Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention Training Centers

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[Announcement Number 514]

RIN 0905-ZA85

Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Prevention Training Centers

Introduction

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

availability of fiscal year (FY) 1995 funds for cooperative agreements

to continue the Sexually Transmitted Diseases/Human Immunodeficiency

Virus (STD/HIV) Prevention Training Centers (PTCs) program. The

objective of these awards is to support innovative professional

training programs in integrated STD and HIV client management within a

national network of STD/HIV PTCs to achieve a comprehensive prevention

strategy, including clinical, health behavioral, and partner counseling

interventions.

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 areas of STDs and HIV infection. (For ordering a copy of

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

Information.'')

Authority

This program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act

section 318 (42 U.S.C. 247c), section 301 (42 U.S.C. 241), section 311

(42 U.S.C. 243), and section 317 (42 U.S.C. 247b), as amended.

Regulations governing Grants for STD Research Demonstrations and Public

and Professional Education are codified in Part 51b, Subparts A and F

of Title 42, Code of Federal Regulations.

Smoke-Free Workplace

The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant recipients

to provide a smoke-free workplace and to promote the non-use 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.

Elibigle Applicants

Eligible applicants are the official public health agencies of

State and local governments or their bona fide agents. This includes

the District of Columbia, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto

Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the

Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the

Republic of Palau, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments.

Applicants from local public health agencies must document the

concurrence of the State or territorial health agency.

Availability of Funds

Approximately $5.6 million is available in FY 1995 to fund

approximately ten awards for a 12-month budget period within a 5-year

project period. All applicants must compete for Part I (Clinical

Services Training). Part II (Health Behavior Training) and Part III

(Partner Counseling Training) are elective. Up to $4 million will be

available to fund 10 awards in Part I. It is expected that the average

award for Part I will be $375,000, ranging from $300,000 to $450,000.

For Part II, up to $1 million will be available to fund up to 4 awards

with an anticipated average award of $250,000. For Part III, up to

$600,000 will be available to fund up to 4 awards with an anticipated

average award of $150,000. Funding estimates may vary and are subject

to change.

Part I establishes the funding for this cooperative agreement;

Parts II and III build upon Part I. Only applicants funded under Part I

can receive awards under Part II or Part III. Separate funding will be

established for awards made under Part I, Part II and Part III for each

recipient. Awards are expected to be made on or about April 1, 1995.

Continuation awards within the project period will depend on

satisfactory progress and the availability of funds. Progress will be

determined by site visits by CDC representatives, progress reports, and

the quality of future program plans.

Use of Funds

Cooperative agreement funds may be used to support personnel,

equipment, and supplies necessary for professional training, including

distance learning activities. Funds may not be used to lease space;

maintain central registries; provide diagnostic and treatment

facilities and services; develop literature for the general public;

provide disease intervention services or HIV counseling and testing: or

to pay other expenses [[Page 5684]] normally supported by the

applicant. Unless specifically approved, funds may not be used for

substantial renovation of facilities. Federal funds may not be used to

replace training support.

In-kind contributions, such as space and reduced service fees, may

be considered in the total program costs.

Program income in the form of participant registration fees may be

collected to offset the costs of conducting training as specified in

this announcement. Program income may support the costs of designing

and delivering additional courses directly related to the objectives of

PTCs and as determined by the assessment of training needs.

Registration fees should be reasonable, i.e., they should not prohibit

the participation of the training audience.

Any materials developed in whole or in part with PHS funds shall be

subject to a nonexclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license to the

government to reproduce, translate, publish, or otherwise use and

authorize others to use for government purposes.

Purpose

The purpose of this training cooperative agreement is to: (1)

Explore and provide innovative educational methods for health

professionals in public, private, and community sectors, (2) augment

the capacity to reach minority populations in need of services and

improve health benefits for women, infants, and adolescents, (3)

facilitate integrated prevention efforts by building upon the

interrelationships between HIV and other STDs at biologic, behavioral,

and epidemiologic levels, (4) support a comprehensive disease

prevention strategy through clinic-based and community-based

activities, (5) anticipate the emerging health care reform demands to

maintain a knowledgeable, skilled, sensitive, responsive, and

productive national work force, and (6) prepare, through experiential

activities, persons who are studying to be health practitioners.

