[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 227 (Monday, November 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72976-72983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25824]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Mental Health Service Professional 
Demonstration Grant Program

AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2023 for the Mental Health 
Service Professional (MHSP) Demonstration Grant Program, Assistance 
Listing Number 84.184X. This notice relates to the approved information 
collection under OMB control number 1810-0772.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: November 28, 2022.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 27, 2023.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: March 28, 2023.
    Pre-Application Webinar Information: The Department will hold a 
pre-application meeting via webinar for prospective applicants on 
December 14, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. and January 11, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. 
Eastern Time. To register, please visit the program website at: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-formula-grants/safe-supportive-schools/mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program/.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an 
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to 
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the 
Federal Register on December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at 
www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979. Please note that these Common 
Instructions supersede the version published on February 13, 2019, and, 
in part, describe the transition from the requirement to register in 
SAM.gov a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to the 
implementation of the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). More information 
on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tawanda Avery, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 3E244, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 987-1782, Email: [email protected].
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and 
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The MHSP Program provides competitive grants to 
support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based 
mental health services providers (as defined in section 4102 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA)) 
(services providers) for employment in schools and local educational 
agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program is to increase the number and 
diversity of high-quality, trained providers available to address the 
shortages of mental health service professionals in schools served by 
high-need LEAs (as defined in this notice). The partnerships must 
include (1) one or more high-need LEAs or a State educational agency 
(SEA) on behalf of one or more high-need LEAs and (2) one or more 
eligible institutions of higher education (eligible IHE) (as defined in 
this notice).
    Partnerships must provide opportunities to place postsecondary 
education graduate students in school-based mental health fields into 
high-need schools (as defined in this notice) served by the 
participating high-need LEAs to complete required field work, credit 
hours, internships, or related training, as applicable, for the degree 
or credential program of each student. In addition to the placement of 
graduate students, grantees may also develop mental health career 
pathways as early as secondary school, through career and technical 
education opportunities, or through paraprofessional support degree 
programs at local community or technical colleges.

[[Page 72977]]

