Program Announcement for Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration

Program Announcement for Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces

that applications for fiscal year (FY) 1996 Scholarships for

Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program are being accepted under the

authority of section 737 of the Public Health Service Act (the Act),

Title VII, Part B, as amended by the Health Professions Education

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

Schools that received funds for academic year 1995-96 will be funded

based on the information provided in last year's financial status

report, and do not need to reapply.

Purpose

The SDS program provides funds to health professions and nursing

schools for the purpose of assisting such schools in providing

scholarships to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who are

enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) as full-time students in the

schools, as well as to undergraduate students who have demonstrated a

commitment to pursuing a career in health professions.

For purposes of the SDS program in FY 1996, an ``individual from

disadvantaged background'' is defined in 42 CFR part 57.1804, subpart

S, as one who:

(1) Comes from an environment that has inhibited the individual

from obtaining the knowledge, skill, and abilities required to enroll

in and graduate from a health professions school, or from a program

providing education or training in allied health professions; or

(2) Comes from a family with an annual income below a level based

on low-income thresholds according to family size published by the U.S.

Bureau of the Census, adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer

Price Index, and adjusted by the Secretary for use in all health

professions and nursing programs. The Secretary will periodically

publish these lowincome levels in the Federal Register.

The following income figures determine what constitutes a low-

income family for purposes of the SDS program for FY 1996.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Income

Size of parents' family \1\ level \2\

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1............................................................ $10,200

2............................................................ 13,200

3............................................................ 15,700

4............................................................ 20,200

5............................................................ 23,800

6............................................................ 26,700

------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Includes only dependents listed on Federal income tax forms.

\2\ Adjusted gross income for calendar year 1995, rounded to nearest

$100. These low income figures are published in this issue of the

Federal Register.

This program announcement is subject to reauthorization of this

legislative authority 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 appropriation for title VII

programs, the amount of available funding for this program cannot be

estimated. Of the funds available for FY 1996, 30 percent shall be made

available to schools agreeing to expend the funds only for nursing

scholarships.

The period of fund availability will be for one academic year.

Use of Funds

Funds awarded to a school under this program may be used as

follows:

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(1) To award scholarships to eligible students enrolled in the

school, to be expended only for tuition expenses, other reasonable

educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses (as defined by the

school for all students attending the school) incurred while enrolled

in a school as a full-time student. The amount of the scholarship may

not, for any year of attendance, exceed the total amount required for

the year for the expenses specified above.

(2) To provide financial assistance to undergraduate students who

have demonstrated a commitment to pursuing a career in the health

professions, in order to facilitate the completion of the educational

requirements for such careers, provided that the total amount used for

this purpose may not exceed 25 percent of the funds awarded to the

school under this program.

Any school receiving SDS funds will be required to maintain

separate accountability for these funds.

School Eligibility

Funds under this program will be made available to accredited

public or nonprofit private health professions schools. For purposes of

the SDS program, as defined in section 737(a)(3) of the Act, the term

``health professions schools'' means schools of medicine, nursing,

osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, podiatric medicine,

optometry, veterinary medicine, public health, or allied health or

schools offering graduate programs in clinical psychology and which are

accredited as provided in section 799(1)(E) of the Act, schools of

allied health as defined in section 799(4) of the Act, and which are

located in States as defined in section 799(9) of the Act, and schools

of nursing as defined in section 853 of the Act.

As required by statute, to qualify for participation in the SDS

program, a school must be:

(1) carrying out a program for recruiting and retaining students

from disadvantaged backgrounds, including racial and ethnic minorities;

and

(2) carrying out a program for recruiting and retaining minority

faculty.

