Child and Health Bureau's Blood Lead 
Proficiency Testing Program. The University of Wisconsin will use these 
funds to initiate an orderly closeout of HRSA-funded activities which 
clearly fall within the purview of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention's ``Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children'' initiative 
at their National Center for Environmental Health. This action will 
also accord the University of Wisconsin and the Center additional time 
to solicit recommendations from the CDC's Advisory Committee on 
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention with respect to future funding for 
this activity.
    The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) has continuously 
supported the National Blood Lead and Erythrocyte Protoprophyrin (EP) 
Proficiency Testing Program through the University of Wisconsin since 
1988. Childhood lead poisoning is a well-characterized public health 
problem in

[[Page 160]]

the U.S., and is unfortunately over-represented in minority, immigrant, 
and low socio-economic populations. The proper detection and treatment 
of lead poisoning relies entirely on the accurate and precise 
measurement of blood lead concentration. EP is utilized as an adjunct 
test to indicate the extent and duration of lead exposure, as well as 
the detection of iron deficiency, another pediatric health issue. 
Proficiency testing (PT) is a proven method for assuring and improving 
laboratory test accuracy. This program has cost-effectively provided 
monthly PT and other lab quality improvement tools to nearly 600 
laboratories across the U.S. and beyond. Of note, the primary focus of 
the program over the last few years has been the integration of new and 
usually inexperienced participants into the program. An enrollment boom 
has been fueled by proliferation of the CLIA-waived LeadCare II point 
of care testing instrument. In the three years since its introduction, 
LeadCare II enrollment has grown from zero to 300 laboratories, 
comprising approximately 40 percent of all participants. Continued 
participation increases, and the fact that those increases are nearly 
totally comprised of LeadCare II users, represent both a public health 
success and a challenge for this program. Since its introduction in 
early 2007, over 300 of these laboratories have enrolled for PT, 
swelling program participation to 800 laboratories.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Intended Recipients of the Award: University of Wisconsin, 
Laboratory of Hygiene, Madison, Wisconsin.
    Amount of the Non-Competitive Supplemental Funding: $250,000.

    Authority: Section 501(c)(1) of the Social Security Act, as 
amended.

    CFDA Number: 93.110.
    Proposed Project Period: January 1, 2008-October 31, 2011.
    Justification for Exception to Competition:
    The participation of large numbers of these labs in voluntary 
proficiency was by design, and represents a public health success by 
assuring blood lead screening accuracy where there would otherwise be 
no evaluation. Three factors contribute to this. First, is the HRSA 
support of this program, which has been increased to accommodate the 
additional labs.
    This support allows laboratories to participate at no cost, a vital 
consideration for voluntary participants. The second factor is the 
effort of the NBLPT Program to integrate the new technology shortly 
after it became available, and collaboration with the manufacturer to 
promote participation. The third factor is that some States have 
initiated PT requirements, deeming this quality check of sufficient 
importance to mandate successful participation as a requisite for 
Medicaid reimbursement. This State-level action illustrates the 
importance of this PT participation, and may be the beginning of a 
trend that will serve to increase participation even more.
    The University of Wisconsin will use these funds to initiate an 
orderly closeout of HRSA-funded activities which clearly falls within 
the purview of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 
``Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children'' initiative at their 
National Center for Environmental Health. This extension with funding 
will also accord the University of Wisconsin and the Center to solicit 
recommendations from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead 
Poisoning Prevention with respect to future funding for this activity.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Heppel, M.D., Director, Division 
of Child, Adolescent and Family Health, Maternal and Child Health 
Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Room 18A-30, Rockville, MD 20857; 301-443-2250; [email protected].

    Dated: December 23, 2010.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-33063 Filed 12-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P