[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 75 (Monday, April 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21731-21733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09034]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Community Living
[CFDA Number: 84.133B-1]
Final Priority: National Institute on Disability, Independent
Living, and Rehabilitation Research--Rehabilitation Research and
Training Centers
AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and
Human Services.
ACTION: Final priority.
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SUMMARY: The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living
announces a priority for the Rehabilitation Research and Training
Center (RRTC) Program administered by the National Institute on
Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Specifically, we announce a priority for an RRTC on Employer Practices
Leading to Successful Employment Outcomes for Individuals with
Disabilities. The Administrator of the Administration for Community
Living may use this priority for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2015
and later years. We take this action to focus research attention on an
area of national need. We intend for this priority to contribute to
improved employment practices and successful employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities.
DATES: Effective Date: This priority is effective May 20, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Barrett, U.S. Department of
Health And Human Services, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5142, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 245-
6211 or by email: [email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program is to plan and
conduct research,
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demonstration projects, training, and related activities, including
international activities, to develop methods, procedures, and
rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and
integration into society, employment, independent living, family
support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with
disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe disabilities,
and to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act).
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers
The purpose of the RRTCs, which are funded through the Disability
and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is to achieve
the goals of, and improve the effectiveness of, services authorized
under the Rehabilitation Act through well-designed research, training,
technical assistance, and dissemination activities in important topical
areas as specified by NIDILRR. These activities are designed to benefit
rehabilitation service providers, individuals with disabilities, family
members, policymakers and other research stakeholders. Additional
information on the RRTC program can be found at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/rrtc/index.html#types.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(2)(A).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.
We published a notice of proposed priority (NPP) for this program
in the Federal Register on February 25, 2015 (80 FR 10099). That notice
contained background information and our reasons for proposing the
particular priority.
There are no differences between the proposed priority and this
final priority.
Public Comment: In response to our invitation in the notice of
proposed priority we did not receive any comments on the proposed
priority.
Final Priority
The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living
establishes a priority for an RRTC to conduct research on Employer
Practices Leading to Successful Employment Outcomes for Individuals
with Disabilities.
The purpose of the RRTC is to generate new knowledge about
effective employer practices that support successful employment
outcomes for individuals with disabilities. The RRTC must contribute to
improving the employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities by:
(a) Identifying promising employer practices most strongly
associated with desired employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities as well as the prevalence of these practices. Practices
should include those related to the hiring, retention, and advancement
of individuals with disabilities.
(b) Developing measures of employment outcomes that include hiring,
retention, and advancement of individuals with disabilities. These
measures must be developed for use by employers and other stakeholders.
These measures may also include employment quality, such as, but not
limited to, earnings, full- or part-time employment, or opportunities
for on-the-job training. In developing these measures, the RRTC must
collaborate with the NIDILRR-funded RRTC on Employment Policy and
Measurement.
(c) Generating new knowledge of the effectiveness of promising
employer practices by identifying or developing, and then implementing
and evaluating pilot workplace program(s) based on practices identified
in (a). This work should be conducted in employment settings in
collaboration with employers, and should include:
(1) Implementation of practices that are particularly likely to be
effective in improving employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities;
(2) Implementation of practices among different types of employers
(e.g., small v. large employers, private v. public sector employers);
(3) Collection of data using, but not limited to, outcome measures
from (b) above.
(d) Focusing its research on one or more specific stages of
research. If the RRTC is to conduct research that can be categorized
under more than one of the research stages, or research that progresses
from one stage to another, those stages should be clearly justified.
(These stages and their definitions are provided at the end of the
background statement section of the notice of proposed priority
published in the Federal Register on February 25, 2015 (80 FR 10099).)
