Supporting Field Initiated Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evaluation

Federal RegisterMay 6, 1998

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary

Supporting Field Initiated Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evaluation

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation;

DHHS.

ACTION: Announcement of the availability of funds and request for

applications to enhance existing evaluations on teen pregnancy

prevention programs.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and

Evaluation (ASPE) announces that applications are being accepted for

funding to augment existing evaluations of teen pregnancy prevention

interventions that are rigorous in design and already have funding. The

primary goal of the proposed grants is to further the understanding of

teen pregnancy prevention interventions and the extent to which these

interventions meet their goal of reducing teenage pregnancies. Federal

funding under this announcement is intended to support evaluation

exclusively, not program operation or service provision. Projects

funded under this announcement are

[[Page 25050]]

intended to complement other aspects of the Department's National

Strategy to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

Organizations eligible to apply for this federal funding include

public entities; private for profit organizations (if fee is waived);

and public or private nonprofit organizations, including universities

that are either in the process of conducting a rigorous evaluation of a

teen pregnancy prevention program or that have completed an evaluation

of such program within the past three years and would be appropriate

for a follow-up.

It is anticipated that two to three grants totaling approximately

$300,000 will be awarded. Project duration is 12 months from date of

award.

Legislative Authority

This grant is authorized by section 1110 of the Social Security Act

(42 U.S.C).

CLOSING DATE: The closing date for submitting applications under this

announcement is July 6, 1998.

MAILING ADDRESS: Application instructions and forms should be requested

from and submitted to: Grants Officer, Office of the Assistant

Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human

Services, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 405F, Hubert H. Humphrey

Building, Washington, DC 20201, Phone (202) 690-8794. Copies of this

program announcement and many of the required forms may also be

obtained electronically at the ASPE World Wide Web Page http://

aspe.os.dhhs.gov. You may fax your request to (202) 690-6518 to the

attention of the Grants Officer. Application submissions may not be

faxed or sent electronically.

The printed Federal Register notice is the only official program

announcement. Although reasonable efforts are taken to assure that the

files on the ASPE World Wide Web Page containing electronic copies of

this Program Announcement are accurate and complete, they are provided

for information only. The applicant bears sole responsibility to assure

that the copy downloaded and/or printed from any other source is

accurate and complete. Requests for forms and questions (administrative

and technical) will be accepted and responded to up to 30 days prior to

closing date of receipt of applications.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Technical questions should be directed to

Barbara Broman DHHS, ASPE, Telephone, (202) 690-6461 or E-Mail,

[email protected]. Questions may also be faxed to (202) 690-5514.

Written technical questions should be addressed to Ms. Broman at the

following address: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and

Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence

Ave, SW, Room 450G, Washington, DC 20201.

Part I. Background

Although teen birth rates in the United States are declining, the

teen birth rate continues to range between two and seven times higher

than the teen birth rate in comparable Western industrialized nations.

However, before large scale pregnancy prevention initiatives can be

implemented, the current knowledge base on pregnancy prevention

programs must be expanded to delineate which strategies are the most

promising, which aspects of which programs demonstrate the strongest

impact, and which programs are successful in affecting behavior across

various communities and population characteristics, such as ethnicity

and socioeconomic status. This project is designed to augment existing

rigorous evaluations of teen pregnancy prevention interventions to

further the understanding of the extent to which these interventions

meet their goal of reducing teenage pregnancy.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act

of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-193) signed by President Clinton on August 22,

1996 called for additional efforts to prevent teenage pregnancies and

to assure that communities engage in local efforts to prevent teen

pregnancy. DHHS responded to this call from Congress and the President

by releasing the National Strategy to Prevent Teen Pregnancy in January

1997. The National Strategy builds on existing public and private-

sector efforts and on initiatives in the new welfare law by helping

provide the tools needed to develop more strategic and targeted

approaches to preventing teen pregnancies. The goals of the Strategy

include: Strengthening ongoing efforts across the nation through

increasing opportunities through welfare reform; supporting promising

approaches; building partnerships; improving data collection, research,

and evaluation; and disseminating information on innovative and

effective practices.

The Department supports a variety of programs to help communities

develop teen pregnancy prevention strategies. However, since the

multiple challenges adolescents face are often interrelated, programs

that emphasize other high-risk behaviors (e.g., alcohol and drug abuse,

school dropout) are also related to teen pregnancy prevention. Current

Department efforts include family planning grants, maternal and child

health programs, abstinence education, adolescent health programs,

runaway and homeless youth programs, and alcohol and drug abuse

prevention programs.