In addition, each school that received funds in FY 1995 must be

carrying out all of the statutory requirements listed below:

(1) Ensure that adequate instruction regarding minority health

issues is provided for in the curricula of the school. This does not

include normal course work, that by definition includes minority health

issues (e.g., sickle cell anemia in a pathology class), but refers to

course work reflecting an institutional awareness of the special health

needs of minority populations;

(2) Enter into arrangements with one or more health clinics

providing services to a significant number of individuals who are from

disadvantaged backgrounds, including members of minority groups, for

the purpose of providing students of the school with experience in

providing clinical services to such individuals;

(3) Enter into arrangements with one or more public or nonprofit

private secondary educational institutions and undergraduate

institutions of higher education (feeder schools), for the purpose of

carrying out programs regarding:

(a) the educational preparation of disadvantaged students,

including minority students, to enter the health professions; and

(b) the recruitment of disadvantaged students, including minority

students, into the health professions; and

(4) Establish a mentor program for assisting disadvantaged

students, including minority students, regarding the completion of the

educational requirements for degrees from the school. This program may

include the involvement of students, community health professionals,

faculty, alumni, past recipients of Health Career Opportunity Program

(HCOP) funds, faculty/staff of feeder schools, etc., in institutionally

organized activity (e.g., tutoring, counseling, and summer/bridge

programs).

Each school funded for the first time in FY 1996 will also be

required to carry out each of the activities specified above by not

later than 12 months from receipt of award. Funds awarded to a school

under the SDS program may not be used to carry out any of the above

activities which the school must be doing, or must agree to do. In

addition, a school will be required to continue to carry out all

described activities, and also the student/faculty recruitment and

retention activities, for as long as the SDS program is in operation at

the school.

Evaluation Criteria for Fiscal Year 1996

For FY 1996, applications from newly participating schools will be

evaluated on the degree to which the schools meet the statutory

requirements listed above. Guidance for presenting the information will

be provided in the FY 1996 application materials. Schools that received

funds for academic year 1995-96 will be funded based on the information

provided in last year's financial status report, and do not need to

reapply.

Student Eligibility: As required by statute, to qualify for the SDS

program, a student must:

(1) be a citizen, a U.S. national, an alien lawfully admitted for

permanent residency in the U.S., or a citizen of the Commonwealth of

the Northern Mariana Islands, a citizen of the Commonwealth of Puerto

Rico, a citizen of the Republic of Palau, or a citizen of the Republic

of the Marshall Islands or the Federated States of Micronesia;

(2) meet the definition of an ``individual from a disadvantaged

background'' as defined above; and

(3)(a) be enrolled in or accepted by an eligible school for

enrollment as a full-time student; or

(b) be an undergraduate student who has demonstrated a commitment

to pursuing a career in health professions, including nursing.

Statutory Preference

The law requires that in providing SDS scholarships, the school

give preference to students who are from disadvantaged backgrounds and

for whom the cost of attending an SDS school would constitute a severe

financial hardship. Severe financial hardship will be determined by the

school in accordance with standard need analysis procedures prescribed

by the Department of Education for its Federal student aid programs.

The following Criteria for Undergraduate Students, Definitions,

Methodology for Implementing the Statutory Special Consideration, the

Nonstatutory Special Consideration for Baccalaureate Nursing Programs,

and the Procedures for Calculating Scholarship Awards were established

in FY 1991 after public comment (at 57 FR 49779) on October 1, 1991,

and are being extended in FY 1996. The Funding Preference and Priority

were established in FY 1994 after public comment (at 59 FR 44740) on

August 30, 1994, and are being extended in FY 1996.

Criteria for Undergraduate Students

In the instance of (3)(b) above, it has been established that the

undergraduate students eligible for scholarships must be at feeder

schools and have signed statements that they are interested in health

professions or nursing careers.

Definitions

``Black'' means a person having origins in any of the black racial

groups of Africa.

``Hispanic'' means a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,

Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin,

regardless of race.

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``American Indian or Alaskan Native'' means a person having origins

in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains

cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community

recognition.

Definitions listed above are contained in Directive No. 15 of

Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-46, dated May 3, 1974.

``Native American'' as defined in Pub. L. 101-527, means American

Indian, Alaskan Native, Aleut, or Native Hawaiian.

``Minority'' with respect to faculty, refers to Blacks, Hispanics,

Native Americans, Filipinos, Koreans, Pacific Islanders, and Southeast

Asians whose percentage among the total supply of practitioners in the

applicable health profession is below that group's percentage in the

total population.

Methodology for Implementing the Statutory Special Consideration

In accordance with the statute, in making awards under section

737(a), the Secretary shall give special consideration to eligible

schools that have enrollments of underrepresented minorities above the

national average for its particular discipline.