(e) Serving as a national resource center related to employment for
individuals with disabilities, their families, and other stakeholders
by conducting knowledge translation activities that include, but are
not limited to:
(1) Providing information and technical assistance to employers,
employment service providers, employer groups, individuals with
disabilities and their representatives, and other key stakeholders;
(2) Providing training, including graduate, pre-service, and in-
service training, to employers and employer groups, to facilitate more
effective employer practices for individuals with disabilities. This
training may be provided through conferences, workshops, public
education programs, in-service training programs, and similar
activities;
(3) Disseminating research-based information and materials related
to increasing employment levels for individuals with disabilities; and
(4) Involving key stakeholder groups in the activities conducted
under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this priority to promote the new
knowledge generated by the RRTC.
Types of Priorities
When inviting applications for a competition using one or more
priorities, we designate the type of each priority as absolute,
competitive preference, or invitational through a notice in the Federal
Register. The effect of each type of priority follows:
Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only
applications that meet the priority (45 CFR part 75).
Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by: (1)
Awarding additional points, depending on the extent to which the
application meets the priority (45 CFR part 75); or (2) selecting an
application that meets the priority over an application of comparable
merit that does not meet the priority (45 CFR part 75).
Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are
particularly interested in applications that meet the priority.
However, we do not give an application that meets the priority a
preference over other applications (45 CFR part 75).
This notice does not preclude us from proposing additional
priorities, requirements, definitions, or selection criteria, subject
to meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in
which we choose to use this priority, we invite applications through
a notice in the Federal Register.
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
Regulatory Impact Analysis
Under Executive Order 12866, the Secretary must determine whether
this regulatory action is ``significant'' and, therefore, subject to
the requirements of the Executive order and subject to
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review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of
Executive Order 12866 defines a ``significant regulatory action'' as an
action likely to result in a rule that may--
(1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more,
or adversely affect a sector of the economy, productivity, competition,
jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or
tribal governments or communities in a material way (also referred to
as an ``economically significant'' rule);
(2) Create serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an
action taken or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary impacts of entitlement grants,
user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients
thereof; or
(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles stated in the
Executive order.
This final regulatory action is not a significant regulatory action
subject to review by OMB under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866.
We have also reviewed this final regulatory action under Executive
Order 13563, which supplements and explicitly reaffirms the principles,
structures, and definitions governing regulatory review established in
Executive Order 12866. To the extent permitted by law, Executive Order
13563 requires that an agency--
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only upon a reasoned determination
that their benefits justify their costs (recognizing that some benefits
and costs are difficult to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the least burden on society,
consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives and taking into
account--among other things and to the extent practicable--the costs of
cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, select
those approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential
economic, environmental, public health and safety, and other
advantages; distributive impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify performance objectives, rather
than the behavior or manner of compliance a regulated entity must
adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available alternatives to direct
regulation, including economic incentives--such as user fees or
marketable permits--to encourage the desired behavior, or provide
information that enables the public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires an agency ``to use the best
available techniques to quantify anticipated present and future
benefits and costs as accurately as possible.'' The Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB has emphasized that these
techniques may include ``identifying changing future compliance costs
that might result from technological innovation or anticipated
behavioral changes.''
We are issuing this final priority only on a reasoned determination
that its benefits justify its costs. In choosing among alternative
regulatory approaches, we selected those approaches that maximize net
benefits. Based on the analysis that follows, the Administration for
Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services
believes that this regulatory action is consistent with the principles
in Executive Order 13563.
We also have determined that this regulatory action does not unduly
interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the exercise of
their governmental functions.
In accordance with both Executive orders, ACL assessed the
potential costs and benefits, both quantitative and qualitative, of
this regulatory action. The potential costs are those resulting from
statutory requirements and those we have determined as necessary for
administering the ACL's programs and activities.
The benefits of the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects
and Centers Program have been well established over the years, as
projects similar to the one envisioned by the final priority have been
completed successfully, and the proposed priority will generate new
knowledge through research. The new RRTC will generate, disseminate,
and promote the use of new information that would improve outcomes for
individuals with disabilities in the areas of community living and
participation, employment, and health and function.
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by the Department.
Dated: April 14, 2015.
John Tschida,
Director, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and
Rehabilitation Research.
[FR Doc. 2015-09034 Filed 4-17-15; 8:45 am]
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