Department research, evaluation, and data activities in this area

are extensive. Agencies involved include the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention/National Center Health Statistics (NCHS),

National Institutes of Health /National Institute of Child Health and

Human Development (NICHD), and ASPE. Specifically, in 1995, ASPE funded

Child Trends, Inc. to do a comprehensive review of the most recent

literature on teen sexual behavior, pregnancy, and parenthood and the

effectiveness of teen pregnancy prevention programs (Beginning Too

Soon: Adolescent Sexual Behavior, Pregnancy and Parenthood). ASPE,

along with NICHD and NCHS, also prepared the September 1995 Report to

Congress on Out-of-Wedlock Childbearing requested by Senator Moynihan.

The report includes the current status and trends in nonmarital

childbearing and presents a series of supplemental papers from experts

from various social science disciplines. DHHS' statistical and

surveillance activities provide much needed data that support research

throughout the country. However, there is still a great need to know

more about which programs focused on preventing teen pregnancy change

sexual behavior and what makes them achieve their program goals.

Numerous programs have been implemented, ranging from abstinence

education to comprehensive, multi-faceted interventions that offer

education, counseling, and a variety of support services. As documented

in the Child Trends report referenced above, several broad conclusions

can be drawn about the current state of the field of pregnancy

prevention programs. First, interventions have generally not been

informed by basic research studies or by theory, and this accounts for

the incomplete state of the current knowledge regarding the success of

interventions intended to affect adolescent sexual behavior and

pregnancy. Second, most of the evaluations that have been conducted

have been lacking in methodological and statistical rigor. Douglas

Kirby's 1997 report No Easy Answers, prepared for the National Campaign

to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, also concludes there is a need to continue

to explore, develop and rigorously evaluate promising

[[Page 25051]]

approaches. This announcement looks to build on current evaluation

studies, such as those included in the reports noted above, that are

based on theory and existing research, using rigorous methods.

Part II--Purpose and Project Design

A. Purpose

The primary purpose of this announcement is to enhance existing

teen pregnancy prevention program evaluations. As part of the DHHS'

National Strategy to Prevent Teen Pregnancy we strive to better

understand the effects of these programs by providing additional

support to evaluations already in place. We are primarily interested in

supporting enhancements to existing evaluations (e.g., follow-up to

completed studies or nearly completed studies or enhanced data

analysis). We do not expect to provide full funding for any study.

B. Project Design

Funding under this announcement is expected to be used to support

existing rigorous evaluations of teen pregnancy prevention

interventions. Given that we know there is no ``magic bullet'' in

preventing teen pregnancy, ASPE does not prescribe specific types of

interventions for evaluation, but rather invites varied approaches to

advance understanding of teen pregnancy prevention efforts. While the

methods for evaluations may differ, projects must be well designed and

the methods must be adequate and appropriate to address the questions

identified.

As discussed below in the Evaluation Criteria section, applicants

must demonstrate prior experience in conducting evaluations of the

scope, scale and topic area proposed. In making funding decisions, ASPE

will consider an applicant organization's experience and the

qualifications of researchers and staff.

There is a wide range of teen pregnancy prevention programs aimed

at delaying the initiation of sexual activity, improving contraceptive

use among sexually active adolescents, and preventing subsequent births

among adolescent parents. Programs targeting each of these issues range

from traditional sex education programs and interventions designed to

improve an adolescent's decisionmaking and interpersonal skills, to

contraceptive services programs designed to meet needs of young

clients, to multi-faceted initiatives targeting a wide range of

adolescent needs. Regardless of the type of approach, ASPE is

interested in two main questions: First, have the targeted behaviors

changed during the time period under study for the population targeted?

Second, are there other possible causes for the behavior changes, if

any are noted?

ASPE also seeks evidence as to which aspects of which programs

demonstrate the strongest impact, and which programs are successful in

affecting behavior across various populations that are diverse with

respect to ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

As indicated above, we expect to provide funding to augment

existing evaluations which already examine a specific type of teen

pregnancy prevention intervention. However, ASPE does not intend to

fund evaluations of abstinence-only programs under this announcement,

given that a competitive contract award will be made to conduct an

intensive rigorous evaluation of a selected number of abstinence-only

programs funded under Section 510 of the Maternal and Child Health

Block Grant. We are seeking to enhance evaluations of other programs

including for example: curriculum-based sex education, school-based

health centers, multi-component or youth development programs. These

approaches are meant for illustrative purposes and to demonstrate our

desire for additional evaluation information on a wide variety of teen

pregnancy interventions.

Grantees must deliver a final report to ASPE at the completion of

the project that can be disseminated by ASPE or its designee(s). The

report must be reviewed for quality of content, formatting, and

readability. The report, at a minimum, should contain a table of

contents, executive summary, and full report.

In addition to the printed copies required under this grant, the

contents of all reports must be delivered in a digital form that is

reproducible on personal computers and office printers.

