Final Funding Priorities for Cooperative Agreements for Area Health Education Centers Program for Fiscal Year 1994

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

Final Funding Priorities for Cooperative Agreements for Area

Health Education Centers Program for Fiscal Year 1994

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces

the final funding priorities for fiscal year 1994, Cooperative

Agreements for the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program

authorized under the authority of section 746 (a)(l), title VII of the

Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended by the Health Professions

Education Extension Amendments of 1992, dated October 13, 1992.

Purpose

Section 746(a)(1) of the PHS Act authorizes Federal assistance to

schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine which have cooperative

arrangements with one or more public or nonprofit private area health

education centers for the planning, development and operation of area

health education center programs.

Final Funding Priorities for FY 1994

Proposed funding priorities were published in the Federal Register

on February 17, 1994, at 59 FR 8000, for public comment. Several

comments were received from one respondent. Comments on aspects of the

proposed notice which were not specifically proposed for public comment

are not addressed in this notice.

The respondent suggested a change in the funding priority proposed

for applicants which demonstrate an increase in the percentage of

graduates who have entered a Primary Care Residency for the most recent

3-year period. The respondent suggested that this priority be expanded

to include awarding of the priority to applicants who have, during the

most recent 3-year period, maintained a percentage of graduates

entering a Primary Care Residency which substantially exceeds the

average for all U.S. medical schools. This addition to the proposed

funding priority would aid medical schools which may be maintaining a

high percentage, i.e., 50-60 percent, compared to medical schools which

may show a significant increase but start at a lower percentage, i.e.,

increase from 15 to 25 percent. It should be noted that an average

percentage for all U.S. medical schools (osteopathic and allopathic)

would most likely be lower than the 50-60 percent, example cited, and

would not encourage schools to focus their efforts on increasing their

percentage of graduates entering a Primary Care Residency. The second

comment was related to the funding priority proposed for applicants

which demonstrate an increase in the percentage of underrepresented

minorities for the most recent 3-year period. The respondent suggested

that for this priority the term ``minority'' should be used rather than

underrepresented minority. The intent of this funding priority is to

reward those applicants who show progress in reaching underrepresented

minority populations. It is understood that data necessary to establish

that specific populations or subpopulations are underrepresented in a

specific discipline may not be readily accessible, or may differ in

terms of data reported to medical school associations. Efforts were

made in the application materials to assist applicants by allowing data

to be presented in two ways, in a manner similar to that provided to

their medical school association, or to present student applicant data

related to the number and percent of minority population in the State

where the applicant is based. All of the data on minorities presented

by the applicants will be reviewed, recognizing that ``underrepresented

minorities'' is defined for all applicants to this program in the

Federal Register notice.

Therefore, the final funding priorities will be retained as

follows:

A funding priority be given to:

1. Applicants which demonstrate an increase in the percentage of

graduates who have entered a Primary Care (Family Medicine, General

Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics) Residency, for the most recent

3-year period.

2. Applicants which demonstrate an increase in the percentage of

underrepresented minority graduates for the most recent 3-year period.

Additional Information

If additional programmatic information is needed, please contact:

Mr. Lou Coccodrilli, Acting Chief, AHEC and Special Programs Branch,

Division of Medicine, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources

and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Parklawn Building, room

9A-05, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 443-6817, FAX: (301)

443-8890.

This program is listed at 93.824 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance. It 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: June 22, 1994.

Ciro V. Sumaya,

M.D., M.P.H.T.M. Administrator.

[FR Doc. 94-15538 Filed 6-24-94; 8:45 am]

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