Training will be accomplished by: (1) Establishing regional

training centers coordinated with CDC to participate in a national

network of quality training instruction in the procedures and

guidelines for integrated STD and HIV client management such as: (a)

the principles and techniques of diagnosis and treatment, (b)

behavioral intervention strategies to prevent or reduce behaviors that

place persons at risk, and (c) partner counseling including referral

and notification; (2) offering clinic-based and community-based

training experiences with clients in a public health setting; (3)

developing capacity in communities by enlisting graduate school faculty

and experts from the community to work in interdisciplinary

partnerships with health departments in the planning, production,

delivery, and evaluation of training; (4) using advances in

communications technology in innovative distance learning

methodologies; and (5) designing analytic methods for educationally

relevant and cost-effective training.

Program Requirements

The recipient will be responsible for conducting activities under

A., and the CDC will be responsible for conducting activities under B.,

below:

A. Recipient Activities

1. Administration: (a) Select a person with management and

educational experience and credentials and give that person primary

responsibility and authority to manage and coordinate all training

activities; (b) organize a PTC steering committee to facilitate clinic-

based, community-based, and regional training; and (c) ensure that PTC

staff are qualified and work collaboratively without duplication of

administrative expense.

2. STD/HIV program-related issues: Maintain liaison with regional,

State, local, and community-based STD and HIV prevention programs and

initiatives (e.g., Prevention of Infertility, HIV Prevention Community

Planning) and other health professional training programs in the PHS

region to determine training needs, to assess educational resources,

and to design, deliver, and evaluate training.

3. Professional Training: (a) Contract with the experts in the

community and graduate schools for faculty, subject experts, behavioral

scientists with field experience, and education and evaluation

consultants for assistance in designing or writing training needs

assessments, educational objectives, curriculum content, instructional

design, state-of-the-art delivery methods, and course evaluation.

Graduate schools include a local school of medicine and other schools

(in the PHS region) offering academic disciplines such as nursing,

social work, psychology, sociology, anthropology, education, and public

health. (b) Establish innovative arrangements with universities such as

graduate assistantships for student academic involvement in PTC

activities.

4. Model Clinic and Community-based Services: Provide a setting

with (a) a public health STD clinic which follows CDC guidelines for

integrated STD and HIV client medical management, clinic operation,

client-centered counseling, and partner counseling, including

elicitation, referral, and notification; (b) community-based

interventions based on behavior change theory, and (c) clinic-based and

community-based training with clients.

5. Distance Learning: Explore, develop, and deliver distance

learning products and accompanying documentation. The products should

be regional or national in scope and usable by other PTCs and training

agencies. Distance learning includes off-site conferences, satellite

broadcasts, remote video instruction, self-study modules, computer-

based training, interactive computer disks, train-the-trainer, and

Internet transmission.

6. Accreditation: (a) Acquire and award continuing medical

education (CME) credit and continuing education units (CEU) that meet

the needs of most course participants, (b) maintain a regional course

registration database, including required CME and CEU documentation,

and (c) coordinate participant data collection with CDC.

7. Evaluation: (a) Determine and measure successful process

indicators, immediate training benefits (impact), and long-range

benefits in STD/HIV prevention (especially for women, infants,

adolescents, and minority populations); and (b) Analyze training costs

including the cost- effectiveness of distance learning.

8. National Prevention Training Network Participation: Individually

and through meetings, participate with all STD/HIV Prevention Training

Centers and CDC in sharing materials and evaluating training.

9. Collaboration: In collaboration with CDC: (a) meet with

technical experts on subject matter and educational theory in the

development of courses (including needs assessment, curriculum design,

and evaluation), and (b) Public Health Training Network (PHTN) and

distance learning coordinators (DLC) in the marketing of distance

learning courses using CDC Wonder.

10. Technical assistance: Collaborate with CDC in course

preparation and delivery by PTC professionals to train staff in health

departments or nongovernmental organizations in support of national

STD/HIV prevention activities.

B. CDC Activities

1. Technical Assistance: (a) Provide STD/HIV subject matter,

educational, and technical experts to assist and advise in the

development of the curriculum; advise on course objectives,

instructional design, and delivery; and [[Page 5685]] ensure that

evaluation is consistent with desired training outcomes, and (b) be

available to the recipient upon request to co-teach selected courses on

clinical, behavioral, and partner counseling.

2. Distance Learning Assistance: Assist in: (a) providing

information on the PHTN, DLCs, and resources; (b) scheduling regional

and national training through CDC Wonder; and (c) establishing an

electronic communication network among the PTCs, the Division of STD/

HIV Prevention grantees, CDC, and graduate school partners.

