[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 210 (Tuesday, November 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26997]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: November 1, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
RIN 0905-ZA80
Program Announcement and Proposed Funding Preference for Centers
of Excellence in Minority Health Professions Education--Fiscal Year
1995
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announces
that applications for fiscal year (FY) 1995 for Grants for Centers of
Excellence (COE) in Minority Health Professions Education will be
accepted under the authority of section 739, title VII of the Public
Health Service Act (the Act), as amended by the Health Professions
Education Extension Amendments of 1992, Pub. L. 102-408, dated October
13, 1992. Comments are invited on the proposed funding preference
stated below.
Approximately $23,481,000 will be available in FY 1995 for this
program. The statute requires that, of the amount appropriated for any
fiscal year, the first $12 million will be allocated to certain
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) described in
section 799(1)(A) of the Act and which received a contract under
section 788B of the Act (Advanced Financial Distress Assistance) for
fiscal year 1987. Of the remaining balance, sixty (60) percent must be
allocated to Hispanic and Native American Centers of Excellence, and
forty (40) percent must be allocated to the ``Other'' Centers of
Excellence. After supporting 25 noncompeting continuation projects
approved in prior years, the remaining funds could support only one
competing award. A grant made for a fiscal year may not be made in an
amount that is less than $500,000 for each Center.
Purposes
Grants for eligible Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs), Hispanic, Native American and Other Centers of Excellence must
be used by the schools for the following purposes:
1. To establish, strengthen, or expand programs to enhance the
academic performance of minority students attending the school;
2. To establish, strengthen, or expand programs to increase the
number and quality of minority applicants to the school;
3. To improve the capacity of such school to train, recruit, and
retain minority faculty;
4. With respect to minority health issues, to carry out activities
to improve the information resources and curricula of the school and
clinical education at the school; and
5. To facilitate faculty and student research on health issues
particularly affecting minority groups.
Applicants must address the five legislative purposes.
In addition, grants for eligible HBCUs as described in section
799(1)(A) and which have received a contract under section 788B of the
Act (Advanced Financial Distress Assistance) for FY 1987 may also be
used to develop a plan to achieve institutional improvements, including
financial independence, to enable the school to support programs of
excellence in health professions education for minority individuals,
and to provide improved access to the library and informational
resources of the school.
Other Requirements
For Hispanic Centers of Excellence, the health professions schools
must agree to give priority to carrying out the duties with respect to
Hispanic individuals.
Regarding Native American Centers of Excellence, the health
professions school must agree to:
1. Give priority to carrying out the duties with respect to Native
Americans;
2. Establish a linkage with one or more public or nonprofit private
institutions of higher education whose enrollment of students has
traditionally included a significant number of Native Americans for
purposes of identifying potential Native American health professions
students of the institution who are interested in a health professions
career and facilitating their educational preparation for entry into
the health professions school; and
3. Make efforts to recruit Native American students, including
those who have participated in the undergraduate program of the linkage
school, and assist them in completing the educational requirements for
a degree from the health professions school.
With respect to meeting these requirements, a grant for a Native
American Center of Excellence may be made not only to a school of
medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy that
individually meets eligibility conditions but also to such school that
has formed a consortium of schools that collectively meet conditions,
without regard to whether the schools of the consortium individually
meet the conditions. The consortium would be required to consist of the
school seeking the grant and one or more schools of medicine,
osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, allied health, or
public health. The schools of the consortium must have entered into an
agreement for the allocation of the grant among the schools. Each of
the schools must have agreed to expend the grant in accordance with
requirements of this program. Each of the schools of the consortium
must be part of the same institution of higher education as the school
seeking the grant or be located not farther than 50 miles from the
school.
To qualify as an Other Minority Health Professions Education Center
of Excellence, a health professions school (i.e., a school of medicine,
osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy) must have an enrollment
of underrepresented minorities above the national average for such
enrollments of health professions schools.
