Program Announcement and Proposed Project Requirements and Review Criteria for Cooperative Agreements for Partnerships for Health Professions Education for Fiscal Year 1996

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

Program Announcement and Proposed Project Requirements and Review

Criteria for Cooperative Agreements for Partnerships for Health

Professions Education for Fiscal Year 1996

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces

that applications will be accepted for fiscal year (FY) 1996

Cooperative Agreements for Partnerships for Health Professions

Education. This model/demonstration program will be jointly funded

under sections 738(b) (Minority Faculty Fellowship Program), 739

(Centers of Excellence in Minority Health Professions Education), and

740 (Health Careers Opportunity Program) of the Public Health Service

Act, as amended by the Health Professions Education Extension

Amendments of 1992, Pub. L. 102-408, dated October 13, 1992. The goal

of this program is to establish and test a comprehensive model program

in a geographically defined area (e.g., region, state, metropolitan or

rural area), that incorporates a variety of educational and community-

based entities in a formal continuum of activities to increase the

number and quality of: (1) Minority and disadvantaged health

professionals to provide health services to underserved populations and

(2) minority faculty serving in health professions schools. No

comprehensive model currently exists.

Rationale

The rationale for conducting this model project is to:

1. Test the feasibility and effectiveness of executing a

comprehensive program in a defined geographic area, which encompasses a

dynamic coordinated educational continuum designed to increase the

number and quality of minority/disadvantaged health professionals and

minority faculty for health professions schools. This program includes

formal linkages among several community-based entities and educational

institutions.

2. Compare performance outputs of a comprehensive approach versus

the output of several independent projects operating in a defined

geographic area as is currently practiced.

3. Assess the cost effectiveness of a comprehensive model versus a

multiple independent projects approach (testing the hypothesis that

approximately one third of the costs for personnel and overhead

expenditures would be saved through a comprehensive administrative

infrastructure).

4. Determine the potential for several community and educational

entities forming a unified, effective, multi-dimensional, comprehensive

educational continuum under the umbrella of a single lead institution.

5. Test the relative soundness of a cooperative comprehensive

approach versus that of several projects acting independently. This

would facilitate tracking, monitoring and retaining targeted

individuals through the educational pathway to become health

professionals and/or faculty in health professions schools.

This program announcement is subject to reauthorization of the

legislative authorities and to the appropriation of funds. Applicants

are advised that this program announcement is a contingency action

being taken to assure that should authority and funds become available

for this purpose, they can be awarded in a timely fashion consistent

with the needs of the program as well as to provide for even

distribution of funds throughout the fiscal year. At this time, given a

continuing resolution and the absence of FY 1996 appropriations for

title VII programs, the amount of available funding for this specific

cooperative agreement cannot be estimated.

Purpose

The purposes of this program are to: (1) Assist schools in

supporting programs of excellence in health

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professions education for minority students, (2) assist individuals

from disadvantaged backgrounds to undertake education to enter and

graduate from a health professions school and (3) to assist schools in

increasing the number of underrepresented minority faculty members at

such schools. Applicants are required to meet the statutory

requirements identified in sections 738(b), 739, and 740. Definitions

regarding each of these programs have been published at 60 FR 62097,

dated December 4, 1995. In addition, applicants must meet the

requirements of regulations as set forth in 42 CFR part 57, subparts S

and V. Applicants may request funding for up to three years. In making

awards, consideration will be given to an equitable geographic

distribution of projects.

Eligibility

Applicants eligible to apply for this model/demonstration program

are accredited schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine,

dentistry, pharmacy, public health, veterinary medicine, optometry,

allied health, chiropractic, podiatric medicine, clinical psychology,

health administration and other public or private nonprofit health or

education entities located in a State as defined in section 799.

Proposed Project Requirements

The following project requirements are proposed:

1. The Partnerships for Health Professions Education cooperative

agreement is to include efforts to increase the numbers and quality of:

(a) Minority and disadvantaged health professionals who provide

health services to underserved populations and

(b) Minority faculty serving in health professions schools.

This would be accomplished through comprehensive geographically

defined cooperative initiatives involving several educational and

community-based institutions and organizations. Specifically, the

project is to establish and test a model comprehensive program in a

defined geographic area (e.g. region, state, metropolitan or rural

area). The project would bring together a variety of educational and

community entities into a formal educational continuum that addresses:

(a) The needs of minority and disadvantaged students through

graduation from a health professions school, and

(b) Junior minority faculty aspiring to senior faculty positions in

health professions schools.