3. Program Reviews: Conduct site visits: (a) for new recipients, to

review clinical and community-based capabilities; (b) to advise on

instructional design; (c) to provide technical assistance in defining

and resolving problems; and (d) to monitor program implementation,

project management, and analysis.

4. Ensure Training Network Integrity: Provide guidelines,

curriculum, training aids, and software developed by CDC, the PTCs, or

other agencies that provide direction for professional intervention

approaches that preserve client dignity and confidentiality.

5. National Prevention Training Network: Through yearly (or more

frequent) PTC conferences and training meetings, augment the network

capacity of PTC network partners by sharing new curricula and distance

learning strategies.

6. Communication: Through publications, correspondence, narrative

reports, and electronic communication, keep CDC and PTC staff informed

of national issues that affect training and program management.

7. Evaluation: Coordinate and support a national course

registration database, provide adequate staff database training, and

analyze and publish cumulative data on the training effectiveness of

the national network of PTCs.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications requesting funds to support administrative functions

only will be considered nonresponsive. Only information in the

application will be considered. Applications will be evaluated

separately for each part according to the following criteria (maximum

100 points).

1. Quality of Plan

a. Administration: The quality of the plan for committing to

regional or national training, providing leadership and direction,

describing duties of personnel, continuing or expeditiously beginning

training according to a schedule, committing a person to act as medical

school liaison for prescribed duties, obtaining high quality behavioral

science expertise, recruiting faculty who are skilled and experienced

in interactive instruction, and making cost-efficient and quality

arrangements for faculty from graduate schools. (10 points)

b. Training Needs Assessment: The quality of the description of

contacts with STD and HIV prevention programs and initiatives in the

training area, the training partners, and the specific health

professional audiences identified for training. (10 points)

c. Objectives: The extent to which training objectives are

specific, measurable, time-phased, and realistic. (10 points)

d. Clinical and Community-based Capability: The ability to support

training opportunities with clients reflecting regional disease trends

yet providing diverse clinical experiences (e.g., census, disease, sex,

age, and race or ethnicity) as evidenced by descriptions of the local

STD/HIV morbidity, laboratory tests, clinic hours, patient flow,

staffing, significant records, profiles of clients, and prevention

programs. (10 points)

e. Training Capability: The quality of the applicant's ability to

perform training as evidenced by descriptions of training locations,

equipment, storage and security, computer capabilities, distance

learning capabilities, the plan to involve graduate students, the plan

for updating staff, the plan for printing training materials, and the

design of library. (10 points)

f. Training Courses: The quality of the plan to deliver training as

evidenced by a schedule of proposed training courses (including 200

hours of clinical, Part 1; 100 hours of behavioral intervention, Part

II; 500 hours of partner counseling, Part III), assurance of training

experience with clients, distance learning plans, outlines and

objectives for courses, assurance of distribution of training products,

and an intent to collaborate with CDC. (10 points)

2. Innovation

The degree to which the applicant proposes innovative, feasible

approaches such as: (a) using existing resources to avoid duplication

and minimize costs, (b) determining the needs of potential participants

that complement HIV/STD prevention programs, (c) designing distance-

learning strategies appropriate to needs and audiences, (d) maximizing

the impact of training experiences, (e) using a variety of effective

training techniques, (f) making arrangements for graduate students to

be academically involved in PTC activities, and (g) working with new

partners. (20 points)

3. Strength of Training Evaluation

The quality of the applicant's plans to (a) acquire and commit the

expertise to perform quality evaluation (e.g., contracts with a local

graduate school), (b) maintain records electronically, (c) coordinate

data collection and system maintenance consistent with a national PTC

course registration database, (d) determine whether course offerings

match needs assessment, (e) assess student gains in knowledge and

skills, (f) assess the application of skills and abilities after

participants return to their workplaces, (g) determine training

benefits for STD/HIV prevention, and (h) develop training cost-benefit

models. (20 points)

4. Budget

Consideration also will be given to the reasonableness of the

budget request, the amount of program income toward total project

costs, amount and nature of in-kind contributions, the proposed use of

project funds, and the need for financial support. The level of support

will depend on the availability of funds. (not scored)

Funding Priorities

Consideration will be given in Part I to applicants who have

established training and clinical capabilities and to funding one PTC

in each of the 10 Public Health Service (PHS) Regions; in Part II to

applicants with demonstrated experience in community-based

interventions and experience in working with behavioral scientists; and

in Part III to applicants with experience in current partner counseling

techniques and with a wide geographic distribution of the applicants.

