[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] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 [[Page 20320]] 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