# Grants To Improve Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care in Rural Areas > Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more. URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A95-9756 ## Record - **Collection:** Federal Register - **Document type:** Notice - **Published:** April 20, 1995 - **Citation:** 60 FR 19753 ## Text DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Health Resources and Services Administration Grants To Improve Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care in Rural Areas AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration. [[Page 19754]] ACTION: Notice of availability of grant funds. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration announces that approximately $310,000 is available in fiscal year 1995 for grants to public and private nonprofit entities for the purpose of carrying out research and demonstration projects with respect to improving the availability and quality of emergency medical services and trauma care in rural areas. These grants are authorized by Section 1204 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. Funds are appropriated under Public Law 103-333. DATES: To receive consideration, grant applications must be received by the close of business June 19, 1995. Applications will meet the deadline if they are either: (1) Received on or before the deadline date; or (2) postmarked on or before the deadline date and received in time for submission to the review committee. A legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service will be accepted in lieu of a postmark. Private metered postmarks will not be accepted as proof of timely mailing. Hand delivered applications must be received by 5:00 pm on June 19, 1995. Applications received after the deadline will be returned. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information relating to technical or program issues may be obtained from Diane McMenamin, Deputy Director, or Mirtha Beadle, Emergency Medical Systems Analyst, Division of Trauma and Emergency Medical Systems, Bureau of Health Resources Development, Parklawn Building, Room 7-16, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857; 301-443-3401. Grant applications and additional information regarding business, administrative, or fiscal issues related to the awarding of grants under this Notice may be requested from the Grants Management Officer (GMO), Ms. Glenna Wilcom, Parklawn Building, Room 7-15, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857; 301-443-2280. Applicants for grants will use Form PHS 5161-1 (revised 7/92, approved under OMB No. 0937-0189). Completed applications should be sent to the GMO. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background and Objectives The program provides assistance to public and private nonprofit organizations for the purpose of carrying out research and demonstration projects to improve the availability and quality of emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma care in rural areas. As mandated by legislation, applications must address one or more of the following five topics: 1. Developing innovative uses of communications technologies and the use of new communication technologies; 2. Developing model curricula for training EMS personnel, including first responders, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, emergency nurses, and physicians in the: a. Assessment, stabilization, treatment, preparation for transport, and resuscitation of seriously injured patients, with special attention to problems that arise during long transports and methods of minimizing delays in transport to the appropriate facility; and b. Management of the operation of an EMS system; 3. Making training for original certification, and continuing education, in the provision and management of EMS more accessible to emergency medical personnel in rural areas; 4. Developing innovative protocols and agreements to increase access to prehospital care and equipment necessary for the transportation of seriously injured patients to the appropriate facilities; and 5. Evaluating the effectiveness of protocols with respect to EMS and systems. The program is not intended to purchase capital equipment or provide access to health resources. As such, a proposal should not be oriented towards the acquisition of new EMS or trauma care equipment, personnel, or other resources. Rather, as a research and demonstration program, proposed projects are intended to advance the science of rural EMS and trauma care through evaluation of a rural issue and statistical analysis of the project findings. The Public Health Service urges applicants to submit workplans that address specific objectives of Healthy People 2000. 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, D.C. 20402-9325; 202 783-3238. Program Priorities The legislation requires that special consideration be given to applicants providing services in any rural area identified by a State for which: 1. There is no system of access to EMS through the telephone number 9-1-1; or 2. There is no basic life-support system; or 3. There is no advanced life-support system. In order to receive special consideration under this legislative provision, the State EMS Office must certify that the proposed study will be conducted in a rural area(s) meeting one or more of the above listed program priorities. Special consideration means that approved applications providing services in the rural areas identified above will have funding priority over other approved applications. The definition of basic or advanced life-support systems must be consistent with the definition recognized by the State. Availability of Funds Approximately $310,000 is available to fund 1-4 grants. Project periods may be requested for one or two years. Grants to support projects beyond the first budget year will be contingent upon the availability of funds and satisfactory progress in meeting the project's objectives. Applicants are required to submit budgets for each proposed project year in the initial application. Eligible Applicants Any public