    Background: Like good physical health, positive mental health 
promotes success in life. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC), ``Mental health includes our emotional, 
psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, 
and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to 
others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every 
stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.'' \1\
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    \1\ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm. Accessed on September 17, 2022.
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    Support for the mental health of children and youth advances 
educational opportunities by creating conditions for students to fully 
engage in learning. The increases in mental health needs, including 
those resulting from traumatic events such as the Novel Coronavirus 
2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, community violence, and adverse childhood 
experiences present challenges for children and youth that for many 
impact their overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being 
and their ability to fully engage in learning. The disruptions to 
routines, relationships, and the learning environment have led to 
increased stress and trauma, social isolation, and anxiety that can 
have both immediate and long-term adverse impacts on the physical, 
social, emotional, and academic well-being of children and youth.
    In response to these challenges, the FY 2022 Appropriations Act and 
the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act appropriated a dramatic increase 
in funds for the MHSP program. The final MHSP priorities, requirements, 
and definitions used in this notice inviting applications aim to 
address student mental health needs by increasing the number of school-
based mental health services providers in high-need LEAs, increasing 
the number of services providers from diverse backgrounds or from the 
communities they serve, and ensuring that all services providers are 
trained in inclusive practices, including ensuring access to services 
for children and youth who are English learners.
    In developing applications that meet the absolute priority, we 
encourage applicants to consider the needs of individuals from diverse 
backgrounds and utilize the program's broad allowability to use funds 
to provide support services that will have a meaningful impact on 
diversifying the school-based mental health services workforce. For 
example, projects may pay for participants' tuition, provide a modest 
salary for internships, cover the cost of transportation to and from 
the high-need school where the participant is placed, pay for childcare 
while the participant is working at the high-need school, and pay for 
administrative expenses, such as background check fees that are 
necessary for placement in a participating school. Such uses of funds 
may be especially critical in supporting individuals from low-income 
backgrounds who are pursuing careers as school-based mental health 
services providers.
    Priorities: This competition has one absolute priority and three 
competitive preference priorities. These priorities are from the notice 
of final priorities, requirements, and definitions for the MHSP Program 
published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2022 (87 FR 60083).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2023 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Expand Capacity of High-need LEAs.
    Projects that propose to expand the capacity of high-need LEAs in 
partnership with eligible IHEs to train school-based mental health 
services providers (as defined in this notice), with the goal of 
expanding the number of these professionals available to address the 
shortages of school-based mental health services providers in high-need 
schools.
    To meet this priority, the applicant must propose a school-based 
mental health partnership (as defined in this notice) to place the 
IHE's graduate students in school-based mental health services fields 
into high-need schools served by the participating high-need LEAs for 
the purpose of completing required field work, credit hours, 
internships, or related training necessary to complete their degree or 
obtain a credential as a school-based mental health services provider.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2023 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 
5 points for Competitive Preference Priority 1 depending on how well 
the application meets the priority. We award up to an additional 5 
points for Competitive Preference Priority 2, depending on how well the 
application meets the priority. We award an additional 2 points to an 
application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 3. The total 
number of competitive preference points an applicant may receive is 12.
    An applicant must clearly identify in the project abstract and the 
project narrative section of its application the competitive preference 
priority or priorities it wishes the Department to consider for 
purposes of earning competitive preference priority points.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Increase the Number of Qualified 
School-Based Mental Health Services Providers in High-Need LEAs Who Are 
from Diverse Backgrounds or from Communities Served by the High-Need 
LEAs. (Up to 5 points)
    Projects that propose to increase the number of qualified school-
based mental health services providers in high-need LEAs who are from 
diverse backgrounds (i.e., backgrounds that reflect the communities, 
identities, races, ethnicities, abilities, and cultures of the students 
in the high-need LEA, including underserved students) or who are from 
communities served by the high-need LEAs.\2\ Applicants must describe 
how their proposal to increase the number of school-based mental health 
services providers who are from diverse backgrounds or who are from the 
communities served by the high-need LEA will help increase access to 
mental health services for students within the high-need LEA and best 
meet the mental health needs of the diverse populations of students to 
be served.
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    \2\ All strategies to increase the diversity of providers must 
comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws, including title VI 
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Promote Inclusive Practices. (Up 
to 5 points)
    Projects that propose to provide evidence-based (as defined in 
section 8101 of the ESEA) pedagogical practices in mental health 
services provider preparation programs or professional development 
programs that are inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, 
language, disability, and for students who identify as LGBTQI+, and 
that prepare school-based mental health services providers to create 
culturally and linguistically inclusive and identity-safe \3\ 
environments for students when providing services.
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    \3\ An identity-safe environment is a place where every student 
feels physically and emotionally safe. Perceptions of safety often 
differ across different groups of students, and each intervention 
and support measure should be designed to ensure the safety and 
belonging of all students.
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    Applicants must describe how their proposal to provide evidence-
based

[[Page 72978]]

