[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 210 (Tuesday, October 30, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65694-65698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-26565]


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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 77 
FR 48525-48526 dated August 14, 2012).
    This notice reflects organizational changes to the Health Resources 
and Services Administration. This notice updates the functional 
statements for the Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (RU) and 
the Bureau of Health Professions (RP). Specifically, this notice: (1) 
Transfers the functions associated with the Office of Shortage 
Designation (RP2) from the Bureau of Health Professions (RP), to the 
Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (RU); (2) changes the name 
of the Office of Policy and Program Development (RU8) to the Division 
of Policy and Shortage Designation (RU8); (3) updates the functional 
statement for the Office of Policy and Program Development (RU8); (4) 
updates the functional statement for the Bureau of Health Professions 
and the Office of the Associate Administrator, Bureau of Health 
Professions (RP); (5) changes the name of the Division of Workforce and 
Performance Management (RPV) to the Office of Performance Measurement 
(RP4); (6) changes the name of the National Center for Workforce 
Analysis (RPW) to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis 
(RPW); (7) transfers the functions associated with the international 
migration, domestic training, and utilization of foreign medical 
graduates and U.S. citizens studying abroad from the Division of 
Medicine and Dentistry (RPC) to the newly named National Center for 
Health Workforce Analysis (RPW) and updates the functional statement 
for the Division of Medicine and Dentistry (RPC); (8) transfers the 
administration of grants, cooperative agreements and the clearance of 
correspondence function from the Office of Administrative

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Management Services (RP1) to the Office of Policy Coordination (RP3); 
and (9) updates the functional statement for the Division of Public 
Health and Interdisciplinary Education (RPF).

Chapter RU--Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service

Section RU-10, Organization

    Delete in its entirety and replace with the following:
    The Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (RU) is headed by 
the Associate Administrator, who reports directly to the Administrator, 
Health Resources and Services Administration. The Bureau of Clinician 
Recruitment and Service includes the following components:
    (1) Office of the Associate Administrator (RU);
    (2) Office of Legal and Compliance (RU1);
    (3) Division of National Health Service Corps (RU5);
    (4) Division of Nursing and Public Health (RU6);
    (5) Division of External Affairs (RU7);
    (6) Division of Policy and Shortage Designation (RU8);
    (7) Division of Program Operations (RU9);
    (8) Division of Regional Operations (RU10); and
    (9) Office of Business Operations (RU11).

Section RU-20, Functions

    (1) Update the functional statement for the Office of Policy and 
Program Development (RU8).
Division of Policy and Shortage Designation (RU8)
    Serves as the focal point for the development of BCRS programs and 
policies and directly supports national efforts to analyze and address 
equitable distribution of health professionals for access to health 
care for underserved populations. This Division: (1) Leads and 
coordinates the analysis, development and drafting of policy impacting 
BCRS programs; (2) coordinates program planning and tracking of 
legislation and other information related to BCRS programs; (3) leads 
and monitors the development of workforce projections relating to BCRS 
programs; (4) provides oversight, processing and coordination for the 
J1-visa program; (5) performs environmental scanning on issues that 
affect BCRS programs and assesses the impact of programs on underserved 
communities; (6) monitors BCRS activities in relation to HRSA's 
Strategic Plan; (7) develops budget projections and justifications; (8) 
serves as the Bureau's focal point for program information; (9) works 
collaboratively with other components within HRSA and HHS, and with 
other federal agencies, state and local governments, and other public 
and private organizations on all issues affecting BCRS programs and 
policies including health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) and 
medically-underserved areas and populations; (10) directly supports 
national efforts to analyze and address equitable distribution of 
health professionals for access to health care for underserved 
populations; (11) recommends HPSAs and medically-underserved areas and 
populations (MUAs/MUPs); (12) approves designation requests and 
finalizes designation policies and procedures for both current and 
proposed designation criteria; (13) negotiates and approves state 
designation agreements; and (14) oversees grants to state primary care 
offices and conducts all business management aspects of the review, 
negotiation, award, and administration of these grants.

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. The Bureau of Health Professions 
includes the following components:
    (1) Office of the Associate Administrator (RP);
    (2) Office of Administrative Management Services (RP1);
    (3) Office of Policy Coordination (RP3);
    (4) Office of Performance Measurement (RP4);
    (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); and
    (10) National Center for Health Workforce Analysis.

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' programs are designed to improve 
the health of the nation's underserved communities and vulnerable 
populations by assuring a diverse, culturally competent workforce that 
is ready to provide access to quality health care services. Bureau of 
Health Professions' program components provide workforce studies, 
including research analysis of alternative methodologies for areas of 
need, training grants for health professions, financial support to 
students, information to protect the public from unsafe health care 
practitioners, and support for graduate medical education at the 
nation's freestanding children's hospitals and teaching health centers. 
The Health Professions Training Program awards grants to health 
profession schools and training programs in every state. Grantees 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 provides overall 
leadership, direction, coordination, and planning in support of the 
Bureau of Health Professions' programs to ensure alignment and support 
of the Agency mission and strategic objectives. Specifically, the 
Office of the Associate Administrator: (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 and 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 workforce 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)
    The Office of Administrative Management Services collaborates with