Electronic copy shall be delivered on 3\1/2\'' disks formatted in

the DOS (FAT) format.

Text shall be entered and formatted in any of the commonly

available commercial word processing programs marketed by the

IBM, Corel, or Microsoft

Corporations. Lengthy documents should be organized into chapters and a

separate file should be provided for each chapter. The title page,

table of contents, and other front matter shall be in a separate file.

Tables of data shall be delivered in a commonly available

commercial spreadsheet program marketed by the IBM,

Corel, or Microsoft Corporations. Each table

shall be delivered as a separate file on the disk and not embedded in

the word processing file even though tables may have been merged with

the text to form a single file for printing purposes. File names should

contain consecutive numbers that correspond to the numerical labels

used in the printed version. For example, Chapter 4, Table 7 could be

designated C4T7.tbl.

Graphic figures such as bar and line charts, diagrams, and other

drawings shall be delivered in the Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) or

the JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format. Even though the

graphical elements may have been merged with the text to form a single

file for printing purposes, each graphical image shall be delivered as

a separate file on the disk and must not be embedded in a word

processing, spreadsheet, slide show or other composite file.

Documents that have been designed to include visually complex

elements, two or more colors, specialized drawings, photographic

images, or other artwork, or which have been specially prepared for

offset printing, shall be delivered in electronic form as one or more

Postscript files. All the files necessary for reproduction

shall be provided including templates, indices, etc.

C. Eligible Applicants and Funding

ASPE anticipates providing up to a total of $300,000 for two to

three approved projects in FY 98, subject to the availability of funds.

All grants will be awarded by September 30, 1998. We expect to make

one-time awards for projects. There are currently no budgeted future

year costs to this initiative, though if funding becomes available in

FY 1998 or FY 1999 additional grants could be funded or some of this

year's grants could be extended to allow additional analysis.

Applications may be submitted by for-profit and non-profit

organizations, public and private, such as universities, colleges,

hospitals, laboratories, units of State and local governments, health

boards, public health departments, volunteer organizations or clinics

that are either in the process of conducting an evaluation of a teen

pregnancy prevention intervention or that have completed an evaluation

of such program within the past three years and would be appropriate

for follow-up. However, to reach scientifically valid conclusions about

effectiveness, evaluations most appropriate for this funding should

include the following criteria: (1) A sufficiently large sample size,

(2) long-term follow-up, (3) measures of behavior rather than just

attitudes and beliefs, (4) a comparison or control group (5) proper

statistical

[[Page 25052]]

analyses, and 6) independent evaluators. Applicant should explain

further in narrative if any of these criteria are not met.

ASPE does not expect to fully fund a new evaluation. To maximize

the benefit of the Federal investment to advance knowledge about teen

pregnancy prevention, applicants must provide evidence of other sources

of funding for the project (e.g, applicant resources or private

foundation funding). The applicant should provide budget statements

from previous awards that contribute to the completion of the

evaluation. The applicant should describe the level, sources and

duration of non-Federal funds or resources committed to the project,

and should clearly state how ASPE funds will be used to enhance the

evaluation.

Part III. Application Preparation and Evaluation Criteria

This section contains information on the preparation of

applications for submission under this announcement, on the forms

necessary for submission, and on the evaluation criteria under which

the applications will be reviewed. Potential applicants should read

this section carefully in conjunction with information provided above.

The application must contain the required federal forms, title page,

table of contents, and the sections listed below. All pages of the

narrative should be numbered. The application should include the

following elements:

1. Abstract: A one page summary of the proposed project.

2. Goals and objectives of the project: An overview that describes

(1) specific research questions to be investigated, (2) the project and

methods to be employed, and (3) knowledge and information to be gained

from the project by the applicant, the government, and the research

community.

3. Methodology and Design: Provide a description and justification

of how the proposed evaluation enhancement will be implemented,

including methodologies, chosen approach, data, and proposed evaluation

and analytic plans including a description of the overall project and

how the enhancement relates to the overall project. Address the ability

to generalize the findings from this study to the national problem.

Identify theoretical or empirical basis for the methodology and

approach proposed. Specify how the study will protect the

confidentiality of subjects and the information they provide. Describe

how the project will address potential difficulties in studying the

youth population such as recruitment and retention as well as language

and cultural differences, if applicable. Indicate the types of

assurances that are provided regarding protection of human subjects, in

areas like confidentiality, informed consent, etc.

