[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 79 (Monday, April 26, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20318-20320]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10360]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration


Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 Funding Opportunities

AGENCY: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of funding availability.

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SUMMARY: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 
(SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), announces the 
availability of FY 1999 funds for one cooperative agreement for the 
following activity. This activity is discussed in more detail under 
section 4 of this notice. This notice is not a complete description of 
the activity; potential applicants must obtain a copy of the Guidance 
for Applicants (GFA) before preparing an application.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Estimated
                                           Application     funds      Estimated
                 Activity                    deadline    available    number of           Project period
                                                         (millions)     awards
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NTTAC for children.......................     06/24/99         $2.5            1  Up to 5 yrs.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Note: SAMHSA will publish additional notices of available 
funding opportunities for FY 1999 in subsequent issues of the 
Federal Register.

The actual amount available for awards and their allocation may vary, 
depending on unanticipated program requirements and the number and 
quality of applications received. FY 1999 funds for the activity 
discussed in this announcement were appropriated by the Congress under 
Public Law No. 105-277. SAMHSA's policies and procedures for peer 
review and Advisory Council review of grant and cooperative agreement 
applications were published in the Federal Register (Vol. 58, No. 126) 
on July 2, 1993.
    The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the 
health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People 
2000, a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. The 
SAMHSA Centers' substance abuse and mental health services activities 
address issues related to Healthy People 2000 objectives of Mental 
Health and Mental Disorders; Alcohol and Other Drugs; Clinical 
Preventive Services; HIV Infection; and Surveillance and Data Systems. 
Potential applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000 (Full 
Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-
001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government 
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone: 202-512-1800).

General Instructions

    Applicants must use application form PHS 5161-1 (Rev. 5/96; OMB No. 
0937-0189). The application kit contains the GFA (complete programmatic 
guidance and instructions for preparing and submitting applications), 
the PHS 5161-1 which includes Standard Form 424 (Face Page), and other 
documentation and forms. Application kits may be obtained from the 
organization specified for the activity covered by this notice (see 
Section 4).
    When requesting an application kit, the applicant must specify the 
particular activity for which detailed information is desired. This is 
to ensure receipt of all necessary forms and information, including any 
specific program review and award criteria.
    The PHS 5161-1 application form and the full text of the activity 
(i.e., the GFA) described in Section 4 are available electronically via 
SAMHSA's World Wide Web Home Page (address: http://www.samhsa.gov).
    Application Submission: Applications must be submitted to: SAMHSA 
Programs, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 
Suite 1040, 6701 Rockledge Drive MSC-7710, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-
7710*.
(*Applicants who wish to use express mail or courier service should 
change the zip code to 20817.)
    Application Deadlines: The deadline for receipt of applications is 
listed in the table above.
    Competing applications must be received by the indicated receipt 
date to be accepted for review. An application received after the 
deadline may only be accepted if it carries a legible proof-of-mailing 
date assigned by the carrier and that date is not later than one week 
prior to the deadline date. Private metered postmarks are not 
acceptable as proof of timely mailing.
    Applications received after the deadline date and those sent to an 
address other than the address specified above will be returned to the 
applicant without review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for activity-specific 
technical information should be directed to the program contact person 
identified for the activity covered by this notice (see Section 4).
    Requests for information concerning business management issues 
should be directed to the grants management contact person identified 
for the activity covered by this notice (see Section 4).

1. Program Background and Objectives

    SAMHSA's mission within the Nation's health system is to improve 
the quality and availability of prevention, early intervention, 
treatment, and rehabilitation services for substance abuse and mental 
illnesses, including co-occurring disorders, in order to improve health 
and reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society.
    Reinventing government, with its emphases on redefining the role of 
Federal agencies and on improving customer service, has provided SAMHSA 
with a welcome opportunity to examine carefully its programs and 
activities. As a result of that process, SAMHSA moved assertively to 
create a renewed and strategic emphasis on using its resources to 
generate knowledge about ways to improve the prevention and treatment 
of substance abuse and mental illness and to work with State and local 
governments as well as providers, families, and consumers to 
effectively use that knowledge in everyday practice.
    SAMHSA's FY 1999 Knowledge Development and Application (KD&A) 
agenda is the outcome of a process whereby providers, services 
researchers, consumers, National Advisory Council members and other 
interested persons participated in special meetings or responded to 
calls for suggestions and

[[Page 20319]]

reactions. From this input, each SAMHSA Center developed a ``menu'' of 
suggested topics. The topics were discussed jointly and an agency 
agenda of critical topics was agreed to. The selection of topics 
depended heavily on policy importance and on the existence of adequate 
research and practitioner experience on which to base studies. While 
SAMHSA's FY 1999 KD&A programs will sometimes involve the evaluation of 
some delivery of services, they are services studies and application 
activities, not merely evaluation, since they are aimed at answering 
policy-relevant questions and putting that knowledge to use.
    SAMHSA differs from other agencies in focusing on needed 
information at the services delivery level, and in its question-focus. 
Dissemination and application are integral, major features of the 
programs. SAMHSA believes that it is important to get the information 
into the hands of the public, providers, and systems administrators as 
effectively as possible. Technical assistance, training, preparation of 
special materials will be used, in addition to normal communications 
means.
    SAMHSA also continues to fund legislatively-mandated services 
programs for which funds are appropriated.

