Program for Playground Safety

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Announcement 549]

Program for Playground Safety

Introduction

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announces the

availability of fiscal year (FY) 1995 funds for a cooperative agreement

for the establishment of a Program for Playground Safety.

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

priority area of Unintentional Injuries. (For ordering a copy of

``Healthy People 2000,'' see the section Where To Obtain Additional

Information.)

Authority

This program announcement is authorized under Sections 301, 317,

and 391-394 (42 U.S.C. 241, 247b, and 280b-280b-3) of the Public Health

Service Act as amended.

Smoke-Free Workplace

PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a smoke-

free workplace and to promote the nonuse of all tobacco products, and

Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in

certain facilities that receive Federal funds in which education,

library, day care, health care, and early childhood development

services are provided to children.

Eligible Applicants

Applications may be submitted by public and private, nonprofit and

for-profit organizations and governments and their agencies. Thus,

universities, colleges, research institutions, hospitals, other public

and private organizations, State and local health departments or their

bona fide agents or instrumentalities, federally recognized Indian

tribal governments, Indian tribes or Indian tribal organizations, and

small, minority- and/or women-owned businesses are eligible to apply.

Availability of Funds

Approximately $550,000 is available in FY 1995 to fund one award.

It is expected that the award will begin on or about September 30,

1995, and will be made for a 12-month budget period within a project

period of up to three years. Funding estimates may vary and are subject

to change.

A continuation award within the project period will be made on the

basis of satisfactory progress and the availability of funds.

Purpose

The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to establish a Program

for Playground Safety to assume a lead capacity for prevention and

control of playground injuries to children and the promotion of safer

playgrounds.

Program Requirements

In conducting activities to achieve the purpose of this program,

the recipient will be responsible for the activities under A.

(Recipient Activities), and CDC will be responsible for the activities

listed under B. (CDC Activities).

A. Recipient Activities

1. Develop a national agenda and plan for the prevention of

playground injuries. Steps involved in producing this plan shall

include:

a. Prepare a state of the art review of playground injuries and

known and effective strategies for their prevention. Production of this

review should involve key researchers and leaders in the field of

playground injury prevention, and include relevant disciplines such as

behavioral science, child development, engineering, leisure studies,

environmental sciences, and public health;

b. Convene one or more meetings of relevant parties, experts and

organizations to discuss the review, assess the current issues, set and

prioritize goals, and consider methods to achieve those goals;

c. Produce a draft national plan and circulate it for comment among

relevant parties and;

d. Finalize, publish and disseminate the plan.

Expected collaborators in the development, review, and endorsement

of the plan include researchers, injury control specialists (e.g., CDC-

funded Injury Control Research Center staff), playground operators

(e.g., Department of Parks and Recreation staff, Department of

Education staff, day care center operators), manufacturers of

playground equipment and surfaces, playground regulators, and

playground users. The plan should identify surveillance, research,

evaluation, training, and programmatic needs and activities to reduce

playground injuries. In particular, the plan should include a research

agenda that defines the priority research questions to be answered and

the methods to answer them, including the variables to be measured, the

methods for measuring those variables, the type of study design and

necessary size of the study, and the costs of such a study. (It is not

anticipated that the recipient will undertake all of the planned

research.) Data needs for all elements (e.g., surveillance, training)

should be identified. The plan should contain recommendations targeted

at playground operators, manufacturers, regulators, users, and other

relevant parties. The plan should include estimates of the necessary

resources for each aspect of the plan, as well as a timetable. The plan

should be completed within one year of funding to help guide future

activities.

Activities 2-5 below may be completed at any time during the three-

year project period.

2. Establish a clearinghouse for materials on the prevention of

playground injuries and safe playgrounds. This activity includes

identifying, collecting, and classifying existing materials on

playground design and safety and playground injury prevention. The

activity also includes identifying and cataloging nationwide activities

and intervention projects related to playground injury prevention and

safety. These materials should be made easily available to others. The

applicant should provide the public, schools, municipalities and others

with a forum, including research findings, for [[Page 25726]] answering

questions about playground injury prevention. A toll-free hotline

should be set up and advertised; electronic access to materials should

be provided; and the presence of the clearinghouse should be

advertised.