4. Experience, capacity, qualifications, and use of staff: Briefly

describe the applicant's organizational capabilities and experience in

conducting pertinent evaluation projects. Identify key staff who are

expected to carry out the proposed evaluation enhancement and provide a

curriculum vita for each person. Provide a discussion of which key

staff are already involved in the existing evaluation project and a

detailed description of additional responsibilities of that staff for

the enhancement or additional staff, if applicable. If the applicant

plans to contract for outside staff for this project, the relationship

and commitment of these people to the applicant organization should be

demonstrated. Applicants should demonstrate access to computer hardware

and software for storing and analyzing their data necessary to complete

this project.

5. Work plan: A work plan should be included which describes the

start and end dates of the overall project and the proposed

enhancement, the responsibilities of each of the key staff, and a time

line which indicates the sequence of tasks necessary for the completion

of the overall evaluation and the proposed enhancement. It should

identify other time commitments of key staff members such as other

projects and/or teaching or managerial responsibilities. The work plan

should include a discussion of plans for dissemination of the results

of the study including the findings from the enhancement, e.g.,

articles in journals and presentations at conferences.

6. Budget: Applicants must submit a request for federal funds using

Standard Form 424A and include a detailed breakdown of Federal line

items. A narrative explanation of the budget should be included which

explains fund usage in more detail. The applicant should clearly state

how the funds associated with this announcement will be used and

describe how these funds will be used for purposes that would not

otherwise be incorporated within the project. The applicant should

document equipment purchase, if applicable. The applicant should also

document the level of funding from other sources and how these funds

have been or will be utilized. The applicant should provide budget

statements from previous

award/s that contribute to the completion of the evaluation.

Review Process and Funding Information

A independent review panel will review and score all applications

that are submitted by the deadline date and which meet the screening

criteria (all information and documents as required by this

Announcement.) The panel will review the application using the

evaluation criteria listed below to score each application. These

review results will be the primary element used by the Assistant

Secretary in making funding decisions. The Department reserves the

option to discuss applications with other Federal or State staff,

specialists, experts and the general public. Comments from these

sources, along with those of the reviewers, will be kept from

inappropriate disclosure and may be considered in making an award

decision

State Single Point of Contact (E.O. 12372)

DHHS has determined that this program is not subject to Executive

Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' because

it is a program that is national in scope and does not directly affect

State and local governments. Applicants are not required to seek

intergovernmental review of their applications within the constraints

of E.O. 12372.

Deadline for Submission of Applications

The closing date for submission of applications under this

announcement is July 6, 1998. Applications must be postmarked or hand

delivered to the application receipt point no later than 5 p.m. on July

6, 1998. Hand-delivered applications will be accepted Monday through

Friday, excluding federal holidays, prior to and on July 6, 1998,

during the working hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the lobby of the Hubert

H. Humphrey building located at 200 Independence Avenue, SW. in

Washington, DC. When hand-delivering an application, call (202) 690-

8794 from the lobby for pick up. A staff person will be available to

receive applications.

An application will be considered as meeting the deadline if it is

either: (1) Received at, or hand-delivered to, the mailing address on

or before July 6, 1998, or (2) postmarked before midnight of the

deadline date, July 6, 1998 and received in time to be considered

during the competitive review process.

When mailing applications, applicants are strongly advised to

obtain a legibly dated receipt from a

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commercial carrier (such as UPS, Federal Express, etc.) or from the

U.S. Postal Service as proof of mailing by the deadline date

(Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not

always deliver as agreed). If there is a question as to when an

application was mailed, applicants will be asked to provide proof of

mailing by the deadline date. When proof is not provided, an

application will not be considered for funding. Private metered

postmarks are not acceptable as proof of timely mailing.

A. Late Applications

Applications which do not meet the July 6, 1998 deadline are

considered late applications and will not be considered or reviewed in

the current competition. DHHS will send a letter to this effect to each

late applicant.

B. Extension of Deadlines

DHHS reserves the right to extend the deadline for all proposals

due to acts of God, such as floods, hurricanes, or earthquakes; or if

there is a widespread disruption of the mail; or if DHHS determines a

deadline extension to be in the best interest of the government.

However, DHHS will not waive or extend the deadline for any applicant

unless the deadline is waived or extended for all applicants.

C. Initial Screening

Applications will be initially screened for compliance with the

timeliness, completeness, and cost-sharing requirements. If judged in

compliance, the application then will be reviewed by government

personnel, augmented by outside experts where appropriate.

Mailing Address and Application Forms

Application instructions and forms should be requested from and

submitted to: Grants Officer, Office of the Assistant Secretary for

Planning and Evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services, 200

Independence Avenue, SW., Room 405F, Hubert H. Humphrey Building,

Washington, DC 20201, Phone (202) 690-8794. Copies of this program

announcement and many of the required forms may also be obtained

electronically at the ASPE World Wide Web Page http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov.

You may fax your request to (202) 690-6518 to the attention of the

Grants Officer. Application submissions may not be faxed or sent

electronically.