Interested person are invited to comment on the proposed funding

priority. All comments received on or before February 24, 1995, will be

considered before the funding priority is established. If the funding

priority should change as a result of any comments received, a revised

Announcement will be published in the Federal Register prior to the

final selection of awards.

Written comments should be addressed to: Elizabeth M. Taylor,

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 E-16, Atlanta, Georgia

30305.

[[Page 5686]]

Executive Order 12372 Review

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 for 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 send them to Elizabeth M. Taylor, 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 E-16, Atlanta, GA 30305, not later than

60 days after due date for receipt of applications. The Program

Announcement Number and Program Title should be referenced on the

document. CDC does not guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' 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 submitted to CDC, they should forward

them to Elizabeth M. Taylor, 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 E-16, Atlanta, GA 30305. This should be done no later than 60

days after the application deadline date. The granting agency does not

guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' for tribal 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 93.978,

Sexually Transmitted Disease Research, Demonstrations, and Public

Information and Education Grants, and 93.941, HIV Demonstration,

Research, Public and Professional Education Projects.

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.

Confidentiality

Applicants must have in place systems to ensure the confidentiality

of patient records.

HIV/AIDS Requirements

Recipients must comply with the document entitled, Content of AIDS-

Related Written Materials, Pictorials, Audiovisuals, Questionnaires,

Survey Instruments, and Educational Sessions (June 1992)(a copy is in

the application kit). To meet the requirements for a program review

panel, recipients are encouraged to use an existing program review

panel, such as the one created by the State health department's HIV/

AIDS Prevention Program. If the recipient forms its own program review

panel, at least one member must also be an employee (or a designated

representative) of a State or local health department. The names of the

review panel members must be listed on the Assurance of Compliance form

CDC 0.1113, which is also included in the application kit. The

recipient must submit the program review panel's report that indicates

all materials have been reviewed and approved.

Before funds can be used to develop HIV/AIDS-related materials,

determine whether suitable materials are already available at the CDC

National AIDS Clearinghouse.

Application Submission and Deadline

The application for Part I (excluding legally required assurance

pages and forms, and budget justification) including the programmatic

narrative content, illustrations, and examples should not exceed 40

(8\1/2\'' x 11'') pages, single spaced, single sided and with 1-inch

margins, 12 cpi font, and numbered on each page. Applications for Parts

II and III should not exceed 20 pages each. The programmatic narrative

content should also be submitted in electronic format on a 3.5'' double

sided, high-density diskette, in WordPerfect 5.1 or ASCII. On or before

February 24, 1995, submit the original and two copies of the

application (Form PHS 5161-1--OMB Number 0937-0189) and one electronic

copy on disk to Elizabeth M. Taylor, Grants Management Officer, Grants

Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office, Center for Disease

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

Mailstop E-16, Atlanta, GA 30305.

1. Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting the

deadline if they are:

A. Received on or before the deadline or

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

submission to the independent review committee. (Applicants must

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

legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service.

Private metered postmarks will not be acceptable proof of timely

mailing.)

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

1.A. or 1.B. are considered late applications and will not be

considered in the current competition and will be returned to the

applicant.

Where To Obtain Additional Information

A complete program description, information on application

procedures, an application package, and business management technical

assistance may be obtained from Manuel Lambrinos, Grants Management

Specialist, Grants Management Branch, Procurement and Grants Office,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 255 East Paces Ferry

Road, NE., Room 300, Atlanta, GA 30305, telephone (404) 842-6777, FAX

(404) 842-6513. Programmatic technical assistance may be obtained from

Robert B. Emerson, Clinical Services Training Coordinator, Training and

Education Branch, Division of STD/HIV Prevention, National Center for

Prevention Services (NCPS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC), 1600 Clifton Road, NE., MS E-02, Atlanta, GA 30333, telephone

(404) 639-8357, FAX (404) 639-8609, (Bitnet or Internet

[email protected]).

Please refer to Announcement 514 ``STD/HIV Prevention Training

Centers'' 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) referenced in the

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

Printing [[Page 5687]] Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325, telephone

(202) 783-3238.

Dated: January 24, 1995.

Joseph R. Carter,

Acting Associate Director for Management and Operations, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

[FR Doc. 95-2171 Filed 1-27-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4163-18-P