3. Disseminate information regarding playground safety and the

prevention of injuries on the playground. The dissemination should be

active and regular and national in scope. It should help translate

scientific information into easily understandable terms. The

dissemination should reach both the public and those responsible for

playground design, purchase, construction, maintenance, oversight, and

use. The dissemination should include both the media (e.g., newspapers,

magazines) and relevant technical forums (e.g., journals, meetings).

4. Develop a training curriculum for playground safety inspections

and teachers in schools and day care centers. Prepare, produce, and

disseminate such materials widely, including an evaluation of the

effectiveness of the training. Evaluate the effectiveness of the

inspection process in reducing hazards on the playground. Define the

necessary competencies of those persons conducting playground

inspections and produce a test of those competencies.

5. Conduct research on the performance of playground surfaces. The

applicant should assemble all available surfaces (e.g., loose-fill

materials, grass, and proprietary materials) and conduct shock

absorbing tests of these materials according to the American Society

for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Number 1292 procedure. (For ordering a

copy of ASTM Number 1292, see the section Where To Obtain Additional

Information.) To help guide the choice of materials for protecting from

indoor falls from playground equipment, the surfaces to be tested

should include samples of play mats, wrestling mats and other mat

materials that may possess impact attenuating properties. Drop heights

should be increased in 1-foot increments and the attendant peak G and

HIC results reported. Heights should be increased until peak G exceeds

200 or HIC exceeds 1000. For loose fill materials, depths should be

varied at four, six, nine, and twelve inches. The effect of the 18''

x 18'' containment box should be ascertained by varying the box size.

The results of these tests should be widely disseminated.

6. Provide a full-time director/coordinator and staff who have

authority, responsibility, and expertise to carry out the undertaking.

B. CDC Activities

1. Provide consultation in the development of a national agenda and

plan for the prevention of playground injuries. This includes a review

of the draft national plan prior to circulation among relevant parties.

2. Provide assistance on the types of materials to be identified,

collected, and classified prior to inclusion in the clearinghouse

inventory.

3. Collaborate in the development of a strategic plan for

dissemination of information regarding playground safety and prevention

of injuries on the playground.

4. Provide advice and assistance in the development of a training

curriculum for playground safety inspections and teachers in schools

and day care centers.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be reviewed and evaluated according to the

following criteria:

1. Background and Need (15%)

The extent to which the applicant presents justification for each

projected activity in terms of magnitude of the problem, experience in

this area, and how the likely results of the activity will impact the

problem.

2. Goals and Objectives (15%)

The extent to which the goal(s) and objectives are relevant to the

purpose of the proposal, feasible for accomplishment during the project

period, measurable, and specific in terms of what is to be done and the

time involved. The extent to which the objectives address all

activities necessary to accomplish the purpose of the proposal.

3. Methods (40%)

The extent to which the applicant provides a detailed description

of all proposed activities which are likely to achieve each objective

and overall program goal(s) and which includes designation of

responsibility for each action undertaken. The extent to which the

applicant provides a reasonable and complete schedule for implementing

all activities. The extent to which position descriptions, lines of

command, and collaborations are appropriate to accomplishment of

program goal(s) and objectives.

4. Evaluation (10%)

The extent to which the proposed evaluation plan is detailed and

will document program process and outcome. The extent to which the

applicant demonstrates staff and/or collaborator availability,

expertise, and capacity to perform the evaluation.

5. Facilities, Staff, and Resources (20%)

The extent to which the applicant can provide adequate facilities,

staff and/or collaborators, and resources to accomplish the proposed

goal(s) and objectives during the project period. The extent to which

the applicant demonstrates staff and/or collaborator availability,

expertise, previous experience, and capacity to perform the undertaking

successfully.