2. Special Concerns

    SAMHSA's legislatively-mandated services programs do provide funds 
for mental health and/or substance abuse treatment and prevention 
services. However, SAMHSA's KD&A activities do not provide funds for 
mental health and/or substance abuse treatment and prevention services 
except sometimes for costs required by the particular activity's study 
design. Applicants are required to propose true knowledge application 
or knowledge development and application projects. Applications seeking 
funding for services projects under a KD&A activity will be considered 
nonresponsive.
    Applications that are incomplete or nonresponsive to the GFA will 
be returned to the applicant without further consideration.

3. Criteria for Review and Funding

    Consistent with the statutory mandate for SAMHSA to support 
activities that will improve the provision of treatment, prevention and 
related services, including the development of national mental health 
and substance abuse goals and model programs, competing applications 
requesting funding under the specific project activity in Section 4 
will be reviewed for technical merit in accordance with established 
PHS/SAMHSA peer review procedures.

3.1. General Review Criteria

    As published in the Federal Register on July 2, 1993 (Vol. 58, No. 
126), SAMHSA's ``Peer Review and Advisory Council Review of Grant and 
Cooperative Agreement Applications and Contract Proposals,'' peer 
review groups will take into account, among other factors as may be 
specified in the application guidance materials, the following general 
criteria:
     Potential significance of the proposed project;
     Appropriateness of the applicant's proposed objectives to 
the goals of the specific program;
     Adequacy and appropriateness of the proposed approach and 
activities;
     Adequacy of available resources, such as facilities and 
equipment;
     Qualifications and experience of the applicant 
organization, the project director, and other key personnel; and
     Reasonableness of the proposed budget.

3.2  Funding Criteria for Scored Applications

    Applications will be considered for funding on the basis of their 
overall technical merit as determined through the peer review group and 
the appropriate National Advisory Council review process.
    Other funding criteria will include:
     Availability of funds.
    Additional funding criteria specific to the programmatic activity 
may be included in the application guidance materials.

4. Special FY 1999 SAMHSA Activity

4.1. National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Children Who 
Have or Are At-Risk of Emotional Disturbances and Their Families (NTTAC 
for Children, SM 99-008)

     Application Deadline: June 24, 1999.
     Purpose: Under the authority of Sections 501(d)(5) and 
565(b) of the Public Health Service Act, one cooperative agreement will 
be awarded to improve developmentally and culturally appropriate 
service delivery and outcomes for children who have or are at-risk of 
emotional disturbances. The goal will be achieved by operating a NTTAC 
to assist States, cities, counties, communities, Indian tribes and 
tribal organizations, Pacific Island jurisdictions, and Freely 
Associated States to build and implement community-based systems of 
care that are child- and family-centered, culturally competent, and 
coordinated across child-serving disciplines.
     Eligible Applicants: Applications may be submitted by 
public organizations, such as units of State, County, or local 
governments, by Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations (as defined in 
Section 4(b) and Section 4(c) of the Indian Self-Determination and 
Education Assistance Act), and by domestic private nonprofit 
organizations such as community-based organizations, universities, 
colleges, and hospitals.
    The cooperative agreement awarded under this GFA is authorized 
under Sections 501(d)(5) and 565(b) of the Public Health Service Act. 
Eligibility is limited to public and non-profit entities because the 
legislative language from Section 565(2) restricts awards to these 
entities. Combined funding of a single grant will increase the 
efficiency of technical assistance services and permit sharing of 
technical assistance resources among grant sites funded under the 
Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their 
Families Program and other communities serving children with serious 
emotional disturbances around the nation.
     Amount: Approximately $2.5 million will be available to 
support one (1) award under this GFA in FY 1999. Actual funding will 
depend upon the availability of funds at the time of award. This 
cooperative agreement is for a period of up to 5 years.
     Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.104.
     Program Contact: For programmatic or technical assistance, 
contact:
    Gary De Carolis, Chief, Child, Adolescent, and Family Branch, 
Division of Knowledge Development and Systems Change, Center for Mental 
Health Services/SAMHSA, Room 18-49, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-1333/FAX (301) 443-3693, Internet: 
[email protected]
    For grants management issues, contact: Steve Hudak, Grants 
Management Officer, Office of Program Services/SAMHSA, Room 15C-05, 
Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-
4456/FAX (301) 594-2336, Internet: [email protected]
     For application kits, contact: Nicole Haliburton, IQ 
Solutions, Inc., 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 801, Rockville, Maryland 
20852.

Voice: (301) 984-1471
FAX: (301) 984-1333
Email: [email protected]

     CMHS will sponsor a one-day technical assistance workshop 
for

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potential applicants if at least seven organizations express interest 
in attending. The workshop is scheduled to take place on May 7, 1999, 
in Rockville, Maryland. For more information, potential applicants may 
contact the following: Danielle Voss, IQ Solutions, 11300 Rockville 
Pike, Suite 801, Rockville, Maryland 20852, (301) 984-1471, (301) 984-
1473, FAX, E-Mail: [email protected]

5. Public Health System Reporting Requirements

    This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting 
Requirements.

6. PHS Non-Use of Tobacco Policy Statement

    The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to 
provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco 
products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 
1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any 
portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, 
day care, health care, or early childhood development services are 
provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to 
protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American 
people.

    Dated: April 20, 1999.
Richard Kopanda,
Executive Officer, SAMHSA.
[FR Doc. 99-10360 Filed 4-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4162-20-P