[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 4 (Thursday, January 6, 1994)]
[Notices]
[Pages 769-771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-179]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: January 6, 1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Program Announcement and Proposed Minimum Percentages for ``High
Rate'' and ``Significant Increase in the Rate'' for Implementation of
the General Statutory Funding Preference for Grants for Nurse
Anesthetist Education Programs for Fiscal Year 1994
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces
that applications will be accepted for fiscal year (FY) 1994 Grants for
Nurse Anesthetist Education Programs under the authority of section
831(a), title VIII of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by the
Nurse Education and Practice Improvement Amendments of 1992, title II
of the Health Professions Education Extension Amendments of 1992,
Public Law 102-408, dated October 13, 1992. Comments are invited on the
proposed minimum percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant
increase in the rate'' for implementation of the general statutory
funding preference.
Approximately $1,791,000 will be available in FY 1994 for this
program. Total continuation support recommended is $1,316,000. It is
anticipated that approximately $475,000 will be available to support 5
competing awards averaging $95,000.
Previous Funding Experience
Previous funding experience information is provided to assist
potential applicants to make better informed decisions regarding
submission of an application for this program. In FY 1993, HRSA
reviewed 16 eligible applications for Grants for Nurse Anesthetist
Education Programs. Of those applications, 88 percent were approved and
12 percent were disapproved. Eight projects or 57 percent of the
competing applications approved, were funded. In FY 1992, HRSA reviewed
3 applications for Grants for Nurse Anesthetist Education Programs. Of
those applications, 67 percent were approved and 33 percent were
disapproved. Two projects, or 67 percent of the applications received,
were funded.
Purpose
Section 831(a) of the Public Health Service Act authorizes the
Secretary to make grants to cover the costs of projects to develop and
operate programs for the education of nurse anesthetists. The period of
Federal support may not exceed 3 years.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants for Grants for Nurse Anesthetist Education
Programs are public or private nonprofit institutions, accredited by an
entity or entities designated by the Secretary of Education. Grants may
be awarded to develop and operate a new nurse anesthetist program.
Grants may also be awarded to maintain or expand an existing program.
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.
Review Criteria
The review of applications will take into consideration the
following criteria:
1. The national or special local need which the particular project
proposes to serve with special emphasis on meeting shortages in
underserved areas;
2. The potential effectiveness and impact of the proposed project
including its potential contribution to nursing;
3. The administrative and managerial capability of the applicant to
carry out the proposed project;
4. The appropriateness of the plan, including the timetable for
carrying out the activities of the proposed project and achieving and
measuring the project's stated objectives;
5. The capability of the applicant to carry out the proposed
project;
6. The reasonableness of the budget for the proposed project,
including the justification of the grant funds requested; and
7. The potential of the nurse anesthetist program to continue on a
self-sustaining basis after the period of grant support.
Other Considerations
In addition, the following funding factors may be applied in
determining funding of approved applications.
A funding preference is defined as the funding of a specific
category or group of approved applications ahead of other categories or
groups of approved applications.
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 applicants request consideration for a
funding factor. Applications which do not request consideration for
funding factors will be reviewed and given full consideration for
funding.
Statutory Funding Preference
In making awards of grants under this section, preference will be
given to any qualified applicant that--(A) has a high rate for placing
graduates in practice settings having the principal focus of serving
residents of medically underserved communities; or (B) during the 2-
year period preceding the fiscal year for which such an award is
sought, has achieved a significant increase in the rate of placing
graduates in such settings. Preference will be given only for
applications ranked above the 20th percentile of applications that have
been recommended for approval by the appropriate peer review group.
Proposed Minimum Percentages for ``High Rate'' and ``Significant
Increase in the Rate''
``High rate'' is defined as a minimum of 20 percent of graduates in
academic years 1990-91, 1991-92 or 1992-93 who spend at least 50
percent of their worktime in clinical practice in the specified
settings. Graduates who are providing care in a medically underserved
community as a part of a fellowship or other educational experience can
be counted.
``Significant increase in the rate'' means that, between academic
years 1991-92 and 1992-93, the rate of placing graduates in the
specified settings has increased by a minimum of 50 percent and that
not less than 15 percent of graduates from the most recent year are
working in these settings.
Additional information concerning the implementation of this
preference has been published in the Federal Register at 58 FR 40659,
July 29, 1993.
Established Funding Priority
The following funding priority was established in FY 1993 following
public comment (58 FR 40657, July 29, 1993) and the Administration is
extending this funding priority in FY 1994. A funding priority will be
given to programs which demonstrate either substantial progress over
the last 3 years or a significant experience of 10 or more years in
enrolling and graduating students from those minority populations
identified as at-risk of poor health outcomes.
Information Requirements Provision
Under section 860(e)(2) of the Act, the Secretary may make an award
under the Grants for Nurse Anesthetist Education Programs only if the
applicant for the award submits to the Secretary the following
information:
1. A description of rotations of preceptorships for students, or
clinical training programs for residents, that have the principal focus
of providing health care to medically underserved communities.
2. The number of faculty on admissions committees who have a
clinical practice in community-based ambulatory settings in medically
underserved communities.
3. With respect to individuals who are from disadvantaged
backgrounds or from medically underserved communities, the number of
such individuals who are recruited for academic programs of the
applicant, the number of such individuals who are admitted to such
programs, and the number of such individuals who graduate from such
programs.
4. If applicable, the number of recent graduates who have chosen
careers in primary health care.
5. The number of recent graduates whose practices are serving
medically underserved communities.
6. A description of whether and to what extent the applicant is
able to operate without Federal assistance under this title.
Additional details concerning the implementation of this information
requirement have been published in the Federal Register at 58 FR 43642,
August 17, 1993 and will be provided in the application materials.
Paperwork Reduction Act
The standard application form PHS 6025-1, HRSA Competing Training
Grant Application, General Instructions and supplement for this program
have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under the
Paperwork Reduction Act. This approval includes the burden for
collection of information for the statutory general preference and for
the information requirement provision. (OMB #0915-0060, expiration date
July 31, 1995)
Additional Information
Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed minimum
percentages for ``high rate'' and ``significant increase in the rate''
for implementation of the general statutory funding preference. The
comment period is 30 days. All comments received on or before February
7, 1994 will be considered before the final minimum percentages for
``high rate'' and ``significant increase in the rate'' for
implementation of the general statutory funding preference are
established. Written comments should be addressed to: Marla Salmon,
ScD, RN, FAAN, Director, Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health
Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn
Building, room 9-35, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.
All comments received will be available for public inspection and
copying at the Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Professions, at
the above address, weekdays (Federal holidays excepted) between the
hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Application Requests
Requests for application materials and questions regarding grants
policy and business management issues should be directed to: Jacquelyn
Whitaker (A-22), Grants Management Specialist, Bureau of Health
Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn
Building, room 8C-26, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857,
Telephone: (301) 443-6857, FAX: (301) 443-6343.
Completed applications should be returned to the Grants Management
Branch at the above address.
If additional programmatic information is needed, please contact:
Mary S. Hill, R.N., Ph.D., Chief, Nursing Education Practice Resources
Branch, Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Professions, Health
Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn Building, room 9-35,
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 443-
6193, FAX: (301) 443-8586.
The deadline date for receipt of applications is March 15, 1994.
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.
This program, Grants for Nurse Anesthetist Education Programs, is
listed at 93.916 in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. It 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: December 6, 1993.
William A. Robinson,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-179 Filed 1-5-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P
