[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 49 (Friday, March 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13378-13382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05333]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Proposed priorities; National Institute on Disability, 
Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research; Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research Projects Program

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.
    CFDA Number: 84.133A-5 and 84.133A-6.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed priorities.

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SUMMARY: The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living 
proposes priorities for the Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
Projects (DRRPs) Program administered by the National Institute on 
Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). 
Specifically, this notice proposes priorities for a Center on Knowledge 
Translation for Employment Research and Projects for Translating 
Disability and Rehabilitation Research into Practice. We take this 
action to focus research attention on areas of national need. We intend 
these priorities to contribute to improved outcomes for people with 
disabilities through improved uptake of

[[Page 13379]]

research-based knowledge generated by NIDILRR-sponsored research.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before April 13, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal 
or via postal mail, or commercial delivery. We will not accept comments 
submitted by fax or by email or those submitted after the comment 
period. To ensure that we do not receive duplicate copies, please 
submit your comments only once. In addition, please include the Docket 
ID at the top of your comments.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov to 
submit your comments electronically. Information on using 
Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing agency documents, 
submitting comments, and viewing the docket, is available on the site 
under ``Are you new to the site?''
     Postal Mail or Commercial Delivery: If you mail or deliver 
your comments about these proposed regulations, address them to 
Patricia Barrett, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5142, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, 
DC 20202-2700.

    Privacy Note:
     The Department's policy is to make all comments received from 
members of the public available for public viewing in their entirety 
on the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Therefore, 
commenters should be careful to include in their comments only 
information that they wish to make publicly available.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Barrett. Telephone: (202) 
245-6211 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice of proposed priority is in 
concert with NIDRR's currently approved Long-Range Plan (Plan). The 
Plan, which was published in the Federal Register on April 4, 2013 (78 
FR 20299), can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: 
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/policy.html.
    The Plan identifies a need for research and training regarding 
employment, community living and participation, and health and function 
of individuals with disabilities. To address this need, NIDILRR seeks 
to: (1) Improve the quality and utility of disability and 
rehabilitation research; (2) foster an exchange of research findings, 
expertise, and other information to advance knowledge and understanding 
of the needs of individuals with disabilities and their family members, 
including those from among traditionally underserved populations; (3) 
determine effective practices, programs, and policies to improve 
community living and participation, employment, and health and function 
outcomes for individuals with disabilities of all ages; (4) identify 
research gaps and areas for promising research investments; (5) 
identify and promote effective mechanisms for integrating research and 
practice; and (6) disseminate research findings to all major 
stakeholder groups, including individuals with disabilities and their 
family members in formats that are appropriate and meaningful to them.
    This notice proposes two priorities that NIDILRR intends to use for 
one or more competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2015 and possibly later 
years. NIDILRR is under no obligation to make an award under these 
priorities. The decision to make an award will be based on the quality 
of applications received and available funding. NIDILRR may publish 
additional priorities, as needed.
    Invitation to Comment: We invite you to submit comments regarding 
these proposed priorities. To ensure that your comments have maximum 
effect in developing the final priorities, we urge you to identify 
clearly the specific topic within each priority that each comment 
addresses.
    We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific 
requirements of Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 and their overall 
requirement of reducing regulatory burden that might result from these 
proposed priorities. Please let us know of any further ways we could 
reduce potential costs or increase potential benefits while preserving 
the effective and efficient administration of the program.
    During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public 
comments by following the instructions found under the ``Are you new to 
the site?'' portion of the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
www.regulations.gov. Any comments sent to NIDILRR via postal mail or 
commercial delivery can be viewed in Room 5142, 550 12th Street SW., 
PCP, Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, Monday through Friday of each week except Federal 
holidays.
    Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities in Reviewing the 
Rulemaking Record: On request we will provide an appropriate 
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability who 
needs assistance to review the comments or other documents in the 
public rulemaking record for this notice. If you want to schedule an 
appointment for this type of accommodation or auxiliary aid, please 
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program is to plan and 
conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related 
activities, including international activities, to develop methods, 
procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full 
inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, 
family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals 
with disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe 
disabilities, and to improve the effectiveness of services authorized 
under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act).

Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects

    The purpose of NIDILRR's DRRPs, which are funded through the 
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is 
to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the 
Rehabilitation Act by developing methods, procedures, and 
rehabilitation technologies that advance a wide range of independent 
living and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, 
especially individuals with the most significant disabilities. DRRPs 
carry out one or more of the following types of activities, as 
specified and defined in 34 CFR 350.13 through 350.19: Research, 
training, demonstration, development, utilization, dissemination, and 
technical assistance.
    An applicant for assistance under this program must demonstrate in 
its application how it will address, in whole or in part, the needs of 
individuals with disabilities from minority backgrounds (34 CFR 
350.40(a)). The approaches an applicant may take to meet this 
requirement are found in 34 CFR 350.40(b). Additional information on 
the DRRP program can be found at: www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/res-program.html#DRRP.

    Program Authority:  29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(a).

    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.

Proposed Priorities

    This notice contains two proposed priorities.

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Proposed Priority 1: Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment 
Research

Background
    There continues to be a wide disparity in employment rates between 
individuals with and without disabilities. As of October 2014, the 
employment rate for individuals with disabilities was 17.7 percent 
while that of individuals without disabilities was 65.2 percent (U.S. 
Department of Labor, 2014). This disparity in employment rates is seen 
across all age groups and for both men and women.
    Using the best available research findings to inform practice and 
policy can contribute to improvements in outcomes for individuals with 
disabilities (Dijkers, 2009). While there are research findings in 
several areas related to the employment of individuals with 
disabilities, the use of those findings in the disability employment 
field to improve employment practices, policies, systems, and outcomes 
is not optimal (Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment research 
[SEDL], 2011).
    The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and 
Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) has adopted the conceptual framework 
of knowledge translation (KT) to help promote the effective use of 
research findings. Within the disability employment context, KT refers 
to a multidimensional, active process of ensuring that new knowledge 
and products gained via research and development reach practitioners, 
employers, policy makers, and individuals with disabilities and others; 
are understood by these audiences; and are used to improve the 
employment and participation outcomes of individuals with disabilities. 
KT is built upon continuing interactions and partnerships within and 
between different groups of knowledge creators and users. Using KT to 
facilitate partnerships between researchers and key stakeholders in the 
field of disability employment research is critical, given the limited 
experience that employers have with hiring, maintaining, and promoting 
individuals with disabilities. At the same time, potential employees 
with disabilities have a relative lack of experience in the paid labor 
force. KT strategies can be used to promote the use of research-based 
knowledge among employers, potential employees with disabilities, 
employment service providers, and other stakeholders as they seek to 
improve employment outcomes among individuals with disabilities.
    The promise of KT for influencing employment practice and outcomes 
has yet to be fulfilled because there is still limited information 
available related to effective strategies for knowledge translation in 
the disability employment context (e.g., Becker et al., 2007; Graham et 
al., 2013; Hall et al., 2014). Thus, NIDILRR aims to sponsor research 
to identify or develop KT strategies that are designed to promote the 
use of disability employment research findings to improve employment 
outcomes of individuals with disabilities.
References
    Becker, D.R., Baker, S.R., Carlson, L., Flint, L., Howell, R., 
Lindsay, S., Moore, M., Reeder, S., & Drake, R.E. (2007). Critical 
strategies for implementing supported employment. Journal of 
Vocational Rehabilitation, 27(1), 13-20.
    Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research (2011). 
Promising and proven practices in employment. Retrieved from http://kter.org/products/Promising_Proven_Practices_0411.pdf.
    Dijkers, M.P.J.M. for the NCDDR Task Force on Systematic Review 
and Guidelines. (2009). When the best is the enemy of the good: The 
nature of research evidence used in systematic reviews and 
guidelines. Austin, TX: SEDL.
    Graham, C., Inge, K., Wehman, P., Murphy, K., Revell, W.G., & 
West, M. (2013). Moving employment research into practice: Knowledge 
and application of evidence-based practices by State vocational 
rehabilitation agency staff. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 
39(1), 75-81.
    Hall, A., Bose, J., Winsor, J., & Migliore, A. (2014). Knowledge 
translation in job development: Strategies for involving families. 
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 27(5), 
489-492.
    U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014). 
Table A6. Employment status of the civilian population by sex, age, 
and disability status, not seasonally adjusted. Retrieved from 
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t06.htm.
    Proposed Priority 1
Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research
    The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living 
proposes a priority for a Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
Project to serve as the Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment 
Research (Center). The purpose of the proposed Center on KT for 
Employment Research is to promote the use of employment research 
findings to improve practices and policies that support improved 
employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities. The center will 
achieve this purpose by (1) working with employment-focused NIDILRR 
grantees to identify research findings that can be used to improve 
employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, (2) identifying 
areas in which stakeholders' needs for research-based knowledge are 
most pressing, and (3) investigating and promoting effective strategies 
to increase the appropriate use of the best available research-based 
knowledge in the field.
    Under this priority, the Center must be designed to contribute to 
the following outcomes:
    (a) Increased understanding of processes and practices that will 
lead to successful knowledge translation in the field of employment for 
individuals with disabilities;
    (b) Increased adoption and use of relevant research findings funded 
by NIDILRR and other entities, to improve employment of individuals 
with disabilities; and
    (c) Increased capacity of NIDILRR's employment-focused grantees to 
plan and engage in knowledge translation activities.
    The Center must contribute to these outcomes by conducting rigorous 
research, development, technical assistance, dissemination, and 
utilization activities to increase successful knowledge translation of 
employment research to improve employment of individuals with 
disabilities. In planning and conducting all activities, the Center 
must partner with relevant stakeholders such as employment-focused 
researchers, individual with disabilities, consumer organizations, 
employers, State and Federal agencies, and others as appropriate.
    Proposed Priority 2: Projects for Translating Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research into Practice.
Background
    A critical part of the mission of the National Institute on 
Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is 
promoting the effective use of new research-based knowledge to improve 
the outcomes of individuals with disabilities. NIDILRR has adopted the 
conceptual framework of knowledge translation to help guide its efforts 
to promote the effective use of research-based knowledge. Knowledge 
translation in the NIDILRR context refers to a multidimensional, active 
process of ensuring that new knowledge and products gained via research 
and development are relevant to the users' needs, reach intended users; 
are understood by these users; and are used to improve participation of 
individuals with disabilities in society.
    NIDILRR has increasingly emphasized the importance of translating 
research-based findings and products from