Eligibility
Section 739 authorizes the Secretary to make grants to schools of
medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry and pharmacy for the purpose
of assisting the schools in supporting programs of excellence in health
professions education for Black, Hispanic and Native American
individuals, as well as for HBCUs as described in section 799(1)(A) and
which have received a contract under section 788B of the Act (Advanced
Financial Distress Assistance) for FY 1987.
To qualify as a COE, a school is required to:
1. Have a significant number of minority individuals enrolled in
the school, including individuals accepted for enrollment in the
school;
2. Demonstrate that it has been effective in assisting minority
students of the school to complete the program of education and receive
the degree involved;
3. Show that it has been effective in recruiting minority
individuals to attend the school, including providing scholarships and
other financial assistance to such individuals, and encouraging
minority students of secondary educational institutions to attend the
health professions school; and
4. Demonstrate that it has made significant recruitment efforts to
increase the number of minority individuals serving in faculty or
administrative positions at the school.
These entities must be located in any of the several states, the
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American
Samoa, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and
the Federated States of Micronesia.
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 fiscal year 1994, 25
awards were made, including four (4) competing renewals to Historically
Black Colleges and Universities.
Period of Support
Payments under grants for Centers of Excellence may not exceed 3
years, subject to annual approval by the Secretary, the availability of
appropriations, acceptable progress toward meeting originally stated
objectives and negotiation of a detailed budget justification.
National Health Objectives for the Year 2000
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
Centers of Excellence 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. 017-001-473-
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 promote the non-use of all
tobacco products. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect
and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.
Review Criteria
The review of applications will take into consideration the
following criteria:
1. The degree to which the applicant can arrange to continue the
proposed project beyond the federally-funded project period;
2. The degree to which the proposed project meets the purposes
described in the legislation;
3. The relationship of the objectives of the proposed project to
the goals of the plan that will be developed;
4. The administrative and managerial ability of the applicant to
carry out the project in a cost effective manner;
5. The adequacy of the staff and faculty to carry out the program;
6. The soundness of the budget for assuring effective utilization
of grant funds, and the proportion of total program funds which come
from non-Federal sources and the degree to which they are projected to
increase over the grant period;
7. The number of individuals who can be expected to benefit from
the project; and
8. The overall impact the project will have on strengthening the
school's capacity to train the targeted minority health professionals
and increase the supply of minority health professionals available to
serve minority populations in underserved areas.
Other Considerations
In addition, the following funding factor may be applied in
determining the funding of approved applications:
A funding preference is defined as the funding of a specific
category or group of applications ahead of other categories or groups
of approved applications.
It is not required that applicants request consideration for a
funding factor. Applications which do not request consideration for a
funding factor will be reviewed and given full consideration for
funding.
Proposed Funding Preference
The following funding preference is proposed for FY 1995:
A funding preference will be given to competing continuation
(renewal) applications for Centers of Excellence programs whose current
project periods end in fiscal year 1995. The purpose of this preference
is to maximize Federal and non-Federal investments in accomplishing the
nature and scope of the legislative purposes of the Centers of
Excellence Program. To realize the intended impact of the COE program
more than one grant period is required. This funding preference is
intended to direct assistance to quality COE programs that have
documented sustained or increased accomplishments under this program.
Additional Information
Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed funding
preference. The comment period is 30 days. All comments received on or
before November 1, 1994 will be considered before the final funding
preference is established.
Written comments should be addressed to: Clay E. Simpson, Jr.,
Ph.D., 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 holidays excepted)
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Statutory Definitions
``Health professions schools'' mean schools of medicine,
osteopathic medicine, dentistry and pharmacy, as defined in section
739(h) which are accredited as defined in section 799(1)(E) of the Act.
For purposes of the HBCUs, this definition means those schools
described in section 799(1)(A) of the Act and which have received a
contract under section 788B of the Act (Advanced Financial Distress
Assistance) for fiscal year 1987.