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the Bureau of Health Professions' 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, and the allocation and utilization of personnel resources; 
(3) conducts all business management aspects of the review, 
negotiation, award, and administration of contracts; (4) provides other 
support services including the acquisition, management, and maintenance 
of supplies, equipment, space, training, and travel, and (5) assumes 
special projects or takes the lead on certain issues as tasked by the 
Bureau Associate or Deputy Associate Administrator.
Office of Policy Coordination (RP3)
    The Office of Policy Coordination 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; (6) 
coordinates, reviews, and provides clearance of correspondence and 
official documents entering and leaving the Bureau as needed; (7) 
conducts all business management aspects of the review, negotiation, 
award, and administration of grants and cooperative agreements; and (8) 
assumes special projects or takes the lead on certain issues as tasked 
by the Bureau Associate or Deputy Associate Administrator.
Office of Performance Measurement (RP4)
    The Office of Performance Measurement serves as the Bureau focal 
point for performance measurement coordination, reporting, evaluation, 
and analysis. Specifically: (1) Leads, guides, and coordinates 
performance measurement, performance reporting, and program evaluation 
activities of the Bureau's Divisions and Offices; (2) coordinates and 
guides the Bureau's efforts to use performance information to improve 
program planning and implementation; (3) maintains effective 
relationships within HRSA and with other federal and non-federal 
agencies engaged in program evaluation; (4) promotes quality 
improvement in health professions education through collaboration and 
partnerships with national and international institutes and centers for 
quality improvement; and (5) works collaboratively with the National 
Center for Health Workforce Analysis.
Division of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Education (RPF)
    The Division of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Education 
serves as the Bureau's lead for increasing the public health and 
behavioral health workforce, promoting interdisciplinary health 
professions issues and programs, including geriatric training, and 
increasing the diversity of the health professions workforce. 
Specifically: (1) Provides grants and technical assistance to expand 
and enhance training critical to the current and future public health 
workforce, supports academic-community partnerships, expands and 
improves the quality of health professions interdisciplinary and inter-
professional education, expands health career opportunities for diverse 
and disadvantaged populations and supports and guides the career 
development in geriatric specialties; (2) evaluates programmatic data 
and promotes the dissemination and application of findings arising from 
supported programs; (3) collaborates within the Bureau to conduct, 
support, or obtain analytical studies to determine the present and 
future supply requirements of the healthcare workforce in the areas 
addressed by the Division of Public Health and Interdisciplinary 
Education's programs; (4) provides leadership and staff support for the 
Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary, Community-Based Linkages; and 
(5) 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 governmental agencies, and other public and 
private organizations concerned with public health and behavioral 
health workforce development, and improving access to health care for 
the nation's underserved.
Division of Medicine and Dentistry (RPC)
    The Division of Medicine and Dentistry serves as the Bureau's lead 
in support and evaluation of medical and dental personnel development 
and utilization including (a) primary care physicians, (b) dentists, 
(c) dental hygienists, and (d) physician assistants 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) and 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 support 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 and physician assistants by specialty, geographic 
location, and for state planning efforts; (5) encourages community-
based training opportunities for primary care providers, particularly 
in underserved areas; (6) 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 (7) represents 
the Bureau, Agency, and federal government, as designated, on national 
committees maintaining 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)
    The Division of Nursing serves as the Bureau's leader 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 and improvement of

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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) evaluates programmatic data and promotes the dissemination 
and application of findings arising from supported programs; (7) 
collaborates within the Bureau to conduct, support, or obtain 
analytical studies to determine the present and future supply and the 
requirements of the nursing workforce; (8) leads initiatives in the 
area of international nursing information exchange and nursing 
workforce planning and development; (9) 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 (10) 
represents the Bureau, Agency, and federal government, as designated, 
on national committees and 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)
    The Division of Practitioner Data Banks coordinates with the 
Department and other federal entities, state licensing boards, 
national, state, and local professional organizations, to promote 
quality assurance efforts and deter fraud and abuse by administering 
the National Practitioner Data Bank and the Healthcare Integrity and 
Protection Data Bank. Specifically: (1) Monitors adverse licensure 
information on all licensed health care practitioners and health care 
entities; (2) develops, proposes, and monitors efforts for (a) 
credential assessment, granting of privileges, monitoring and 
evaluating programs for physicians, dentists, 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 following all 
disclosure procedures without fail; (5) conducts and supports research 
based on the National Practitioner Data Bank and Healthcare Integrity 
and Protection Data Bank information; (6) maintains active consultative 
relations with professional organizations, societies and federal 
agencies involved with the National Practitioner Data Bank and 
Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank; (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)
    The Division of Student Loans and Scholarships 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 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.
National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (RPW)
    The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis 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 those making decisions 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 Bureaus' data 
collection and modeling on health professions' workforce in conjunction 
with other entities involved in data collection and analysis; (4) 
maintains effective relationships, 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; (6) provides guidance to 
state partnerships conducting comprehensive workforce data collection 
on the health care workforce which will support better coordination and 
implementation for workforce planning and analysis at the state level; 
(7) 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; and (8) works collaboratively with the Office of Performance 
Measurement.

Section R-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.


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    Dated: October 24, 2012.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2012-26565 Filed 10-29-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P