Grants For Violence-Related Injury Prevention Research; Notice of Availability of Funds for Fiscal Year 1995

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Announcement Number 506]

Grants For Violence-Related Injury Prevention Research; Notice of

Availability of Funds for Fiscal Year 1995

Introduction

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces

applications are being accepted for Violence-Related Injury Prevention

Research Grants for fiscal year (FY) 1995. 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 to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve the quality of

life. This announcement is related to the area of Violent and Abusive

Behavior (To order a copy of Healthy People 2000, see the Section WHERE

TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.)

Authority

This program is authorized under Sections 301, 391-394 of the

Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 241, 280b-280b-3). Program

regulations are set forth in Title 42 CFR Part 52.

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include all non-profit and for-profit

organizations. Thus State, and local health departments, other State

and local governmental agencies, universities, colleges, research

institutions, and other public and private organizations, including

small, minority and/or woman-owned businesses are eligible for these

research grants. Current holders of CDC injury control research

projects are eligible to apply.

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.

Availability of Funds

Approximately $1.0 million may be available in FY 1995 to fund

approximately 3 to 5 grants. The amount of funding actually available

may vary and is subject to change. New grant awards will not exceed

$300,000 per year (including both direct and indirect costs). Grant

applications that exceed the $300,000 per year cap will be returned to

the investigator as non-responsive. Research grant supplements will

generally be no more than $75,000 (including both direct and indirect

costs). New awards are expected to begin on or about September 1, 1995.

Awards will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project

period not to exceed 3 years. Continuation awards within the project

period will be made on the basis of satisfactory progress demonstrated

by investigators at work-in-progress monitoring workshops, the

achievement of workplan milestones reflected in the continuation

application, and the availability of Federal funds. In addition,

continuation awards will be eligible for increased funding to offset

inflationary costs depending upon the availability of funds.

Purpose

The purposes of this program are to:

A. Build the scientific base for the prevention of injuries and

deaths due to violence in the following three priority areas:

interpersonal youth violence, youth suicide, and firearm injuries as

delineated in Injury Control in the 1990s: A National Plan for Action.

Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993 and Healthy

People 2000;

B. Identify effective strategies to prevent violence-related

injuries;

C. Expand the development and evaluation of current and new

intervention methods and strategies for the primary prevention of

violence-related injuries;

D. Encourage professionals from a wide spectrum of disciplines such

as medicine, health care, public health, criminal justice, and

behavioral and social sciences, to undertake research to prevent and

control injuries from interpersonal violence and suicidal behavior.

Program Requirements

The following are applicant requirements:

A. A principal investigator who has conducted research, published

the findings, and has specific authority and responsibility to carry

out the proposed project.

B. Demonstrated experience in conducting, evaluating, and

publishing injury control research on the applicant's project team.

C. Effective and well-defined working relationships within the

performing organization and with outside entities which will ensure

implementation of the proposed activities.

D. An explanation of how research findings could lead to the

development of injury control interventions within 3-5 years of project

start-up. Furthermore, how the research findings might be disseminated

and implemented through organizations (such as public health agencies)

or systems, both public and private.

E. The ability to carry out injury control research projects.

F. The overall match between the applicant's proposed theme and

research objectives, and the program priorities as described under the

heading ``Programmatic Interests'' and in Injury Control in the 1990s:

A National Plan for Action. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, 1993, and Healthy People 2000.

Note: Grant funds will not be made available to support the

provision of direct care services.

Eligible applicants may enter into contracts, including consortia

agreements (as set forth in the PHS Grants Policy Statement) as

necessary to meet the requirements of the program and strengthen the

overall application.

Programmatic Interests

The grants should concentrate on the need to prevent the morbidity,

mortality, and disability which results from interpersonal violence and

suicidal behavior, in order to reduce their devastating social and

economic impact on the nation. Applicants are encouraged to propose

research which either: (1) Rigorously evaluates the outcomes of

violence prevention strategies currently in use, or (2) identifies

modifiable risk factors which can lead to the development of effective

interventions. Examples of possible projects listed under the priority

areas below are by no means exhaustive, and innovative approaches are

encouraged. Because of time constraints, comments were not solicited

from the general public regarding funding priorities and special

considerations.