pedagogical practices in mental health services provider preparation 
programs or professional development programs will prepare school-based 
mental health services providers to provide inclusive practices and to 
create culturally and linguistically inclusive and identity-safe 
environments for students when providing services.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3--Partnerships with HBCUs, TCUs, 
or other MSIs. (0 or 2 points)
    Applicants that propose to implement their projects by or in 
partnership with one or more of the following entities:
    (1) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) (as 
defined in 34 CFR 608.2).
    (2) Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) (as defined in section 
316(b)(3) of the HEA).
    (3) Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) (as defined in sections 
316 through 320 of part A of title III, under part B of title III, or 
under title V of the HEA).
    Note: Only institutions that the Department determined to be 
eligible through the FY 2022 process for eligible MSI designation, or 
which were granted a waiver under the process, may be considered 
eligible for this competitive preference priority.
    Requirements: These application requirements are from the notice of 
final priorities, requirements, and definitions for this program 
published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2022 (87 FR 60083). We 
are establishing these application and program requirements for the FY 
2023 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards 
from the list of unfunded applications from this competition. These 
requirements are:
    Program Requirement: Eligible applicants for this program are high-
need LEAs, SEAs on behalf of one or more high-need LEAs, and IHEs. 
High-need LEA applicants and SEA applicants on behalf of one or more 
high-need LEAs must propose to work in partnership with an eligible 
IHE, which may include institutions that serve diverse learners such as 
an HBCU (as defined in 34 CFR 608.2), TCU (as defined in section 
316(b)(3) of the HEA), or other MSI (as defined in sections 316 through 
320 of part A of title III, under part B of title III, or under title V 
of the HEA). Eligible IHE applicants must propose to work in 
partnership with one or more high-need LEAs or an SEA.
    Application Requirements: An applicant must include the following 
in its application:
    (a) Identification of schools to be served by the proposed project.
    Applicants must identify or describe how they will identify the 
high-need schools to be served in each high-need LEA that is part of 
the school-based mental health partnership.
    (b) A description of the nature and magnitude of the problem.
    Applicants must describe how the lack of school-based mental health 
services providers is specifically affecting students in the high-need 
schools to be served by project activities. Applicants must describe 
the nature of the problem for the LEA, based on, but not limited to, 
the most recent available ratios of school-based mental health services 
providers to students enrolled in the schools in each high-need LEA 
that is part of the school-based mental health partnership (in the 
aggregate and disaggregated by profession (e.g., school social workers, 
school psychologists, and school counselors)). The description may also 
include LEA and school-level demographic data, including chronic 
absenteeism and discipline data, school climate surveys, school 
violence/crime data, data related to suicide rates, and descriptions of 
barriers to hiring and retaining services providers in the LEA.
    (c) A plan to enhance LEA capacity to provide mental health 
services to students.
    Applicants must describe the specific activities they will conduct 
to expand and improve LEA capacity to provide mental health services to 
students in high-need LEAs and ensure that students receive 
appropriate, evidence-based (as defined in section 8101 of the ESEA), 
and culturally and linguistically inclusive mental health services. To 
meet this requirement, the applicant must propose a school-based mental 
health partnership established for the purpose of placing the IHE's 
graduate students in school-based mental health fields into high-need 
schools served by the participating high-need LEAs to complete required 
field work, credit hours, internships, or related training as 
applicable for the degree or credential program of each student. If the 
applicant intends to establish a program that directly benefits an 
individual graduate student, such as through a stipend or tuition 
credit, the applicant must describe its approach to implementing a 
service obligation for such graduate student as a school-based mental 
health services provider in a high-need LEA commensurate with the level 
of support the graduate student receives.
    (d) A memorandum of understanding (MOU), a memorandum of agreement 
(MOA), or letter of agreement between the LEA or SEA, and the IHE.
    Applicants must include with their application an MOU, MOA, or 
letter of agreement that is signed by the authorized representatives of 
the LEA or SEA, and the IHE. The MOU, MOA, or letter of agreement must 
provide details regarding the roles and responsibilities of each entity 
in the partnership and include a description of how the partnership 
will place graduate students into high-need schools served by the 
participating high-need LEAs to complete required field work, credit 
hours, internships, or related training necessary to complete their 
degree or obtain a credential as a school-based mental health services 
provider. Additionally, SEA and LEA applicants must describe in the 
MOU, MOA, or letter of agreement how leaders across all levels of the 
project will be engaged in the implementation and evaluation of the 
project. The MOU, MOA, or letter of agreement must also include the 
estimated number of mental health services providers that will be 
placed into employment in high-need schools and high-need LEAs on an 
annual basis.
    (e) A plan for collaboration and coordination with related Federal, 
State, and local initiatives.
    Applicants must propose a plan that describes one or more of the 
following:
    (1) How they will collaborate with at least one national, State, or 
local professional organization (to include a regional professional 
organization, if appropriate), such as a school social worker 
association, school psychologist association, or school counselor 
association;
    (2) The activities to be carried out in coordination with the 
national, State, or local mental health, public health, child welfare, 
and other community agencies, which may include school-based health 
centers, to achieve the plan goals and objectives of establishing a 
pipeline program to train and expand the capacity of school-based 
mental health services providers in high-need LEAs;
    (3) How they will leverage other available Federal, State, and 
local resources to achieve project goals and objectives and sustain 
investments beyond the budget period. Applicants must identify these 
other available resources and describe how they will be used to promote 
success across programs; and
    (4) How they will use the MHSP funds to expand and enhance existing 
efforts or put in place new measures to increase the number of 
qualified school-based mental health services providers to be employed 
by eligible schools and LEAs qualified to provide school-based mental 
health services.

