Maternal and Child Health Services; Federal Set-Aside Program; Research and Training Grants

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

Maternal and Child Health Services; Federal Set-Aside Program;

Research and Training Grants

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: The HRSA announces that applications will be accepted for

fiscal year (FY) 1996 funds for Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Special

Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS) research and

training grants. Awards will be made under the program authority of

section 502(a) of the Social Security Act, the MCH Federal Set-Aside

Program. A revised regulation

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implementing the Federal Set-Aside Program (42 CFR part 51a) was

published in the July 19, 1994, issue of the Federal Register at 59 FR

36703. Within the HRSA, SPRANS grants are administered by the Maternal

and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). MCH research and training grants

improve the health status of mothers and children through: development

and dissemination of new knowledge; demonstration of new or improved

ways of delivering care or otherwise enhancing Title V program capacity

to provide or assure provision of appropriate services; and preparation

of personnel for leadership in MCH-relevant specialties. Awards are

made for grant periods which generally run from 1 up to 5 years in

duration. Grants for SPRANS hemophilia programs, genetic services and

special MCH improvement projects (MCHIP), which contribute to the

health of mothers, children, and children with special health care

needs (CSHCN), are being announced in a separate notice.

This program announcement is subject to the appropriation of funds.

Applicants are advised that this program announcement is a contingency

action being taken to assure that should 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 the SPRANS

program, the amount of available funding for this specific grant

program cannot be estimated.

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 for setting priority areas. The MCH

Block Grant Federal Set-Aside Program addresses issues related to the

Healthy People 2000 objectives of improving maternal, infant, child and

adolescent health and developing service systems for children with

special health care needs. 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).

The PHS strongly encourages all grant recipients to provide a

smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products.

In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994,

prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion

of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day

care, health care or early childhood development services are provided

to children.

ADDRESSES: Grant applications for MCH research and training grants must

be obtained from and submitted to: Chief, Grants Management Branch,

Office of Operations and Management, Maternal and Child Health Bureau,

Health Resources and Services Administration, Room 18-12, Parklawn

Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, (301) 443-1440.

Applicants for research projects will use Form PHS 398, approved by the

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under control number 0925-0001.

Applicants for training projects will use Form PHS 6025-1, approved by

OMB under control number 0915-0060. You must obtain application

materials in the mail. Written requests should specify the category or

categories of activities for which an application is requested so that

the appropriate materials may be provided.

Federal Register notices and application guidance for MCHB programs

are available on the World Wide Web via the Internet at address: http:/

/www.os.dhhs.gov/hrsa/mchb. Click on the file name you want to download

to your computer. It will be saved as a self-extracting (Macintosh or)

Wordperfect 5.1 file. To decompress the file once it is downloaded,

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

Wordperfect 5.1 file. If you have difficulty accessing the MCHB Home

Page via the Internet and need technical assistance, please contact

Linda L. Schneider at 301-443-0767 or ``[email protected]''.

DATES: Potential applicants are invited to request application packages

for the specific program category in which they are interested, and to

submit their applications for funding consideration. Deadlines for

receipt of applications differ for the several categories of grants.

The next deadline for receipt of Research Grant applications is August

1, 1996. (Applications are also accepted each year on March 1, as

well.) The deadline for receipt of Continuing Education and Development

Grant applications is July 1, 1996.

Applications will be considered to have met 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

orderly processing. Applicants should request a legibly dated receipt

from a commercial carrier or the U.S. Postal Service, or obtain a

legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark. Private metered postmarks

will not be accepted as proof of timely mailing. Late applications or

those sent to an address other than specified in the ADDRESS section

will be returned to the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for technical or programmatic

information should be directed to the contact persons identified below

for each category covered by this notice. Requests for information

concerning business management issues should be directed to: Acting

Grants Management Officer (GMO), MCHB, at the address specified in the

ADDRESS section.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To facilitate the use of this announcement,

information in this section has been organized, as outlined in the

Table of Contents below, into a discussion of: Program Background,

Special Concerns, Evaluation Protocol, Project Review and Funding,

SPRANS Project Grants, Public Comment, Eligible Applicants, and Public

Health System Reporting Requirements. In addition, for each research

and training funding category or subcategory, information is presented

under the following headings:

Application Deadline.

Purpose.

Priorities.

Special Eligibility Considerations.