(1) Evaluating the outcomes of violence prevention strategies:

In prevention, there is specific interest in research which

evaluates the effectiveness of interventions in preventing violent

injuries or reducing their impact and develops the basic sciences of

injury (i.e., social and behavioral science, biomechanics, and

epidemiology). This research might evaluate one or more different

approaches to implementing a specific intervention strategy. In

addition, there is a need to examine intervention strategies for which

evidence of effectiveness is either sparse or totally lacking.

Interventions chosen for evaluation should have a significant potential

for reduction in violent injury morbidity, mortality, disability, or

cost. Special consideration will be given to grants which target

populations at high risk for violence-related injuries and their

consequences, including adolescents, women, and children, racial and

ethnic minorities, urban residents, and people with low incomes.

Prevention strategies for youth suicide whose effectiveness should

be assessed include:

school or community ``gatekeeper'' training;

screening for high-risk youth;

peer support programs;

suicide education of the general population;

crisis centers and hotlines;

limiting access to lethal means of suicide, such as

firearms, prescription drugs, and high places;

intervention after a suicide or attempted suicide to

prevent imitation due to the effects of ``contagion''.

Interventions which should be evaluated for their effectiveness in

preventing firearm injuries are listed below:

firearm design modifications to reduce the lethality of

firearms and ammunition, loading indicators, and safety mechanisms to

prevent accidental discharge;

statutory interventions (e.g., prohibiting carrying

firearms in public, increasing sentences for felony gun use, or owner

liability for firearm injury);

imposing waiting periods and limits on the number of guns

which can be purchased within a specified time period;

taxing firearm and/or ammunition purchases;

increased gun dealer fees and restrictions;

metal detectors in schools;

firearm licensure system (e.g., restricting youth access

to firearms, owner-registration regulations, etc.);

storage containers which limit unauthorized access to

weapons and ammunition;

disrupting illegal gun markets through localized street-

level tactics currently used against illegal drug markets, and

neighborhood-oriented police coordination with residents and community-

based organizations;

public education campaigns to change weapon storage

practices.

Examples of interpersonal youth violence interventions which

deserve further evaluation include:

mentoring programs which provide positive adult role

models for high-risk youth;

public information campaigns which dramatize the

unacceptability and enormous social and economic cost of violence,

while promoting alternatives to violence as a means of conflict

resolution;

environmental changes such as improved lighting,

protective landscaping, or closed-circuit television monitoring;

legal sanctions restricting youth access to alcohol;

job training and work experiences;

sports and recreational activities which offer young

people opportunities to spend time in a structured and purposeful

environment;

parent training to increase parental support for non-

violent behavior by youths.

(2) Identifying modifiable risk factors:

In epidemiology, there is programmatic interest in analytic

research that identifies mechanisms, causes, or risks of injury which

might lead to new or more effective interventions against the four

types of violence highlighted in this announcement. Examples of

potentially modifiable risk factors which should be examined for each

area are listed below:

Youth Suicide

impact of acute exposure to alcohol and chronic alcohol

abuse on suicidal behavior among youth;

possible relationship between sexual orientation and

suicidal behavior among youth;

impact of accessibility to lethal means (e.g., guns,

medications) upon youth suicide;

relationship between a history of physical and/or sexual

abuse and suicidal behavior among youth;

Firearm Injuries

risk of firearm injury vs. the protective value of

firearms;

motives and sources of gun acquisition by adolescents;

role of firearms in protecting people from injuries;

Interpersonal Youth Violence

role of social and economic factors (e.g., unemployment,

poverty, family dysfunction, and racism) in contributing to violent

behavior;

early childhood experiences of violence, as a victim or

witness, related to later development of violent behavior patterns;

link between television and media portrayals of violence

and the development of attitudes which lead to violent behavior as an

acceptable method of settling conflict;

influence of alcohol or other drug use upon victimization

and perpetration of violent behavior;

role of academic performance, athletics or other

extracurricular activities as a protective factor for violent behavior;

history of prior victimization as a predictor of risk for

future homicide/assault perpetration or victimization.