2. The proposed model must encompass formulation of academic-

community educational partnerships including:

(a) Formal linkages among health profession and prehealth

profession schools, where both have strong histories and established

administrative infrastructures for addressing the types of purposes

proposed in this model program;

(b) Linkages among health professions schools and community based

health care entities serving underserved populations. This would allow

targeted health professions school students to be offered experiences

in the delivery of health services in community-based facilities

located at sites remote from the institution; and

c. Consortium arrangements (where appropriate) among participating

health professions schools.

4. The Partnerships for Health Professions Education Programs

shall, for a geographically prescribed area establish:

(a) An educational and non-educational support system designed to

improve the quality of the minority applicant pool involving

preliminary education, facilitating entry (including post baccalaureate

projects where appropriate) and retention activities at the health

professions school level. There should be an uninterrupted continuum to

assist students through graduation from a health professions school.

This would be accomplished through development and implementation of

activities related to all the purposes identified in sections 738(b),

739, and 740 of the PHS Act.

(b) Minority faculty development initiatives designed to recruit

and provide a formal structured program of preparation in such areas as

pedagogical skills, program administration, grant writing and

publication skills, research methodology, development of research

proposals and community service abilities under a senior faculty

mentor. It should involve pre-faculty appointment, faculty fellowship

opportunities and retention for junior minority faculty in health

professions schools;

(c) Information resources and curricula addressing minority health

issues and clinical education at community based sites remote from the

health professions school that predominantly serve underserved

populations; and

(d) Faculty and student research on health issues particularly

affecting minority groups.

5. Measurable, outcome oriented and time framed performance outcome

standards will be used to evaluate the project.

6. All award recipients must agree to maintain institutional

expenditures of non-Federal funds in an amount not less than the

previous fiscal year.

7. Program activities and experiences related to the establishment

of the Partnerships for Health Professions Education Program must be

documented in a format that would allow for future duplication by other

institutional organizations.

Substantial Federal Programmatic Involvement

It is anticipated that the Federal government will have substantial

programmatic involvement with the planning, development and

administration of the Partnerships for Health Professions Education

Program and its outputs by:

1. Providing technical assistance, guidance and reviewing changes

needed to conduct the project.

2. Reviewing and advising regarding training content and

methodologies and formal faculty development regimens.

3. Providing advice regarding formal linkage and consortium

arrangements which have been established for the purpose of conducting

the Partnerships for Health Professions Education Program.

4. Assisting in the modification of student participant selection

criteria and processes.

5. Providing information relative to proven evaluation methods,

including data collection methods, data analysis techniques and

participant tracking systems.

6. Reviewing and advising on program evaluation methods, including

data collection activities, data analysis techniques and participant

tracking systems.

7. Reviewing and advising on the documentation of the activities

and experiences related to establishment of the Partnerships for Health

Professions Education Program.

8. Providing data and information about Federal programs that may

impact the Partnerships for Health Professions Education Program.

9. Participating in the review of subcontracts awarded under the

Cooperative Agreement.

Proposed Review Criteria

The following criteria are proposed for review of applications for

this program:

1. The relationship of the applicants proposal to the purposes

stated for the Partnerships for Health Professions Education Program,

the

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comprehensiveness and geographic base of the proposed project, the

extent to which linkages with community entities and institutions are

documented, and the degree to which the proposed project plans are

transferable to other institutions.

2. The extent, institutional commitment and outcomes of past

efforts and activities of the institution in conducting minority/

disadvantaged programs, the extent to which applicant data indicate

trends, the numbers and type (race/ethnicity, gender) of individuals

that can be expected to benefit from the project, and suitability of

participant eligibility requirements, selection criteria, and process.

3. The relevance of objective(s) to the stated problem and need,

and to model purposes; their measurability and attainability within a

specific time frame; and the extent to which they represent outcome

measures.

4. The scope of specific activities and their relevance to the

stated objectives and projected outcomes; their appropriateness for a

Partnership for Health Professions Education Program; their soundness

in terms of the extent and nature of the academic content and non-

academic services; and their validity as to the methodologies, logic

and sequencing proposed.

5. The administrative and managerial capability of the applicant to

conduct the project, qualifications of the staff and faculty, their

academic and experiential background and time commitment, the nature

and degree of their involvement, and their experience in working with

the proposed target group.

6. The appropriateness of the budget for assuring effective

utilization of cooperative agreement funds and the institutional or

organizational plan for phasing-in income from other sources and

developing self-sufficiency for continuing the program after Federal

funding.

7. The degree to which the applicant has made significant efforts

to increase the number of minority individuals serving in faculty or

administrative positions at the health professions school.