``Native Americans'' means American Indians, Alaskan Natives,
Aleuts, and Native Hawaiians.
``Program of Excellence'' means any programs carried out by a
health professions school with funding under section 739 Grants for
Centers of Excellence in Minority Health Professions Education.
Other Definitions
The following definitions established in fiscal year 1991 after
public comment, 56 FR 22440, dated May 15, 1991, are being continued in
fiscal year 1995. Osteopathic medicine was added by Pub. Law 102-408.
``A significant number of minority individuals enrolled in the
school'' means that to be eligible to apply for a Hispanic COE, a
medical, osteopathic medicine, or dental school must have at least 25
enrolled Hispanic students. Schools of pharmacy must have at least 20
enrolled Hispanic students. To apply as a Native American COE, an
eligible medical or dental school must have at least eight enrolled
Native American students and a school of pharmacy or osteopathic
medicine must have at least five enrolled Native American students. To
be eligible to apply for an Other Minority Health Professions Education
COE, an eligible school must have above the national average of
underrepresented minorities (medicine l5%, osteopathic medicine 8%,
dentistry 15%, pharmacy 11%) enrolled in the school. These numbers
represent the critical mass necessary for a viable program. A viable
program is one in which there is a sufficient number of students to
warrant a Center of Excellence level educational program. Data from
relevant professional associations include sharp differentiation in
target group numbers among schools. Stated numerical levels are just
above the median for schools reporting a critical mass necessary for a
viable program. The requirement that schools applying for Other
Minority Health Professions Education Centers have an enrollment of
underrepresented students that is above the national average for that
discipline is statutory.
``Effectiveness in Providing Financial Assistance'' will be
evaluated by examining the data on scholarships and other financial aid
provided to the targeted group in relation to the scholarships and
financial aid provided to the total school population.
``Effectiveness in Recruitment'' will be evaluated by examining the
first-year and total enrollments of targeted students in relation to
the first-year and total enrollments for the entire school.
``Effectiveness in Retaining Students'' will be determined by
retention rates for the targeted group and academic and non-academic
support systems operative for the target group of students at the
school.
``Hispanic'' means a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,
Central or South American, or other Spanish origin.
``Minority'' means an individual whose race/ethnicity is classified
as American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, Black,
or Hispanic.
``Underrepresented Minority'' means, with respect to a health
profession, racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in
the health profession relative to the number of individuals who are
members of the population involved. This definition encompasses Blacks,
Hispanics, Native Americans, and, potentially, various subpopulations
of Asian individuals. Applicants must evidence that any particular
subgroup of Asian individuals is underrepresented in a specific
discipline.
Maintenance of Effort
A health professions school receiving a grant will be required to
maintain expenditures of non-Federal amounts for such activities at a
level that is not less than the level of such expenditures maintained
by the school for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which
the school receives such a grant. In addition, the school agrees that
before expending grant funds, the school will expend amounts obtained
from sources other than the grant.
Application Requests
Requests for grant application materials and questions regarding
grants policy and business management issues should be directed to: Ms.
Diane Murray (D-34), 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.
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 (OMB) under
the Paperwork Reduction Act. The OMB clearance number is 0915-0060.
The application deadline date is February 3, 1995. Applications
shall be considered to be ``on time'' if they are either:
(1) Received on or before the established deadline date, or
(2) Postmarked 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.
Each applicant is responsible for the completeness of its
application, which will be reviewed as submitted.
To obtain specific information regarding the aspects of this grant
program, direct inquiries to: A. Roland Garcia, Ph.D., Chief, Centers
of Excellence Section, Program Coordination Branch, Division of
Disadvantaged Assistance, Bureau of Health Professions, HRSA, Parklawn
Building, Room 8A-09, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857,
Telephone: (301) 443-4493, FAX: (301) 443-5242.
This program is listed at 93.157 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: September 28, 1994.
Ciro V. Sumaya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-26997 Filed 10-31-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P