Also of interest is research that more accurately defines the cost

of violent injuries and the cost effectiveness or prevention

effectiveness of interventions. Cost analysis should be included in the

plans, where appropriate, to evaluate an intervention(s) that addresses

one of the three priority areas of violence-related injury research

previously outlined, (i.e., youth suicide, firearm injuries, and

interpersonal youth violence). A more complete discussion of

methodologies for assessing cost analysis is presented in, A Framework

for Assessing the Effectiveness of Disease and Injury Prevention, (CDC,

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 27, 1992, Volume 41,

Number RR-3, pages 5-11). (To receive information on these reports see

the section WHERE TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.)

Evaluation Criteria

Upon receipt, applications will be screened by CDC staff for

completeness and responsiveness as outlined under the previous heading,

Program Requirements (A-F). Incomplete applications and applications

that are not responsive will be returned to the applicant without

further consideration. Applications which are complete and responsive

may be subjected to a preliminary evaluation by a peer review group to

determine if the application is of sufficient technical and scientific

merit to warrant further review (triage); the CDC will withdraw from

further consideration applications judged to be noncompetitive and

promptly notify the principal investigator/program director and the

official signing for the applicant organization. Those applications

judged to be competitive will be further evaluated by a dual review

process. Awards will be made based on priority score ranking by the

Injury Research Grants Review Committee (IRGRC), programmatic

priorities and needs by the Advisory Committee for Injury Prevention

and Control, and the availability of funds.

A. The first review will be a peer review to be conducted on all

applications. Factors to be considered will include:

1. The specific aims of the research project, i.e., the broad long-

term objectives, the intended accomplishment of the specific research

proposal, and the hypothesis to be tested;

2. The background of the proposal, i.e., the basis for the present

proposal, the critical evaluation of existing knowledge, and specific

identification of the injury control knowledge gaps which the proposal

is intended to fill;

3. The significance and originality from a scientific or technical

standpoint of the specific aims of the proposed research, including the

adequacy of the theoretical and conceptual framework for the research;

4. For competitive renewal and supplemental applications, the

progress made during the prior project period. For new applications,

(optional) the progress of preliminary studies pertinent to the

application;

5. The adequacy of the proposed research design, approaches, and

methodology to carry out the research, including quality assurance

procedures, plan for data management, and statistical analysis plan;

6. The extent to which the evaluation plan will allow for the

measurement of progress toward the achievement of the stated

objectives;

7. Qualifications, adequacy, and appropriateness of personnel to

accomplish the proposed activities;

8. The degree of commitment and cooperation of other interested

parties (as evidenced by letters detailing the nature and extent of the

involvement);

9. The reasonableness of the proposed budget to the proposed

research and demonstration program;

10. Adequacy of existing and proposed facilities and resources.

B. The second review will be conducted by the Advisory Committee

for Injury Prevention and Control. The factors to be considered will

include:

1. The results of the peer review;

2. The significance of the proposed activities in relation to the

objectives stated in Injury Control in the 1990s: A National Plan for

Action. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993 and

Healthy People 2000;

3. National needs;

4. Overall distribution among:

the three priority areas of violence-related injury

research: youth suicide, firearm injuries, and interpersonal youth

violence;

the major disciplines of violence-related injury

prevention: social and behavioral science, biomechanics, and

epidemiology;

populations addressed (e.g., adolescents, racial and

ethnic minorities, the elderly, children, urban, rural);

5. Budgetary considerations (e.g., preference may be given to

applicants who submit proposals requesting funding for research

projects of one to two year's duration);

6. Additional consideration may be given to those applicants who

provide evidence of an active training program or mentoring program for

inexperienced minority injury researchers (``junior investigators'').

