[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 28 (Friday, February 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9351-9353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02947]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Supporting 
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native 
Populations

AGENCY: Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office 
of Minority Health (OMH) seeks input from Native Hawaiian and Pacific 
Islander (NHPI) communities and NHPI

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serving organizations to guide the development of a new Center for 
Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity (Center). This is NOT a 
solicitation for proposals or proposal abstracts.

    Please Note: This request for information (RFI) is for planning 
purposes only. It is not a notice for a proposal and does not commit 
the federal Government to issue a solicitation, make an award, or 
pay any costs associated with responding to this announcement. All 
submitted information shall remain with the federal government and 
will not be returned. All responses will become part of the public 
record and will not be held confidential. The Federal Government 
reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for 
purposes deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Respondents are 
advised that the Federal Government is under no obligation to 
acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback 
to respondents with respect to any information submitted. Responses 
will not be accepted after the due date. After a review of the 
responses received, a notice of funding opportunity or pre-
solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published.
    A separate RFI exists to solicit feedback from American Indian/
Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes and tribal organizations.


DATES: To be assured consideration, written comments must be submitted 
and received at the address provided below, no later than 11:59 p.m. on 
March 14, 2021.

ADDRESSES: OMH, invites the submission of the requested information 
through one of the following methods:
     Preferred method: Submit information through the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submissions.
     Email: Send comments to [email protected] with the 
subject line ``OMH: NHPI RFI: Center for Indigenous Innovation and 
Health Equity.''

Submissions received after the deadline will not be reviewed. Respond 
concisely and in plain language. You may use any structure or layout 
that presents your information well. You may respond to some or all of 
our questions, and you can suggest other factors or relevant questions. 
You may also include links to online material or interactive 
presentations. Clearly mark any proprietary information and place it in 
its own section or file. Your response will become government property, 
and we may publish some of its non-proprietary content.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Rodriguez, 1101 Wootton Parkway, 
Suite 100, Rockville, MD 20852, (240) 453-8208, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background Information

The Office of Minority Health

    Authorized under Section 1707 of the Public Health Service Act, 42 
U.S.C. 300u-6, as amended, the mission of the OMH is to improve the 
health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the 
development of health policies and programs that help eliminate health 
disparities. OMH awards and other activities are intended to support 
the identification of effective policies, programs and practices for 
improving health outcomes and to promote sustainability and 
dissemination of these approaches.
    Under the authority of Public Law 116-260 (2021 Consolidated 
Appropriations Act), Congress called for the creation of a Center for 
Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity to support efforts including 
research, education, service, and policy development related to 
advancing Indigenous solutions to decrease health disparities in AI/AN 
and NHPI populations.

Background

    NHPIs experience persistent health disparities, including higher 
rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity compared to the 
white population.\1\ Identification and awareness of health outcomes 
and health determinants are essential steps towards reducing health 
disparities in minority communities at greatest risk.2 3 
Research has shown that community-driven interventions have a positive 
impact on health outcomes.\4\
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    \1\ Wu, Samuel, and Alexis Bakos. ``The Native Hawaiian and 
Pacific Islander National Health Interview Survey: Data Collection 
in Small Populations.'' Public Health Reports, vol. 132, No. 6, Nov. 
2017, pp. 606-608, doi:10.1177/0033354917729181.
    \2\ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Health 
Disparities and Inequalities Report--United States, 2013. MMWR 
2013;62 (Suppl 3). Retrieved December 7, 2020 from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/other/su6203.pdf.
    \3\ https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health.
    \4\ O'Mara-Eves A., Brunton G., Oliver S., Kavanagh J., Jamal 
F., Thomas J. The effectiveness of community engagement in public 
health interventions for disadvantaged groups: A meta-analysis. BMC 
Public Health. 2015;15: 129. Published 2015 Feb 12. doi:10.1186/
s12889-015-1352-y.
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Program Information

    The purpose of this initiative is to create a Center for Indigenous 
Innovation and Health Equity (Center) to provide services for American 
Indian and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander 
populations that draws on deeply-rooted indigenous values and 
practices.
    The Center should serve as a coordinating entity that will partner 
with accredited academic institutions with a focus on Indigenous health 
research, policy and innovation among AI/AN and NHPI populations. The 
Center will serve to build capacity and to support efforts including 
research, education, service, and policy development related to 
advancing Indigenous solutions. Work in these areas will increase the 
capacity to identify and address health disparities in AI/AN and NHPI 
communities. The Center is highly encouraged to engage Indigenous 
leaders and community partners to address AI/AN and NHPI health 
disparities focus areas that align with their goals and priorities. The 
Center is expected to use a dual track approach to address each 
populations' needs and tailor indigenous knowledge and practice 
specific to the AI/AN and NPHI populations. Each track will be parallel 
and complementary, both rooted in indigenous values and practices 
appropriate to each population.
    The Center's objectives may include:
     Create an indigenous public health agenda focused on 
research needs, education, services, and health policies to address AI/
AN and NHPI health disparities.
     Serve as a resource to support the development, 
implementation, evaluation, dissemination, and translation of 
evidenced-based public health interventions in AI/AN and NHPI 
communities.
     Partner with academic institutions and Indigenous leaders 
and community partners in health disparities focus areas.
     Train AI/AN and NHPI public health, medical practitioners, 
students and multi-sector partners.
    The Center's outcomes may include:
     Expand community capacity and knowledge to develop 
evidence based program solutions, best practices and policies that 
address health disparities in AI/AN and NHPI population.
     Increase utilizations of effective strategies and tools to 
improve and reduce AI/AN and NHPI health disparities.
     Contribute to improved AI/AN and NHPI health, elimination 
of health disparities, and achievement of health equity.

II. Request for Information

    Through this RFI, OMH is seeking information from Native Hawaiian 
and Pacific Islander communities and Native

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Hawaiian and Pacific Islander-serving organizations.
    A separate RFI exists to solicit feedback from Federally-recognized 
Indian Tribes/American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes, Tribal 
organizations, Tribal-serving organizations, Tribal Colleges and 
Universities, and AI/AN-serving institutions of higher education.

III. Questions

     How might the proposed Center objectives and outcomes 
listed above meet the needs of NHPI populations?
     What is the recommended composition and governance 
infrastructure for the Center?
     Are there specific focus areas and activities this center 
should address?

    Dated: February 9, 2021.
Paul Rodriguez,
Senior Advisor for Operations, Office of Minority Health.
[FR Doc. 2021-02947 Filed 2-11-21; 8:45 am]
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