[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
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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]
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