C. Continued Funding:

Continuation awards made after FY 1995, but within the project

period, will be made on the basis of the availability of funds and the

following criteria:

1. The accomplishments reflected in the progress report of the

continuation application indicate that the applicant is meeting

previously stated objectives or milestones contained in the project's

annual workplan and satisfactory progress has been demonstrated through

monitoring presentations or work-in-progress workshops;

2. The objectives for the new budget period are realistic,

specific, and measurable;

3. The methods described will clearly lead to achievement of these

objectives;

4. The evaluation plan will allow management to monitor whether the

methods are effective; and

5. The budget request is clearly explained, adequately justified,

reasonable and consistent with the intended use of grant funds.

D. Supplementary Funding:

Competing Supplemental grant awards may be made when funds are

available, to support research work or activities not previously

approved by the Injury Research Grants Review Committee (IRGRC).

Applications should be clearly labelled to denote their status as

requesting supplemental funding support. These applications will be

reviewed by the IRGRC and the secondary review group.

Executive Order 12372 Review

Applications are not subject to the review requirements of

Executive Order 12372, entitled Intergovernmental Review of Federal

Programs.

Public Health System Reporting Requirement

This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting

Requirements.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.136.

Application Submission and Deadlines

A. Preapplication Letter of Intent

Although not a prerequisite of application, a non-binding letter of

intent-to-apply is requested from potential applicants. The letter

should be submitted to the Grants Management Officer (whose address is

reflected in section B, ``Applications''). It should be postmarked no

later than two months prior to the planned submission deadline, (e.g.,

December 13 for January 13 submission). The letter should identify the

announcement number, name the principal investigator, and specify the

priority area of violence-related injury research (i.e., youth suicide,

firearm injuries, and interpersonal youth violence) addressed by the

proposed project. The letter of intent does not influence review or

funding decisions, but it will enable CDC to plan the review more

efficiently, and will ensure that each applicant receives timely and

relevant information prior to application submission.

B. Applications

Applicants should use Form PHS-398 and adhere to the ERRATA

Instruction Sheet for Form PHS-398 contained in the Grant Application

Kit. Please submit an original and five copies, on or before January

13, 1995 to: Henry S. Cassell, III, Grants Management Officer, Grants

Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Room 300,

Atlanta, Georgia 30305.

C. Deadlines

1. Applications shall be considered as meeting a deadline if they

are either:

A. Received at the above address on or before the deadline date, or

B. Sent on or before the deadline date to the above address, and

received in time for the review process. Applicants should request a

legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark or obtain a legibly dated

receipt from a commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal Service. Private

metered postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailings.

2. Applications which do not meet the criteria above are considered

late applications and will be returned to the applicant.

Where To Obtain Additional Information

To receive additional information, call (404) 332-4561. You will be

asked to leave your name, address, and phone number and will need to

refer to Announcement Number 506. You will receive a complete program

description, information on application procedures, and application

forms.

If you have questions after reviewing the contents of all the

documents, business management technical information may be obtained

from Lisa Tamaroff, Grants Management Specialist, Procurement and

Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255

East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Mailstop E-13, Atlanta, Georgia 30305,

telephone (404) 842-6796. Programmatic technical assistance may be

obtained from Ted Jones, Project Officer, Extramural Research Grants

Branch, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mailstop K-58, 4770 Buford

Highway, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724, telephone (404) 488-4824.

Please refer to Announcement 506 when requesting information or

submitting an application.

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, DC 20402-9325,

telephone (202) 783-3238.

Copies of Injury Control in the 1990s: A National Plan for Action.

Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1993 and A

Framework for Assessing the Effectiveness of Disease and Injury

Prevention, (CDC, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 27,

1992, Volume 41, Number RR-3, pages 5-11) may be obtained by calling

(404) 488-4334.

Information for obtaining the suggested readings, Violence and the

Public's Health, Understanding and Preventing Violence, and Violence in

America: A Public Health Approach, is included on a separate sheet with

the application kit.

Dated: September 14, 1994.

Deborah L. Jones,

Acting Associate Director for Management and Operations, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Mary Ellen Bloodworth,

Certifying Officer.

[FR Doc. 94-23198 Filed 9-19-94; 8:45 am]

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