[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 23, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-6692]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: March 23, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
[PN 2202]
RIN 0905-ZA14
Healthy Start Initiative--Special Project Grants
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), PHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.
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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
announces the availability of fiscal year 1994 funds for an open
competition for Healthy Start Initiative--Special Projects grants (HSI-
SP). The purpose of the HSI-SP is to expand the Healthy Start
Initiative to include community-based programs that will significantly
reduce infant mortality through the development and implementation of
special targeted interventions. Competition is open to rural and urban
community-based programs that are developing and implementing
innovative strategies for the purpose of reducing infant mortality.
Awards will be made by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau under the
program authority of Section 301 of the Public Health Service Act.
Funds for the HSI-SP Grants were appropriated under Public Law 103-112.
Up to $4,000,000 is available for four projects at up to $1,000,000 per
year, renewable for a second year, subject to funds availability.
The 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 HSI-SP grant program will
directly address the Healthy People 2000 objectives related to maternal
and infant health, and especially health status objective 14.1, to
reduce the infant mortality rate to no more than 7 per 1000 live
births. 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).
ADDRESSES: Grant applications (Revised PHS form 5161-1, approved under
OMB clearance number 0937-0189) and guidance for applicants must be
obtained from, and applications submitted to: Grants Management Branch,
Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA, room 18-12, Parklawn Building,
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, telephone 301 443-1440.
DATES: The application deadline date is May 23, 1994. Applications will
be considered to be on time 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 Thurma McCann, M.D., M.P.H.,
Director, Division of Healthy Start, Maternal and Child Health Bureau,
HRSA, 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 200, Rockville, Maryland 20852,
telephone 301 443-0543. Requests for information concerning
administration and business management issues should be directed to
Jeanne Conley, Grants Management Specialist, at the address listed in
the ADDRESS section above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Program Background and Objectives
The specific goal of the Healthy Start Initiative--Special Projects
is to significantly reduce in two years high infant mortality rates in
rural or urban designated project areas through accelerated
implemention of innovative strategies. Therefore, it is expected that
the programs will incorporate the principles of innovation, community
commitment, and personal responsibility and, in doing so, improve
access to care. To accomplish this goal, prospective applicants must
have an established consortium which has a minimum of two years
experience with planning and implementation of infant mortality
strategies, including an extensive public information campaign. In
addition, applicants must have the capacity and willingness to develop
a management information system to track project interventions and to
participate in an extensive national evaluation with currently funded
Healthy Start projects.
Finally, Federal Healthy Start Initiative--Special Projects grant
funds may only be used to supplement, and not to supplant or replace,
either existing State or local funds, or State or local funds that
would otherwise be made available to the project.
Eligible Project Areas
Areas targeted under the Healthy Start Initiative--Special Projects
are those in which infant mortality problems are most severe, resources
can be concentrated, implementation is manageable, and progress can be
measured. A project area is defined as one which is composed of one or
more contiguous geographic areas or neighborhoods for which
improvements have been planned and are being implemented with the
principles of: Innovation, community commitment and involvement,
increased access, service integration, and personal responsibility.
Project areas must represent a reasonable and logical catchment area in
which a consortium for delivering services is already operational, and
for which infant mortality reduction strategies are already designed.
To be eligible for funding under the HSI-SP, a project area must
have at least 50 but no more than 200 infant deaths per year, and must
have an average infant mortality rate of at least 14.5 deaths per 1000
live births, from vital statistics data, for the 3-year period 1988-
1990. The minimum of fifty infant deaths per year is meant to assure
selection of communities with a sufficient magnitude of the problem to
justify concentrating resources to reduce infant mortality. The upper
limit of 200 infant deaths per year is meant to assure projects of a
manageable size. The eligibility thresholds are identical for urban and
rural areas.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are public or nonprofit private organizations,
and tribal organizations, applying on behalf of an existing community-
based consortium. Applications must be approved by the chief elected
official of the city or county in which the project area is located
(or, if there is more than one such entity, the chief elected officials
acting in concert), or by the tribal leadership of the tribe or tribal
organization which has jurisdiction over the project area. No more than
one application may be made for a given project area.
The 15 entities that are currently receiving Healthy Start
Initiative funds are not eligible for Special Project grants.
Review Criteria
Applications for grants will be reviewed and evaluated according to
the following criteria:
1. Existence of an operational consortium that includes appropriate
representation of project area providers and consumers.
2. The effectiveness of the consortium's activities over the
previous two years, as demonstrated by implemented strategies to reduce
infant mortality.
3. The extent to which the applicant's proposed activities appear
feasible and likely to achieve the project's goals and objectives
within the two year project period.
4. Demonstrated ability to maximize and coordinate existing
resources and acquire additional resources.
5. Substantial involvement of the State and local Maternal and
Child Health and other agencies.
6. Demonstrated ability to effectively manage the project's fiscal
resources.
7. Demonstrated leadership capability in achieving project goals
and objectives in the last two years.
8. Reasonableness of the proposed budget.
9. Other factors which the Secretary determines will increase the
potential of the project to significantly reduce the rate of infant
mortality in the project area.
Preference and Priorities
Funding preference will be given to an approved applicant who: (1)
Has an operational infant mortality initiative of at least two years
duration; (2) has a strong established community-based consortium that
has identified and begun to address local needs and priorities; and (3)
has demonstrated the ability to generate private sector funding. Within
any group of preferred applicants, priority will be given to applicants
from States that do not already have a funded Healthy Start Initiative
grant. Because of time constraints, public comments on the funding
preference and the funding priority are not being solicited.
Allowable Costs
The Health Resources and Services Administration will support
reasonable and necessary costs of Healthy Start Initiative Special
Project grants within the scope of approved activities. Allowable costs
may include salaries, equipment and supplies, travel, contractual,
consultants, and others, as well as indirect costs. HRSA adheres to
administrative standards reflected in the Code of Federal Regulations
45 CFR part 92 and 45 CFR part 74. All other sources of funding to
support this project must be accurately reflected in the applicant's
budget.
Reporting Requirement
A successful applicant under this notice will submit reports in
accordance with the provisions of the general regulations which apply
under 45 CFR part 74, subpart J, Monitoring and Reporting of Program
Performance, with the exception of State and local governments, to
which 45 CFR part 92, subpart C reporting requirements will apply.
Financial reporting will be required in accordance with 45 CFR part 74,
subpart H, with the exception of State and local governments, to which
45 CFR 92.20 will apply.
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, community-based nongovernmental applicants 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 non-governmental 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 (SF 424).
(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 or local health agencies.
Executive Order 12372
This program has been determined to be a program which is subject
to the provisions of Executive Order 12372 concerning intergovernmental
review of Federal programs by appropriate health planning agencies, as
implemented by 45 CFR part 100. Executive Order 12372 allows States the
option of setting up a system for reviewing applications from within
their States for assistance under certain Federal programs. The
application packages to be made available under this notice will
contain a listing of States which have chosen to set up such a review
system and will provide a single point of contact (SPOC) in the States
for review. Applicants (other than federally-recognized Indian tribal
governments) should contact their State SPOCs as early as possible to
alert them to the prospective applications and receive any necessary
instructions on the State process. For proposed projects serving more
than one State, the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC of each
affected State. The due date for State process recommendations is 60
days after the application deadline for new and competing awards. The
granting agency does not guarantee to ``accommodate or explain'' for
State process recommendations it receives after that date.
The OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.926.
Dated: March 1, 1994.
Ciro V. Sumaya,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-6692 Filed 3-22-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P