Project Period

Contact

Table of Contents

1. Program Background and Objectives

2. Special Concerns

3. Project Review and Funding

3.1. Criteria for Review

3.2. Funding of Approved Applications

4. Special Projects of Regional and National Significance

4.1. Research Grants

4.2. Training Grants: Continuing Education and Development

5. Public Comment

6. Eligible Applicants

7. Public Health System Reporting Requirements

8. Executive Order 12372

1. Program Background and Objectives

Under Section 502 of the Social Security Act, 15 percent of the

funds are to be set-aside by the Secretary to support (through grants,

contracts, or otherwise) special projects of regional and national

significance, including research, and training with respect to maternal

and child health and children with special health care needs (including

early intervention training and services development). The MCH SPRANS

set-aside was established in 1981. Support for projects covered by this

announcement will come from the

[[Page 10588]]

SPRANS set-aside. Acceptance of applications for FY 1996 funds for MCH

research and training grants is being announced separately from other

SPRANS grants this year in order to reduce confusion to potential

applicants from announcement of grants in very large numbers of SPRANS

categories and subcategories. The research and training grants covered

in this notice are intended to improve the health status of mothers and

children.

Research programs focus on the development of new knowledge for

application in health care promotion and prevention efforts directed at

pregnant women, women of childbearing age, infants, children,

adolescents, and children with special health care needs and their

families. Findings are expected to have potential for application in

health care delivery programs for mothers and children.

Continuing Education and Development (CED) training includes

efforts conducted by an institution of higher learning such as short-

term, non-degree programs, courses, workshops, conferences, symposia,

institutes, and distance learning strategies; and/or development or

enhancement of curricula, guidelines, standards of practice, and

educational tools/strategies. Continuing Education and Development

focuses on increasing leadership skills of MCH professionals;

facilitating timely transfer and application of new information,

research findings, and technology related to MCH; and updating and

improving the knowledge and skills of health and related professionals

in programs serving mothers and children, including children with

special health care needs (CSHCN). As a result of the CED,

professionals are more adequately prepared to provide comprehensive

services and to provide leadership in advancing the field to better

serve mothers and children.

2. Special Concerns

In keeping with the goals of advancing the development of human

potential, strengthening the Nation's capacity to provide high quality

education by broadening participation in MCHB programs of institutions

that may have perspectives uniquely reflecting the Nation's cultural

and linguistic diversity, and increasing opportunities for all

Americans to participate in and benefit from Federal public health

programs, a funding priority will be placed on projects from

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) or Hispanic Serving

Institutions (HSI) in all categories and subcategories in this notice

for which applications from academic institutions are encouraged. An

approved proposal from a HBCU or HSI will receive a 0.5 point favorable

adjustment of the priority score in a 5 point range before funding

decisions are made.

3. Project Review and Funding

Within the limit of funds determined by the Secretary to be

available for the activities described in this announcement, the

Secretary will review applications for funds under the specific project

categories in Section 4, below, as competing applications and may award

Federal funding for projects which will, in her judgment, best promote

the purpose of title V of the Social Security Act, with special

emphasis on improving service delivery to women and children from

culturally distinct populations; best address achievement of Healthy

Children 2000 objectives related to maternal, infant, child and

adolescent health and service systems for children at risk of chronic

and disabling conditions; and otherwise best promote improvements in

maternal and child health.

3.1 Criteria for Review

The criteria which follow are used, as pertinent, to review and

evaluate applications for awards under all SPRANS grants and

cooperative agreement project categories announced in this notice.

Further guidance in this regard is supplied in application guidance

materials, which may specify other criteria.

--The quality of the project plan or methodology

--The need for the research or training

--The extent to which the project will contribute to the advancement of

maternal and child health and/or improvement of the health of children

with special health care needs;

--The extent to which the project is responsive to policy concerns

applicable to MCH grants and to program objectives, requirements,

priorities and/or review criteria for specific project categories, as

published in program announcements or guidance materials

--The extent to which the estimated cost to the Government of the

project is reasonable, considering the anticipated results

--The extent to which the project personnel are well qualified by

training and experience for their roles in the project and the

applicant organization has adequate facilities and personnel

--The extent to which, insofar as practicable, the proposed activities,

if well executed, are capable of attaining project objectives.