6. Budget and Justification (Not Scored)

The extent to which the applicant provides a detailed budget and

narrative justification consistent with the stated objectives and

planned program activities.

7. Human Subjects (Not Scored)

The applicant must clearly state whether or not human subjects will

be used in research.

Executive Order 12372

Applications are subject to Intergovernmental Review of Federal

Programs as governed by Executive Order (E.O.) 12372. E.O. 12372 sets

up a system for State and local government review of proposed Federal

assistance applications. Applicants (other than federally recognized

Indian tribal governments) should contact their State Single Point of

Contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert them to the prospective

applications and receive any necessary instructions on the State

process. For proposed projects serving more than one State, the

applicant is advised to contact the SPOC of each affected State. A

current list of SPOCs is included in the application kit. If SPOCs have

any State process recommendations on applications submitted to CDC,

they should forward them 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, Mailstop E13, Atlanta, GA 30305, no later than 60

days after the application deadline. The granting agency does not

guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' for State process

recommendations it receives after that date.

Indian tribes are strongly encouraged to request tribal government

review of the proposed application. If tribal governments have any

tribal process recommendations on applications [[Page 25727]] submitted

to CDC, they should forward them 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, Mailstop E13, Atlanta, GA 30305, no

later than 60 days after the application deadline. The granting agency

does not guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' for State process

recommendations it receives after that date.

Public Health System Reporting Requirements

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 94.136.

Other Requirements

Paperwork Reduction Act

Projects that involve the collection of information from 10 or more

individuals and funded by the cooperative agreement will be subject to

review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork

Reduction Act.

Human Subjects

If the proposed project involves research on human subjects, the

applicant must comply with the Department of Health and Human Services

Regulations, 45 CFR part 46, regarding the protection of human

subjects. Assurance must be provided to demonstrate that the project

will be subject to initial and continuing review by the appropriate

institutional review committees. In addition to other applicable

committees, Indian Health Service (IHS) institutional review committees

also must review the project if any component of IHS will be involved

or will support the research. If any American Indian community is

involved, its tribal government must also approve that portion of the

project applicable to it. The applicant will be responsible for

providing assurance in accordance with the appropriate guidelines and

form provided in the application kit.

Application Submission and Deadline

The original and two copies of the application PHS Form 5161-1 (OMB

Number 0937-0189) must be submitted 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, Mailstop E13, Atlanta, GA 30305, on or

before July 14, 1995.

1. Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting the

deadline if they are either:

a. Received on or before the deadline date; or

b. Sent on or before the deadline date and received in time for

submission to the independent review committee. For proof of timely

mailing, applicant must 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 will not be

acceptable as proof of timely mailing.

2. Late Applications: Applications that do not meet the criteria in

1.a. or 1.b. above are considered late. Late applications will not be

considered in the current competition and will be returned to the

applicant.

Where To Obtain Additional Information

To receive additional written information call (404) 332-4561. You

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

need to refer to Announcement 549. 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 assistance may be obtained

from Adrienne Brown, Grants Management Specialist, Grants Management

Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry Road, NE., Mailstop E13,

Atlanta, GA 30305, telephone (404) 842-6634. Programmatic assistance

may be obtained from Tim W. Groza, M.P.A., National Center for Injury

Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC), 4770 Buford Highway, NE., Mailstop K63, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724,

telephone (404) 488-4652.

Please refer to Announcement 549 when requesting information and

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) referenced in the

``Introduction'' through the Superintendent of Documents, Government

Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, telephone (202) 512-1800.

A copy of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Number

1292 may be obtained from ASTM, Customer Services, 1916 Race Street,

Philadelphia, PA 19103-1187, telephone (215) 299-5585.

Dated: May 8, 1995.

Joseph R. Carter,

Acting Associate Director for Management and Operations, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 95-11764 Filed 5-11-95; 8:45 am]

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