[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 72 (Friday, April 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16253-16255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9117]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
[Program Announcement No. 93631-96-02]
Developmental Disabilities: Request for Public Comments on
Proposed Developmental Disabilities Funding Priority for Projects of
National Significance for Fiscal Year 1996
AGENCY: Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD),
Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
ACTION: Notice of request for public comments on developmental
disabilities tentative funding priority for Projects of National
Significance for Fiscal Year 1996.
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SUMMARY: The Administration on Developmental Disabilities,
Administration for Children and Families, announces that public
comments are being requested on a tentative funding priority for Fiscal
Year 1996 Projects of National Significance prior to being announced in
its final form.
We welcome specific comments and suggestions on this proposed
announcement and funding priority which will assist in bringing about
the increased independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion
into the community of individuals with developmental disabilities.
DATES: The closing date for submission of public comments is June 11,
1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Bob Williams, Commissioner,
Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Administration for
Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, Room
329-D, HHH Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20201.
[[Page 16254]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adele Gorelick, Program Development
Division, Administration on Developmental Disabilities, 202/690-5982.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Part I. Background
A. Goals of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities
The Administration on Developmental Disabilities is located within
the Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and
Human Services (DHHS). Although different from the other ACF program
administrations in the specific constituency it serves, ADD shares a
common set of goals that promote the economic and social well-being of
families, children, individuals and communities. Through national
leadership, we see:
Families and individuals empowered to increase their own
economic independence and productivity;
Strong, healthy, supportive communities having a positive
impact on the quality of life and the development of children;
Partnerships with individuals, front-line service
providers, communities, States and Congress that enable solutions which
transcend traditional agency boundaries;
Services planned and integrated to improve client access;
and
A strong commitment to working with Native Americans,
individuals with developmental disabilities, refugees and migrants to
address their needs, strengths and abilities.
Emphasis on these goals and progress toward them will help more
individuals, including those with developmental disabilities, to live
productive and independent lives integrated into their communities. The
Projects of National Significance Program is one means through which
ADD promotes the achievement of these goals.
Two issues are of particular concern with these projects. First,
there is a pressing need for networking and cooperation among
specialized and categorical programs, particularly at the service
delivery level, to ensure continuation of coordinated services to
people with developmental disabilities. Second, project findings and
successful innovative models of projects need to be made available
nationally to policy makers as well as to direct service providers.
B. Purpose of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities
The Administration on Developmental Disabilities is the lead agency
within ACF and DHHS responsible for planning and administering programs
which promote the self-sufficiency and protect the rights of
individuals with developmental disabilities.
The 1994 Amendments (Pub. L. 103-230) to the Developmental
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.)
(the Act) supports and provides assistance to States and public and
private nonprofit agencies and organizations to assure that individuals
with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the
design of and have access to culturally competent services, supports,
and other assistance and opportunities that promote independence,
productivity and integration and inclusion into the community.
The Act points out that:
Disability is a natural part of the human experience that
does not diminish the right of individuals with developmental
disabilities to enjoy the opportunity for independence, productivity
and inclusion into the community;
Individuals whose disabilities occur during their
developmental period frequently have severe disabilities that are
likely to continue indefinitely;
Individuals with developmental disabilities often require
lifelong specialized services and assistance, provided in a coordinated
and culturally competent manner by many agencies, professionals,
advocates, community representatives, and others to eliminate barriers
and to meet the needs of such individuals and their families;
The Act further finds that:
Individuals with developmental disabilities, including
those with the most severe developmental disabilities, are capable of
achieving independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion
into the community, and often require the provision of services,
supports and other assistance to achieve such;
Individuals with developmental disabilities have
competencies, capabilities and personal goals that should be
recognized, supported, and encouraged, and any assistance to such
individuals should be provided in an individualized manner, consistent
with the unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities,
and capabilities of the individual;
Individuals with developmental disabilities and their
families are the primary decision makers regarding the services and
supports such individuals and their families receive; and play decision
making roles in policies and programs that affect the lives of such
individuals and their families; and
It is in the nation's interest for individuals with
developmental disabilities to be employed, and to live conventional and
independent lives as a part of families and communities.
Toward these ends, ADD seeks to enhance the capabilities of
families in assisting individuals with developmental disabilities to
achieve their maximum potential, to support the increasing ability of
individuals with developmental disabilities to exercise greater choice
and self-determination, to engage in leadership activities in their
communities, as well as to ensure the protection of their legal and
human rights.
Programs funded under the Act are:
Federal assistance to State developmental disabilities
councils;
State system for the protection and advocacy of individual
rights;
Grants to university affiliated programs for
interdisciplinary training, exemplary services, technical assistance,
and information dissemination; and
Grants for Projects of National Significance.