8. Techniques and methods to be employed in evaluating the project.

National Health Objectives for the Year 2000

The Public Health Service urges applicants to submit work plans

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 (Telephone 202-783-3238).

Education and Service Linkage

As part of its long-range planning, HRSA will be targeting its

efforts to strengthening linkages between U.S. Public Health Service

education programs and programs which provide comprehensive primary

care services to the underserved.

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.

Additional Information

Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed project

requirements and review criteria. The comment period is 30 days. All

comments received on or before May 29, 1996 will be considered before

the final project requirements and review criteria are established.

Written comments should be addressed to Dr. Ciriaco Q. Gonzales,

Director, Division of Disadvantaged Assistance, Bureau of Health

Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn

Building, Room 8A-09, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857. All

comments received will be available for public inspection and copying

at the Division of Disadvantaged Assistance, Bureau of Health

Professions, at the above address, weekdays (Federal holiday excepted)

between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Application Availability

Application materials are available on the World Wide Web at

address: http://www.os.dhhs.gov/hrsa/bhpr. Click on the file name you

want to download to your computer. It will be saved as a self-

extracting WordPerfect 5.1 file. Once the file is downloaded to the

applicant's PC, it will still be in a compressed state. To decompress

the file, go to the directory where the file has been downloaded and

type in the file name followed by a . The file will expand into

a WordPerfect 5.1 file. Applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain

application materials from the World Wide Web via the Internet.

However, for applicants who do not have Internet capability,

application materials are also available on the Bureau of Health

Professions (BHPr) Bulletin Board. Use your computer and modem to call

(301) 443-5913. Set your modem parameters to 2400 baud, parity to none,

data bits to 8, and stop bits to 1. Set your terminal emulation to ANSI

or VT-100.

Once you have accessed the BHPr Bulletin Board, you will be asked

for your first and last name. It will also ask you to choose a

password. Remember Your Password! The first time you logon you

``register'' by answering a number of other questions. The next time

you logon, BHPr's Bulletin Board will know you.

Press (F) for the (F)iles Menu and (L) to (L)ist Files. Press (L)

again to see a list of numbered file areas. To see a list of files in

any area, type the number corresponding to that area. Competitive

application materials for grant programs administered by the Bureau of

Health Professions are located in the File Area item ``B'' titled

Grants Announcements.

To (R)ead a file or (D)ownload a file, you need to know its exact

name as listed on BHPr's Bulletin Board. Press (R) to (R)ead a file and

type the name of the file. Press (D) to (D)ownload a file to your

computer. You need to know how your communications software

accomplishes downloading.

When you have completed your tour of BHPr's Bulletin Board for this

session, press (G) for (G)oodbye and press .

If you have difficulty accessing the BHPr Bulletin Board, please

try the Internet address listed above. If you do not have Internet

capability and need assistance in accessing the BHPr Bulletin Board or

technical assistance with any aspect of the BHPr Bulletin Board, please

call Mr. Larry DiGiulio, Systems Operator for the BHPr Bulletin Board

at (301) 443-2850 or ``[email protected]''.

Questions regarding grants policy and business management issues

should be directed to Ms. Wilma Johnson, Acting Chief, Centers and

Formula Grants Section ([email protected]), Grants Management

Branch, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services

Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 8C-26, 5600 Fishers Lane,

Rockville, Maryland 20857. If you are unable to obtain the application

materials electronically, you may obtain application materials in the

mail by sending a written request to the Grants Management Branch at

the address above. Written requests may also be sent via FAX (301) 443-

6343 or via the Internet listed above. Completed

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applications should be returned to the Grants Management Branch at the

above address.

If additional programmatic information is needed, please contact

Dr. Ciriaco Q. Gonzales, Director, Division of Disadvantaged

Assistance, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services

Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 8A-17, 5600 Fishers Lane,

Rockville, Maryland 20857.

Paperwork Reduction Act

The standard application form PHS 6025-1, HRSA Competing Training

Grant Application, and General Instructions have been approved by the

Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The

OMB Clearance Number is 0915-0060.

The deadline date for receipt of applications is July 12, 1996.

Applications will be considered to be ``on time'' if they are either:

(1) Received on or before the established deadline date, or

(2) Sent on or before the established deadline date and received in

time for orderly processing. (Applicants should 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

shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing.)

Late applications not accepted for processing will be returned to

the applicant. In addition, applications which exceed the page

limitation and/or do not follow format instructions will not be

accepted for processing and will be returned to the applicant.

This program 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 also not subject to the

Public Health System Reporting Requirements.

Dated: April 17, 1996.

Ciro V. Sumaya,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 96-10483 Filed 4-26-96; 8:45 am]

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