[[Page 72979]]

    Evidence of collaboration and coordination described in paragraphs 
(e)(1) and (2) must be provided through letters of support or MOAs/MOUs 
from State or local organizations or agencies, where applicable.
    (f) A description of the process to identify students for mental 
health services.
    Applicants must describe the specific process and activities they 
will use to ensure students in high-need LEAs who need school-based 
mental health services are properly identified, assessed, and provided 
the appropriate school-based mental health services by qualified 
personnel in consultation with educators, including school leaders, and 
parents and families, as appropriate. To meet this requirement, 
applicants must also describe how they will ensure that services are 
evidence-based and inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture, 
language, disability, homelessness, and for students who identify as 
LGBTQI+, and are accessible to all. Further, applicants must describe 
how LEAs will engage parents and families for the purposes of raising 
awareness about the availability of services and connecting students to 
services.
    Definitions: The definitions of ``eligible institution of higher 
education,'' ``high-need LEA,'' ``high-need school,'' ``school-based 
mental health partnership,'' and ``students/children from low-income 
backgrounds'' are from the notice of priorities, requirements, and 
definitions published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2022 (87 FR 
60083). The definitions of ``local educational agency'' (20 U.S.C. 
7801(30)), ``State educational agency'' (20 U.S.C. 7801(49)), and 
``school-based mental health services provider'' (20 U.S.C. 7112(6)) 
are from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended 
(ESEA). The definition of ``institution of higher education'' (20 
U.S.C. 1001), ``Minority Serving Institution,'' and ``Tribal Colleges 
and Universities'' are from the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 
amended. The definition of ``Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities'' is from 34 CFR 608.2. The definitions of ``ambitious,'' 
``baseline,'' ``logic model,'' ``project component,'' and ``relevant 
outcome'' are from 34 CFR 77.1. These definitions apply to the FY 2023 
MHSP Program competition and any subsequent year in which we make 
awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    These definitions are:
    Ambitious means promoting continued meaningful improvement for 
program participants or for other individuals or entities affected by 
the grant, or representing a significant advancement in the field of 
education research, practices, or methodologies. When used to describe 
a performance target, whether a performance target is ambitious depends 
upon the context of the relevant performance measure and the baseline 
for that measure.
    Baseline means the starting point from which performance is 
measured and targets are set.
    Eligible institution of higher education means an institution of 
higher education that offers a program of study that leads to a 
master's degree or other graduate degree--
    (a) In school psychology that prepares students in such program for 
a State credential as a school psychologist;
    (b) In school counseling that prepares students in such program for 
a State credential in school counseling;
    (c) In school social work that prepares students in such program 
for a State credential in school social work;
    (d) In another school-based mental health field that prepares 
students in such program for a State credential to deliver school-based 
mental health services; or
    (e) In any combination of study described in paragraphs (a) through 
(d).
    High-need local educational agency (LEA) means an LEA--
    (a)(1) For which at least 20 percent of the children served by the 
agency are children from low-income backgrounds;
    (2) That serves at least 10,000 children from low-income 
backgrounds;
    (3) That meets the eligibility requirements for funding under the 
Small, Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program under section 5211(b) of 
the ESEA; or
    (4) That meets the eligibility requirements for funding under the 
Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program under section 5221(b) of the 
ESEA; and--
    (b) For which there is a high student to qualified mental health 
services provider ratio as compared to other LEAs statewide or 
nationally.
    High-need school means a school that, based on the most recent data 
available, meets at least one of the following:
    (a) The school is in the highest quartile of all schools served by 
an LEA ranked in descending order by percentage of students from low-
income backgrounds enrolled in such schools, as determined by the LEA 
based on one of the following measures of poverty:
    (1) The percentage of students aged 5 through 17 in poverty counted 
in the most recent census data approved by the Secretary.
    (2) The percentage of students eligible for a free or reduced-price 
school lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
based on the most recently available data.
    (3) The percentage of students in families receiving assistance 
under the State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social 
Security Act.
    (4) The percentage of students eligible to receive medical 
assistance under the Medicaid program.
    (5) A composite of two or more of the measures described in 
paragraphs (a)(1) through (4).
    (b) In the case of--
    (1) An elementary school, the school serves students not less than 
60 percent of whom are eligible for a free or reduced-price school 
lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act based on 
the most recently available data; or
    (2) Any other school that is not an elementary school, the other 
school serves students not less than 45 percent of whom are eligible 
for a free or reduced-price school lunch under the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act based on the most recently available data.
    Institution of higher education has the meaning given to such term 
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
    Local educational agency means a public board of education or other 
public authority legally constituted within a State for either 
administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service 
function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, 
county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a 
State, or of or for a combination of school districts or counties that 
is recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public 
elementary schools or secondary schools.
    (b) The term includes any other public institution or agency having 
administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or 
secondary school.
    (c) The term includes an elementary school or secondary school 
funded by the Bureau of Indian Education but only to the extent that 
including the school makes the school eligible for programs for which 
specific eligibility is not provided to the school in another provision 
of law and the school does not have a student population that is 
smaller than the student population of the local educational agency 
receiving assistance under this Act with the smallest student 
population, except that the school shall not be subject to the 
jurisdiction of any State educational