For purposes of determining eligibility of a school, Asians will

not be included in the definition of underrepresented minorities for

the school. Although certain Asian subgroups (i.e, Filipinos, Koreans,

Pacific Islanders, and Southeast Asians) are considered to be

underrepresented in the health professions and are included as

minorities for purposes of program requirements relating to faculty

recruitment and retention (see above), national data on these subgroups

are not available as a basis for establishing national average

enrollment of underrepresented minorities.

For purposes of the FY 1996 award cycle, the national average

enrollments of Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans (in combination)

are: for medicine 14.4 percent; osteopathic medicine 7.8 percent;

nursing (RN only) 12.9 percent; dentistry 11.9 percent; pharmacy 11.6

percent; optometry 9.2 percent; podiatric medicine 10.4 percent;

veterinary medicine 5.6 percent; public health 15.9 percent; allied

health 17.3 percent; and clinical psychology 17 percent.

Nonstatutory Special Consideration for Baccalaureate Nursing Programs

Among schools of nursing, additional special consideration will be

given to baccalaureate programs. One of the distinguishing features of

baccalaureate education is the substantial focus on preparation for

community health practice. Training nurses for community health

practice is an integral component of the Department's access strategy.

It is not required that new applicants request consideration for a

funding factor. Applications from new schools which do not request

consideration for funding factors will be reviewed and given full

consideration for funding.

Procedures for Calculating Awards

Awards to eligible schools will be calculated by comparing the

enrollment of disadvantaged students in each eligible school with the

total enrollment of the disadvantaged students in all eligible schools.

A school with an enrollment of underrepresented minority students

which is above the national average (for each discipline) will be given

double credit (i.e., its enrollment of disadvantaged students would be

doubled for awarding purposes). A baccalaureate nursing school will be

given double credit. A baccalaureate nursing school with an

underrepresented minority enrollment above the national average will be

given quadruple credit (i.e., its enrollment of disadvantaged students

will be multiplied by four for awarding purposes).

Other Consideration

Other funding factors may be applied in determining the funding of

eligible schools.

A funding preference is defined as the funding of a specific

category or group of eligible schools ahead of other categories or

groups of eligible schools.

A funding priority is defined as the favorable adjustment of

aggregate review scores of individual approved applications when

applications meet specified criteria.

It is not required that new applicants request consideration for a

funding factor. Applications from new schools which do not request

consideration for funding factors will be reviewed and given full

consideration for funding.

Funding Preference and Priority

For fiscal year 1996, among allied health schools or programs,

preference will be given to the following baccalaureate and graduate

programs: dental hygiene, medical laboratory technology, occupational

therapy, physical therapy and radiologic technology. In addition,

priority among allied health applicants will be given to dental

hygiene. A priority for dental hygiene will be implemented by taking

the total funds allocated to the allied health disciplines in the

initial allocation and recalculating this part of the allocation.

Dental hygiene schools will receive double credit for their

disadvantaged enrollments in the reallocation of the allied health

funds.

National Health Objectives for the Year 2000

The Public Health Service 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 Scholarships

for Disadvantaged Students program is related to the priority area of

Educational and Community-Based Programs. 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).

Smoke-Free Workplace

The Public Health Service strongly encourages all award recipients

to provide a smoke-free workplace and 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.

Paperwork Reduction Act

The application form and instructions for this program have been

approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the

Paperwork Reduction Act. The OMB clearance number is 0915-0149.

Application Requests

Applications are not required from schools of medicine, osteopathic

medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, podiatric medicine,

veterinary medicine, nursing, public health, clinical psychology and

allied health which received SDS awards in FY 95. Upon request,

applications will be mailed to schools in the disciplines identified

above which did not participate in the SDS program in FY 95.

Requests for application materials and questions regarding business

management and program policy should be directed to: Office for Campus

Based Programs, Division of Student Assistance, Bureau of Health

Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn

[[Page 11423]]

Building, Room 8-34, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.

Telephone: (301) 443-4776; FAX: (301) 443-0846.

The application deadline date for new schools is April 19, 1996.

Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they are

either:

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

(2) Sent on or before the established deadline 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 the 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.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for the

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program is 93.925. 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 not subject to the Public Health System Reporting

Requirements.

Dated: March 14, 1996.

Ciro V. Sumaya,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 96-6666 Filed 3-19-96; 8:45 am]

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