or private nonprofit entity may apply. Although the applicant is not required to be located in a rural area, the applicant must perform a research and demonstration activity in a rural area(s). In order to meet the rural requirement, an area must be located: (1) Outside a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as defined by the Office of Management and Budget; or (2) in a rural census tract within an MSA. If the city or county name does not appear on the MSA list, the area would meet the definition of rural under the first definition in this program. However, if the city or county name does appear on the MSA list, the applicant may contact the applicable regional Census Bureau office to determine the census tract for the area. If the census tract for the area appears on the list of approved rural census tracts, the applicant is eligible to apply under the second rural definition in this program. A list of the cities and counties that are designated as being within an MSA, rural census tracts for each county, and telephone numbers for regional offices of the Census Bureau will be included with the application. [[Page 19755]] Application Evaluation Criteria Grant applications will be evaluated by an objective review committee according to the following: 1. Capability of the Applicant: applicant's demonstrated experience and qualifications to complete the project proposed and to perform a research or demonstration project. 2. Impact of Study Objective: (1) impact of the study on the advancement of rural EMS and trauma care delivery; (2) contribution of the study to existing knowledge on EMS and trauma care such that further work on the issue is a high priority; and (3) development of new methods rather than a duplication of methods previously implemented. 3. Selection of Rural Community: appropriateness of the rural area(s) where the project will be conducted and the adequacy of justification for inclusion of non-rural areas in the research or demonstration activity. 4. Community Participation: extent to which an applicant that is not located in the rural community where the research or demonstration activity will be conducted has established an equal partnership and coordinated project development activities with the rural constituency under study, including: the prehospital, acute care, and rehabilitation sectors; local medical control; concerned advocates; the State EMS Office; and other interested parties. 5. Study Design: appropriateness of study design to the stated hypothesis, and the likelihood that the proposed research activity will yield expected results and improve rural EMS and trauma care. 6. Methodology: appropriateness and adequacy of the work plan for completion of project activities and project evaluation, and of the schedule for organizing and completing the project within the project period. Allowable Costs The basis for determining the allowability and allocability of costs charged to PHS grants is set forth in 45 CFR Part 74, Subpart Q, and 45 CFR Part 92. The four separate sets of cost principles prescribed for recipients of grants for public and private nonprofit entities are: OMB Circular A-87 for State and local governments; OMB Circular A-21 for institutions of higher education; 45 CFR Part 74, Appendix E for hospitals; and OMB Circular A-122 for nonprofit organizations. Reporting Requirements A successful applicant under this notice will submit quarterly reports in accordance with provisions of the general regulations which apply under 45 CFR Part 74, Subpart J, Monitoring and Reporting of Program Performance, with the exception of State and local governments to which 45 CFR Part 92, Subpart C reporting requirements will apply. Public Health System Impact Statement This program is subject to the Public Health System Reporting Requirements. Reporting requirements have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget--0937-0195. Under these requirements, the community-based non-governmental applicant must prepare and submit a Public Health System Impact Statement (PHSIS). The PHSIS is intended to provide information to State and local health officials to keep them apprised of proposed health services grant applications by community- based non-governmental organizations within their jurisdictions. Community-based non-governmental applicants are required to submit the following information to the head of the appropriate State and local health agencies in the area(s) to be impacted no later than the Federal application receipt due date: a. A copy of the face page of the application (SF 424) b. A summary of the project PHSIS, not to exceed one page, which provides: (1) A description of the population to be served, (2) A summary of the services to be provided, (3) A description of the coordination planned with the appropriate State or local health agencies. PHS Smoke-free Policy Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities in which education, library, day care, regular and routine health care and early childhood development services are provided to children. Smoking must also be prohibited in indoor facilities that are constructed, operated or maintained with Federal funds. Executive Order 12372 Grants awarded under this notice are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, which sets up a system for State and local government review of proposed Federal assistance applications. Applicants (other than federally recognized Indian tribes) 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 proposals 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. The SPOC has 60 days after the application deadline date to submit comments. The granting agency does not guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' State recommendations received after that date. The OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program is 93.952. Dated: Arpil 14, 1995. Ciro V. Sumaya, Administrator. [FR Doc. 95-9756 Filed 4-19-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-15-P --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A95-9756. Public record. Not legal advice.