[[Page 72980]]

agency other than the Bureau of Indian Education.
    (d) The term includes educational service agencies and consortia of 
those agencies.
    (e) The term includes the State educational agency in a State in 
which the State educational agency is the sole educational agency for 
all public schools.
    Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a 
framework that identifies key project components of the proposed 
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be 
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the 
theoretical and operational relationships among the key project 
components and relevant outcomes.
    Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, 
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence 
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of 
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices 
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
    Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s) 
the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the 
specific goals of the program.
    School-based mental health partnership means the formal 
relationship, established for the purpose of training school-based 
mental health services providers for employment in schools and LEAs, 
between--
    (a) One or more high-need LEAs or an SEA on behalf of one or more 
high-need LEAs; and
    (b) One or more eligible IHEs, including HBCUs (as defined in 34 
CFR 608.2), MSIs (as defined in sections 316 through 320 of part A of 
title III, under part B of title III, or under title V of the HEA), and 
TCUs (as defined in section 316(b)(3) of the HEA).
    School-based mental health services provider means a State-licensed 
or State-certified school counselor, school psychologist, school social 
worker, or other State licensed or certified mental health professional 
qualified under State law to provide mental health services to children 
and adolescents.
    Students/children from low-income backgrounds means students whose 
families meet any of the poverty thresholds established in section 1113 
of the ESEA for the relevant grade level.
    State educational agency means the agency primarily responsible for 
the State supervision of public elementary schools and secondary 
schools.
    Program Authority: Section 4631(a)(1)(B) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 
7281).
    Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal 
civil rights laws.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 97, 98, 
and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies 
on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR 
part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 
CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474. (d) The notice of final priorities, requirements, and 
definitions for this program published in the Federal Register on 
October 4, 2022 (87 FR 60083).

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $99,567,000, provided under the 
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which is available for obligation 
through March 31, 2023. Note that a portion of these funds may be used 
for awards under the initial MHSP FY 2022 competition that will be 
completed by December 31, 2022, potentially reducing the actual amount 
available for new awards, as well as the estimated number of awards, 
under this notice.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $400,000 to $1,200,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $800,000 for each 12-month 
period.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 125.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: High-need LEAs, SEAs on behalf of one or 
more high-need LEAs, and IHEs. High-need LEA applicants and SEA 
applicants on behalf of one or more high-need LEAs must propose to work 
in partnership with an eligible IHE. Eligible IHE applicants must 
propose to work in partnership with one or more high-need LEAs or a 
SEA.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require 
cost sharing or matching.
    b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an 
unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding 
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please 
see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
    c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include 
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All 
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to 
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 
Guidance.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application.
    4. Limitation on Awards: a. The Department will make only one award 
that serves any individual LEA.
    b. The Department will only make an award to LEAs that are not 
current MHSP grantees.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264), and available at 
www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979, which contain requirements and 
information on how to submit an application. Please note that these 
Common Instructions supersede the version published on February 13, 
2019, and, in part, describe the transition from the requirement to 
register in SAM.gov a DUNS number to the implementation of the UEI. 
More information on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available at 
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
    2. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this competition.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. In 
addition, we remind applicants that sections 4001(a) and 4001(b) of the 
ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7101) apply to this

[[Page 72981]]