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NIDILRR-funded projects into practice, policy, or other uses by placing 
knowledge translation requirements in all grant opportunity 
announcements, and by funding a number of dedicated knowledge 
translation centers to provide technical assistance to grantees in this 
endeavor. These efforts have successfully promoted the use of new 
research-based knowledge and products by facilitating the 
identification of research questions that are relevant to the knowledge 
needs of targeted users, incorporating user input into the planning and 
implementation of research and development projects, and by 
facilitating the dissemination of research-based findings and products 
in usable formats.
    However, grantees often complete their research or development 
activities without sufficient time or funds to translate their 
research-based findings into usable products, or to promote the use and 
adoption of such findings by stakeholders. NIDILRR believes that a 
funding program that provides additional time and resources for these 
KT activities will help to further promote the use and adoption of 
research-based findings and products from NIDILRR-funded work which 
will, in turn, help to support its mission to improve the lives of 
individuals with disabilities.
    Proposed Priority: Projects for Translating Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research into Practice.
    The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living 
proposes a priority for Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects 
(DRRP). These DRRP grants will serve as Projects for Translating 
Disability and Rehabilitation Research into Practice. The purpose of 
these projects is to support the translation of research findings or 
products of past or present NIDILRR-funded grants into use or adoption 
by their stakeholders. Under this priority, grantees must successfully 
move NIDILRR-sponsored research-based findings or products into actual 
use or adoption in real-life contexts. Grantees under this priority 
must also document and disseminate the knowledge translation methods 
that they used to facilitate the adoption or use of findings or 
products by stakeholders.
    Each knowledge translation grant under this priority must be 
conducted in partnership with relevant stakeholders. These stakeholders 
must be actively engaged in the planning, implementation, and 
evaluation of all knowledge translation grant activities. Grantees 
under this priority must contribute to the following outcomes:
    (1) Use or adoption of NIDILRR-sponsored findings or products by 
relevant stakeholders;
    (2) Changes in policy, practice, or systems that are intended to 
improve the lives of individuals with disabilities as a result of the 
use or adoption of NIDILRR-sponsored findings or products; and
    (3) Increased understanding of promising practices for knowledge 
translation in disability, independent living, and rehabilitation 
research.
    Grantees under this priority must contribute to these outcomes by--
    (a) Identifying research-based findings or products from a NIDILRR-
funded grant or grants that are ready for use or adoption in real-world 
settings, as well as the context or setting in which they will be used 
or adopted;
    (b) Identifying or developing, and then implementing a knowledge 
translation plan to facilitate the use or adoption of findings or 
products in (a) by key stakeholders; and
    (c) Identifying measures to evaluate the success of the uses or 
adoptions achieved under (b).
Final Priorities
    We will announce the final priorities in a notice in the Federal 
Register. We will determine the final priorities after considering 
responses to this notice and other information available to the 
Department. This notice does not preclude us from proposing additional 
priorities, requirements, definitions, or selection criteria, subject 
to meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.

    Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in 
which we choose to use these priorities, we invite applications 
through a notice in the Federal Register or in a Funding Opportunity 
Announcement posted at www.grants.gov.

Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

Regulatory Impact Analysis

    Under Executive Order 12866, the Secretary must determine whether 
this regulatory action is ``significant'' and, therefore, subject to 
the requirements of the Executive Order and subject to review by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive Order 
12866 defines a ``significant regulatory action'' as an action likely 
to result in a rule that may--
    (1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more, 
or adversely affect a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, 
jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or 
tribal governments or communities in a material way (also referred to 
as an ``economically significant'' rule);
    (2) Create serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an 
action taken or planned by another agency;
    (3) Materially alter the budgetary impacts of entitlement grants, 
user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients 
thereof; or
    (4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal 
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles stated in the 
Executive Order.
    This proposed regulatory action is not a significant regulatory 
action subject to review by OMB under section 3(f) of Executive Order 
12866.
    We have also reviewed this regulatory action under Executive Order 
13563, which supplements and explicitly reaffirms the principles, 
structures, and definitions governing regulatory review established in 
Executive Order 12866. To the extent permitted by law, Executive Order 
13563 requires that an agency--
    (1) Propose or adopt regulations only upon a reasoned determination 
that their benefits justify their costs (recognizing that some benefits 
and costs are difficult to quantify);
    (2) Tailor its regulations to impose the least burden on society, 
consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives and taking into 
account--among other things and to the extent practicable--the costs of 
cumulative regulations;
    (3) In choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, select 
those approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential 
economic, environmental, public health and safety, and other 
advantages; distributive impacts; and equity);
    (4) To the extent feasible, specify performance objectives, rather 
than the behavior or manner of compliance a regulated entity must 
adopt; and
    (5) Identify and assess available alternatives to direct 
regulation, including economic incentives--such as user fees or 
marketable permits--to encourage the desired behavior, or provide 
information that enables the public to make choices.
    Executive Order 13563 also requires an agency ``to use the best 
available techniques to quantify anticipated present and future 
benefits and costs as accurately as possible.'' The Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB has emphasized that these 
techniques may include ``identifying changing future compliance costs 
that might result from technological innovation or anticipated 
behavioral changes.''
    We are issuing these proposed priorities only upon a reasoned 
determination that its benefits would justify its costs. In choosing 
among

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alternative regulatory approaches, we selected those approaches that 
would maximize net benefits. Based on the analysis that follows, the 
Department believes that these proposed priorities are consistent with 
the principles in Executive Order 13563.
    We also have determined that this regulatory action would not 
unduly interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the 
exercise of their governmental functions.
    In accordance with both Executive Orders, the Department has 
assessed the potential costs and benefits, both quantitative and 
qualitative, of this regulatory action. The potential costs are those 
resulting from statutory requirements and those we have determined as 
necessary for administering the Department's programs and activities.
    The benefits of the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects 
and Centers Program have been well established over the years. Projects 
similar to ones envisioned by the proposed priorities have been 
completed successfully, and the proposed priorities would generate new 
knowledge through research. The new DRRPs would generate, disseminate, 
and promote the use of new information that would improve outcomes for 
individuals with disabilities.
    Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to Executive 
Order 12372.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free 
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the 
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well 
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the 
site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: March 3, 2015.
Kathy Greenlee,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-05333 Filed 3-12-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P