[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 190 (Thursday, October 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59161-59162]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24965]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Notice of Class Deviation From Competition Requirements

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

ACTION: Notice of Class Deviation from Competition Requirements: 
Program Expansion Supplement Request for Pediatric Audiology 
Supplements to ten Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other 
Related Disabilities (LEND) Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Training 
Programs.

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SUMMARY: HRSA announces the award of a program expansion supplement in 
the amount of $70,000 each to ten Leadership Education in 
Neurodevelopment and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) grantees with 
existing graduate-level pediatric audiology programs. The purpose of 
the LEND Program is to enhance the clinical expertise and leadership 
skills of professionals dedicated to caring for children with 
neurodevelopmental and other related disabilities, including autism, 
and to increase the number of trained providers available to treat 
children with complex disabilities. The purpose of this notice is to 
award a 12-month supplement to LEND pediatric audiology programs to: 
(1) Strengthen the focus on testing for hearing loss in young infants 
and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other related 
neurodevelopmental disabilities (DD); and (2) to increase the number of 
pediatric audiology trainees with clinical and leadership skills to 
detect hearing loss in these infants/children, and to develop systems 
to increase enrollment of identified infants/children into early 
intervention programs.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Intended Recipients of the Awards: University of Utah, UNC-Chapel 
Hill, University of Pittsburgh, University of Colorado, Vanderbilt 
University, University of Miami, University of South Dakota, University 
of Washington, Children's Hospital Boston, University of Wisconsin.
    Amount of Each Non-Competitive Award: $70,000.
    Period of Supplemental Funding: 7/1/2015-6/30/2016.
    CFDA Number: 93.110.

    Authority:  Autism Act of 2006, Public Health Service (PHS) Act 
Sec.  399BB(e)(1)(A), codified at 42 U.S.C. 280i-1.

    Justification: The ten LEND programs discussed in this request are 
currently in year 5 of a 5-year project period. Approval of this 
request for a $70,000 program expansion supplement to each of the ten 
grantees will allow the programs to continue their work to strengthen 
the focus on testing for hearing loss in young infants and children 
with ASD and other related DD, to increase the number of pediatric 
audiology trainees with clinical and leadership skills to detect 
hearing loss in these infants/children, and to enroll identified 
infants/children into early intervention programs.
    The identified LEND grantees are uniquely qualified to perform the 
expanded activity because for the past 6 years they have provided 
enhanced didactic and clinical training in pediatric audiology and have 
increased the number of trained pediatric audiologists to provide 
critical services in the community. If these grantees are awarded a 
program expansion, LEND will continue to increase the number of 
pediatric audiology trainees with clinical and leadership skills to 
detect hearing loss in infants/children with ASD and other related DD, 
and to enroll identified infants/children into early intervention 
programs. Each of the ten LEND Programs that receive this funding has 
made a commitment to

[[Page 59162]]

three to four pediatric audiology trainees in their programs. Without a 
continuation of funds, the trainees will be left with an incomplete 
training experience. Disapproval of this request may also prevent 
families of children with ASD and other DD from receiving appropriate 
services through trained providers and create more burden on families 
to access early intervention services in a timely manner.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Sofka, RD, MPH, Division of 
Maternal and Child Health Workforce Development, Maternal and Child 
Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 
Fishers Lane, Room 18W55, Rockville, Maryland 20857; [email protected]. 
Robyn J. Schulhof, MA, Division of Maternal and Child Health Workforce 
Development, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and 
Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 18W50, Rockville, 
Maryland 20857; [email protected].

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                                                                                                                            Fiscal year     Fiscal year
                                                                                              Current         Current          2014            2015
          Grantee/organization name               Grant No.              State             project start    project end     authorized       estimated
                                                                                               date            date        funding level   funding level
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University of Colorado.......................      T73MC11044  CO                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016        $544,765        $614,765
University of Miami..........................      T73MC00013  FL                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016         712,385         782,385
Children's Hospital Boston...................      T73MC00020  MA                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016         670,480         740,480
UNC-Chapel Hill..............................      T73MC00030  NC                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016         833,174         903,174
University of Pittsburgh.....................      T73MC00036  PA                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016         586,452         656,452
University of South Dakota...................      T73MC00037  SD                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016         529,942         599,942
Vanderbilt University........................      T73MC00050  TN                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016         577,381         648,289
University of Utah...........................      T73MC00054  UT                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016         747,435         817,435
University of Washington.....................      T73MC00041  WA                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016         814,466         884,466
University of Wisconsin......................      T73MC00044  WI                               7/1/2011       6/30/2016         658,569         734,054
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    Dated: September 24, 2015.
James Macrae,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2015-24965 Filed 9-30-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P