program. Section 4001(a) requires entities receiving funds under title 
IV of the ESEA to obtain prior, written, informed consent from the 
parent of each child who is under 18 years of age to participate in any 
mental-health assessment or service that is funded under title IV of 
the ESEA and conducted in connection with an elementary or secondary 
school. Section 4001(b) prohibits the use of funds for medical services 
or drug treatment or rehabilitation, except for integrated student 
supports, specialized instructional support services, or referral to 
treatment for impacted students, which may include students who are 
victims of, or witnesses to, crime or who illegally use drugs. This 
prohibition does not preclude the use of funds to support mental health 
counseling and support services, including those provided by a mental 
health services provider outside of school, so long as such services 
are not medical.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all selection criteria is 100 
points. The points assigned to each criterion are indicated in 
parentheses. Non-Federal peer reviewers will evaluate and score each 
application program narrative against the following selection criteria:
    (a) Need for the Project and Significance (Up to 15 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In 
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers 
the extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses. (Up to 10 points)
    (2) The Secretary considers the significance of the project. In 
determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the 
needs of the target population. (Up to 5 points)
    (b) Quality of the project design (Up to 25 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the 
proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the design of the proposed project includes 
a thorough, high-quality review of the relevant literature, a high-
quality plan for project implementation, and the use of appropriate 
methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of project 
objectives. (Up to 15 points)
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed project represents an 
exceptional approach to the priority or priorities established for the 
competition. (Up to 5 points)
    (iii) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a 
rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c)). (Up to 5 points)
    (c) Quality of project services (Up to 30 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be 
provided by the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. (Up to 15 points)
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the extent to which the 
training or professional development services to be provided by the 
proposed project are likely to alleviate the personnel shortages that 
have been identified or are the focus of the proposed project. (Up to 
15 points)
    (d) Management Plan and Adequacy of Resources (Up to 20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the management plan and the adequacy of 
resources for the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan and the 
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers:
    (i) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project. (Up to 10 points)
    (ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project. 
(Up to 10 points)
    (e) Quality of the project evaluation (Up to 10 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project. (Up to 5 points)
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes. (Up to 5 points)
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that, in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.206, before awarding grants under this program the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR 
3474.10, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant 
if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of 
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system 
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 
responsible.
    4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this 
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project 
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$250,000), under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your 
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal 
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make 
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that 
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as 
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may 
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal 
agency

[[Page 72982]]

previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
    5. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and 
Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal 
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and 
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting 
applications in accordance with:
    (a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering 
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of 
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
    (b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video 
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR 
200.216);
    (c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to 
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United 
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
    (d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest 
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program 
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. 
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant 
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. 
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 
3474.20.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. Performance Measures: The Department has established the 
following performance measures for Department reporting under 34 CFR 
75.110 for the Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant 
Program:
    (a) The unduplicated, cumulative number of school-based mental 
health services providers trained by the grantee under the project to 
provide school-based mental health services in high-need LEAs.
    (b) The unduplicated, cumulative number of school-based mental 
health services providers placed in a practicum or internship by the 
grantee in high-need LEAs to provide school-based mental health 
services.
    (c) The unduplicated, cumulative number of school-based mental 
health services providers hired by high-need LEAs to provide school-
based mental health services.
    (d) For grantees that addressed Competitive Preference Priority 1, 
the number of such grantees that met their goal of increasing the 
diversity of school-based mental health services providers.
    These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success 
for this program. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant 
under this program to give careful consideration to these measures in 
conceptualizing the approach and evaluation for its proposed project. 
Each grantee will be required to provide, in its annual performance and 
final reports, data about its progress in meeting these measures. This 
data will be considered by the Department in making potential 
continuation awards.
    Consistent with 34 CFR 75.591, grantees funded under this program 
shall cooperate in any evaluation of the program conducted by the 
Department or an evaluator selected by the Department.
    Performance measure targets: The applicant must propose annual 
targets for the measures listed above in their application. 
Applications must also provide the following information as directed 
under 34 CFR 75.110(b) and (c):
    (1) An explanation of how each proposed performance target is 
ambitious (as defined in this notice) yet achievable compared to the 
baseline (as defined in this notice) for the performance measure.
    (2) An explanation of the data collection and reporting methods the 
applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, 
valid, and meaningful performance data; and
    (3) An explanation of the applicant's capacity to collect and 
report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced 
by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in other 
projects or research.
    Note: If the applicant does not have experience with the collection 
and reporting of performance data through other projects or research, 
the applicant should provide other evidence of capacity to successfully 
carry out data

[[Page 72983]]

collection and reporting for its proposed project.
    The reviewers of each application will score related selection 
criteria on the basis of how well an applicant has considered these 
measures in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation of the project.
    All grantees must submit an annual performance report and final 
performance report with information that is responsive to these 
performance measures.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things, whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, whether 
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance 
targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities 
can obtain this document in an accessible format. The Department will 
provide the requestor with an accessible format that may include Rich 
Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, 
braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible 
format.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. 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 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.

James F. Lane,
Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary, Delegated the Authority to 
Perform the Functions and Duties of the Assistant Secretary Office 
Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2022-25824 Filed 11-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P