[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 31, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-21478]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 31, 1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Program Announcement for Allied Health Project Grants for Fiscal
Year 1995
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces
that applications will be accepted for fiscal year (FY) 1995 Allied
Health Project Grants under the authority of section 767, title VII of
the Public Health Service Act, as amended by the Health Professions
Education Extension Amendments of 1992, Public Law 102-408, dated
October 13, 1992.
This program announcement is subject to the appropriation of funds.
Applicants are advised that this program announcement is a contingency
action being taken to assure that should funds become available for
this purpose, they can be awarded in a timely fashion consistent with
the needs of the program as well as to provide for even distribution of
funds throughout the fiscal year. The Administration's budget request
for FY 1995 includes $2,300,000 for this program. Total continuation
support recommended is $2,073,000. Under the Administration's budget
request, it is anticipated that $227,000 will be available to support 2
competing awards averaging $100,000.
Previous Funding Experience
Previous funding experience information is provided to assist
potential applicants to make better informed decisions regarding
submission of an application for this program. In FY 1994, HRSA
reviewed 72 applications for Allied Health Project Grants. Of those
applications, 51 percent were approved and 49 percent were disapproved.
Eleven projects, or 15 percent of the applications received, were
funded. In FY 1993, HRSA reviewed 83 applications for Allied Health
Project Grants. Of those applications, 59 percent were approved and 41
percent were disapproved. Eight projects, or 10 percent of the
applications received, were funded.
Purposes
Section 767 authorizes the award of grants to assist in meeting the
costs associated with expanding or establishing programs that will
increase the number of individuals trained in allied health
professions. Programs and activities funded under this section may
include:
(1) Those that expand enrollments in allied health professions with
the greatest shortages or whose services are most needed by the
elderly;
(2) Those that provide rapid transition training programs in allied
health fields to individuals who have baccalaureate degrees in health-
related sciences;
(3) Those that establish community-based allied health training
programs that link academic centers to rural clinical settings;
(4) Those that provide career advancement training for practicing
allied health professionals;
(5) Those that expand or establish clinical training sites for
allied health professionals in medically underserved or rural
communities in order to increase the number of individuals trained;
(6) Those that develop curriculum that will emphasize knowledge and
practice in the areas of prevention and health promotion, geriatrics,
long-term care, home health and hospice care, and ethics;
(7) Those that expand or establish interdisciplinary training
programs that promote the effectiveness of allied health practitioners
in geriatric assessment and the rehabilitation of the elderly;
(8) Those that expand or establish demonstration centers to
emphasize innovative models to link allied health clinical practice,
education, and research; and
(9) Those that provide financial assistance (in the form of
traineeships) to students who are participants in any such program; and
(A) Who plan to pursue a career in an allied health field that has
a demonstrated personnel shortage; and
(B) Who agree upon completion of the training program to practice
in a medically underserved community;
that shall be utilized to assist in the payment of all or part of the
costs associated with tuition, fees and such other stipends as the
Secretary may consider necessary.
To maximize program benefit, programs that provide financial
assistance in the form of traineeships to students will not be
considered for funding in FY 1995. The period of Federal support will
not exceed 3 years.
Eligibility
Eligible entities for the purpose of this grant are:
(1) Schools, universities, or other educational entities which
provide for allied health personnel education and training and which
meet such standards as the Secretary may prescribe; or
(2) Other public or nonprofit private entities capable, as
determined by the Secretary, of carrying out the purpose of the Allied
Health Project Grants program; and
(3) Located in a State.
National Health Objectives for the Year 2000
The Public Health Service urges applicants to submit work plans
that address specific objectives of Healthy People 2000. Potential
applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000 (Full Report; Stock
No. 017-001-00474-0) or Healthy People 2000 (Summary Report; Stock No.
017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402-9325 (Telephone 202-783-3238).
Education and Service Linkage
As part of its long-range planning, HRSA will be targeting its
efforts to strengthening linkages between U.S. Public Health Service
education programs and programs which provide comprehensive primary
care services to the underserved.
Smoke-Free Workplace
The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant recipients
to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all
tobacco products. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect
and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.
Review Criteria
The review criteria, stated below, which were established in FY
1990 (55 FR 12424, dated 4/3/90) after public comment, will remain
unchanged in FY 1995.
The extent to which the proposed project meets the legislative
purpose;
The background and rationale for the proposed project;
The extent to which the project contains clearly stated realistic
and achievable objectives;
The extent to which the project contains a methodology
which is integrated and compatible with project objectives, including
collaborative arrangements and feasible workplans;
The evaluation plans and procedures for program and
trainees, if involved;
The administrative and management capability of the
applicant to carry out the proposed project, including institutional
infrastructure and resources;
The extent to which the budget justification is complete,
cost-effective and includes cost-sharing, when applicable; and
Whether there is an institutional plan and commitment for
self-sufficiency when Federal support ends.