--The strength of the project's plans for evaluation

--The extent to which the project will be integrated with the

administration of the MCH Block Grant, State primary care plans, public

health, and prevention programs, and other related programs in the

respective State(s)

--The extent to which the application is responsive to the special

concerns and program priorities specified in this notice

3.2 Funding of Approved Applications

Final funding decisions for SPRANS research and training grants are

the responsibility of the Director, MCHB. In considering scores for the

ranking of approved applications for funding, preferences may be

exercised for groups of applications; for example, new projects may be

funded ahead of competing continuations, or vice versa. Within any

category of approved projects, the score of an individual project may

be favorably adjusted, as noted in the notice or guidance for that

category, if the project addresses specific priorities identified in

this notice. In addition, special consideration in assigning scores may

be given by reviewers to individual applications that address areas

identified in this notice as special concerns.

4. Special Projects of Regional and National Significance

Two categories of SPRANS grants are discussed below--Research, and

Continuing Education and Development:

4.1. Research Grants

Application Deadline: August 1, 1996. For Research Grants,

approximately one-half of the available funds are allocated annually to

each cycle (March 1 and August 1). Applications approved but not funded

in one cycle are automatically carried forward to the next.

Purpose: To encourage research in maternal and child

health which has the potential for ready transfer of findings to health

care delivery programs. Research grants may be made only to public or

nonprofit institutions of higher learning and public or nonprofit

private agencies and organizations engaged in research or in maternal

and child health or programs for CSHCN.

Special consideration will be given to projects which address the

factors and processes that lead to disparities in health status and use

of services among

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minority and other disadvantaged groups as well as health promoting

behaviors, quality outcome measures, and systems integration/reform.

Project Period: Generally 3 years but may be up to 5

years.

Contact: For programmatic or technical information,

contact Gontran Lamberty, Dr.P.H., telephone: (301) 443-2190.

4.2. Training Grants: Continuing Education and Development

Application Deadline: July 1, 1996.

Purpose: To support and strengthen MCH programs and

improve MCH systems of care through short term, non-degree related

training of health professionals and others providing health and

related services for mothers and children--workshops, seminars,

institutes, distance learning, etc.--and/or to conduct other related

activities that develop or enhance standards, practices, curricula,

etc., to improve health care for the MCH population. Continuing

Education and Development grants may be made only to public or

nonprofit private institutions of higher learning.

Priorities: Priority for funding in this category will be

given to Continuing Education and Development projects in the following

areas:

--Emergency Medical Services for Children

--Collaborative Office Rounds (Joint Pediatrics-Child Psychology

Continuing Education)

--Core Public Health

--Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Resources

Project Period: Range from 1 to 3 years.

Contact: For programmatic or technical information,

contact Elizabeth Brannon, M.S., R.D., telephone: (301) 443-2190.

5. Public Comment

The categories, priorities, special considerations and preferences

described above are not being proposed for public comment this year. In

July 1993, following publication of the Department's Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking to revise the MCH special project grant regulations at 42

CFR 51a, the public was invited for a 60-day period to submit comments

regarding all aspects of the SPRANS application and review process. In

responding to those comments, the Department noted the practical limits

on Secretarial discretion in establishing SPRANS categories and

priorities owing to the extensive prescription in both the statute and

annual Congressional directives.

Comments on this SPRANS notice which members of the public wish to

make are welcome at any time and may be submitted to: Director, MCHB,

at the address listed in the ADDRESS section. Suggestions will be

considered when priorities are developed for the next solicitation.

6. Eligible Applicants

MCH training grants may be made only to public or nonprofit private

institutions of higher learning. Research grants may be made only to

public or nonprofit private institutions of higher learning and public

or nonprofit private agencies and organizations engaged in research in

maternal and child health or programs for CSHCN. As noted above,

applicants for certain grant categories or subcategories are expected

to have additional qualifications.

7. Public Health System Reporting Requirements

This program is subject to the Public Health System Reporting

Requirements (approved under OMB No. 0937-0195). Under these

requirements, the community-based nongovernmental 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 submitted by community-based nongovernmental organizations

within their jurisdictions.

Community-based nongovernmental 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 (PHS-398, for

Research; PHS-6025-1, for Training).

(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 and local health agencies.

The project abstract may be used in lieu of the one-page PHSIS, if

the applicant is required to submit a PHSIS.

8. Executive Order 12372

The MCH Federal set-aside program has been determined to be a

program which is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372

concerning intergovernmental review of Federal programs.

The OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.110.

Dated: March 8, 1996.

Ciro V. Sumaya,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 96-6073 Filed 3-13-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160-15-P