C. Description of Projects of National Significance
Under Part E of the Act, demonstration grants (and in some cases, a
cooperative agreement) and technical assistance contracts are awarded
for projects of national significance that support the development of
national and State policy to enhance the independence, productivity,
and integration and inclusion of individuals with developmental
disabilities through:
Data collection and analysis;
Technical assistance to enhance the quality of State
developmental disabilities councils, protection and advocacy systems,
and university affiliated programs; and
Other projects of sufficient size and scope that hold
promise to expand or improve opportunities for individuals with
developmental disabilities, including:
--Technical assistance for the development of information and referral
systems;
--Educating policy makers;
--Federal interagency initiatives;
--The enhancement of participation of racial and ethnic minorities in
public and private sector initiatives in developmental disabilities;
[[Page 16255]]
--Transition of youth with developmental disabilities from school to
adult life; and
--Special pilots and evaluation studies to explore the expansion of
programs under part B (State developmental disabilities councils) to
individuals with severe disabilities other than developmental
disabilities.
Section 162(c) of the Act requires that ADD publish in the Federal
Register proposed priorities for grants and contracts to carry out
Projects of National Significance. The Act also requires a period of 60
days for public comment concerning such proposed priorities. After
analyzing and considering such comments, ADD must publish in the
Federal Register final priorities for such grants and contracts, and
solicit applications for funding based on the final priorities
selected.
The following section presents the proposed priority area for
Fiscal Year 1996 Projects of National Significance. We welcome specific
comments and suggestions. We would also like to receive suggestions on
topics which are timely and relate to specific needs in the
developmental disabilities field.
Please be aware that the development of the final funding priority
is based on the public comment response to this notice, current agency
and Departmental priorities, needs in the field of developmental
disabilities and the developmental disabilities network, etc., as well
as the availability of funds for this fiscal year.
Part II. Fiscal Year 1996 Proposed Priority Area for Projects of
National Significance
ADD is interested in all comments and recommendations which address
areas of existing or evolving national significance related to the
field of developmental disabilities.
ADD also solicits recommendations for project activities which will
advocate for public policy change and community acceptance of all
individuals with developmental disabilities and families so that such
individuals receive the culturally competent services, supports, and
other assistance and opportunities necessary to enable them to achieve
their maximum potential through increased independence, productivity,
and integration into the community.
ADD is also interested in activities which promote the inclusion of
all individuals with developmental disabilities, including individuals
with the most severe disabilities, in community life; which promote the
interdependent activity of all individuals with developmental
disabilities and individuals who are not disabled; and which recognize
the contributions of these individuals (whether they have a disability
or not), as such individuals share their talents at home, school, and
work, and in recreation and leisure time.
No proposals, concept papers or other forms of applications should
be submitted at this time. Any such submission will be discarded.
ADD will not respond to individual comment letters. However, all
comments will be considered in preparing the final funding solicitation
announcement and will be acknowledged and addressed in that
announcement.
Please be reminded that, because of possible funding limitations,
the proposed priority area listed below may not be published in a final
funding solicitation for this fiscal year.
Comments should be addressed to: Bob Williams, Commissioner,
Administration on Developmental Disabilities, Department of Health and
Human Services, Room 329-D HHH Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20201.
Fiscal Year 1996 Proposed Priority Area: Ongoing Data Collection and
Information Dissemination
The purpose of this priority area is to fund a variety of projects
through grants and/or cooperative agreements to collect data on public
expenditures, employment and economic status, and other factors as they
impact on the independence, productivity, integration and inclusion
into the community of persons with developmental disabilities. ADD is
particularly interested in the maximum use of already existing data
bases and in fostering the broadest dissemination to and use of the
data by consumers, families and advocacy audiences. Examples of
successful projects that ADD has funded include:
--University of Minnesota: National Recurring Data Set Project on
Residential Services--Ongoing National and State-by-State Data
Collection and Policy/Impact Analysis on Residential Services for
Persons with Developmental Disabilities (Charles Lakin: 612/624-5005)
--University of Illinois at Chicago: Fourth National Study of Public
Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities Spending (David Braddock:
312/413-1647)
--Boston Children's Hospital: Ongoing National Collection on Data and
Employment Services for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (Bill
Kiernan: 617/355-6506).
Examples of projects that ADD will fund include activities which
would:
Identify, collect and disseminate new data bases.
Modify, expand and/or reformulate existing data bases.
Project and model the cost-benefit impact of alternative
future decisions based on the analysis of discrete programmatic options
in the areas of residential services and employment.
Connect, integrate or analyze available data bases.
(Federal Catalog of Domestic Assistance Number 93.631--Developmental
Disabilities--Projects of National Significance)
Dated: March 27, 1996.
Bob Williams,
Commissioner, Administration on Developmental Disabilities.
[FR Doc. 96-9117 Filed 4-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