Other Considerations
In addition, the following funding factor will be applied in
determining funding of approved applications. A funding preference is
defined as the funding of a specific category or group of approved
applications ahead of other categories or groups of approved
applications in a discretionary program, or favorable adjustment of the
formula which determines the grant award in a formula grant program.
It is not required that applicants request consideration for a
funding factor. Applications which do not request consideration for
funding factors will be reviewed and given full consideration for
funding.
Funding Preference
The statutory preference identified in section 767(b)(2) and the
statutory preference identified in section 791(a) of the PHS Act have
been combined in the following preference which will be applied to
Allied Health Project Grants for fiscal year 1995: Preference shall be
given to qualified applicants that--
(A) Expand and maintain first-year enrollment by not less than 10
percent over enrollments in base year 1992; or
(B) Demonstrate that not less than 20 percent of the graduates of
such training programs during the preceding 2-year period are working
in medically underserved communities (high rate for placing graduates
in practice settings having the principal focus of serving residents of
medically underserved communities); or
(C) During the 2-year period preceding the fiscal year for which
such an award is sought, has achieved a significant increase in the
rate of placing graduates in such settings.
Minimum Percentages for ``High Rate'' and ``Significant Increase in
the Rate''
The minimum percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant
increase in the rate'' were established in FY 1994 after public comment
(59 FR 23889, dated May 9, 1994). The Administration is extending these
minimum percentages in FY 1995.
``High rate'' is defined as a minimum of 20 percent of graduates in
academic year 1992-93 or academic year 1993-94, whichever is greater,
who spend at least 50 percent of their worktime in clinical practice in
the specified settings. Graduates who are providing care in a medically
underserved community as part of a fellowship or other educational
experience can be counted.
``Significant increase in the rate'' means that, between academic
years 1992-93 and 1993-94, the rate of placing graduates in the
specified settings has increased by a minimum of 50 percent and that
not less than 15 percent of graduates from the most recent year are
working in these settings.
Additional information concerning the implementation of this
preference has been published in the Federal Register at 59 FR 15741,
dated April 4, 1994.
Information Requirements Provision
Under section 791(b) of the Act, the Secretary may make an award
under the Allied Health Project Grants only if the applicant for the
award submits to the Secretary the following information:
1. A description of rotations or preceptorships for students, or
clinical training programs for residents, that have the principal focus
of providing health care to medically underserved communities.
2. The number of faculty on admissions committees who have a
clinical practice in community-based ambulatory settings in medically
underserved communities.
3. With respect to individuals who are from disadvantaged
backgrounds or from medically underserved communities, the number of
such individuals who are recruited for academic programs of the
applicant, the number of such individuals who are admitted to such
programs, and the number of such individuals who graduate from such
programs.
4. If applicable, the number of recent graduates who have chosen
careers in primary health care.
5. The number of recent graduates whose practices are serving
medically underserved communities.
6. A description of whether and to what extent the applicant is
able to operate without Federal assistance under this title.
Additional details concerning the implementation of this
information requirement have been published in the Federal Register at
58 FR 43642, dated 8/17/93, and will be provided in the application
materials.
Paperwork Reduction Act
The standard application form PHS 6025-1, HRSA Competing Training
Grant Application, General Instructions and supplement for this program
have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under the
Paperwork Reduction Act. This approval includes the burden for
collection of information for the statutory general preference and for
the information requirement provision. (OMB #0915-0060, expiration date
7/31/95)
Application Requests
Application forms will be sent to FY 1994 applicants and to those
who request kits. Requests for application materials and questions
regarding grants policy and business management issues should be
directed to: Ms. Jacquelyn Whitaker (D37), Grants Management
Specialist, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services
Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 8C-26, 5600 Fishers Lane,
Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 443-6857 FAX: (301) 443-
6343. Completed applications should be returned to the Grants
Management Branch at the above address.
If additional programmatic information is needed, please contact:
Dr. Norman Clark, Program Officer, Associated Health Professions
Branch, Division of Associated, Dental, and Public Health Professions,
Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services
Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 8C-02, 5600 Fishers Lane,
Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone (301) 443-6763.
The deadline date for receipt of applications is January 27, 1995.
Applications will be considered to be ``on time'' if they are either:
(1) Received on or before the established deadline date, or
(2) Sent on or before the established deadline date and received in
time for orderly processing. (Applicants should request a legibly dated
U.S. Postal Service postmark or obtain a legibly dated receipt from a
commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks
shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing.)
Late applications not accepted for processing will be returned to
the applicant.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this program
is 93.191. This program is not subject to the provisions of Executive
Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (as
implemented through 45 CFR part 100). This program is not subject to
the Public Health System Reporting Requirements.
Dated: August 25, 1994.
Ciro V. Sumaya, M.D.,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-21478 Filed 8-30-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P