Grants and cooperative agreements; availability, etc.: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment; adolescent treatment models,

[Federal Register: March 4, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 42)]

[Notices]

[Page 10482-10484]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr04mr99-81]

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Fiscal Year (FY) 1999 Funding Opportunities

AGENCY: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of funding availability.

SUMMARY: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), announces the availability of FY 1999 funds for grants for the following activity. This activity is discussed in more detail under Section 4 of this notice. This notice is not a complete description of the activity; potential applicants must obtain a copy of the Guidance for Applicants (GFA) before preparing an application.

Estimated Activity

Application

Estimated funds

number of

Project period deadline

available

awards

Adolescent Treatment Models...

5/10/99$4 Million...........

12 Up to 3 yrs.

Note: SAMHSA will publish additional notices of available funding opportunities for FY 1999 in subsequent issues of the Federal Register.

The actual amount available for awards and their allocation may vary, depending on unanticipated program requirements and the number and quality of applications received. FY 1999 funds for the activity discussed in this announcement were appropriated by the Congress under Public Law No. 105-277. SAMHSA's policies and procedures for peer review and Advisory Council review of grant and cooperative agreement applications were published in the Federal Register (Vol. 58, No. 126) on July 2, 1993.

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 SAMHSA Centers' substance abuse and mental health services activities address issues related to Healthy People 2000 objectives of Mental Health and Mental Disorders; Alcohol and Other Drugs; Clinical Preventive Services; HIV Infection; and Surveillance and Data Systems. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000 (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or Summary Report: Stock No. 017- 001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone: 202-512-1800).

General Instructions: Applicants must use application form PHS 5161-1 (Rev. 5/96; OMB No. 0937-0189). The application kit contains the GFA (complete programmatic guidance and instructions for preparing and submitting applications), the PHS 5161-1 which includes Standard Form 424 (Face Page), and other documentation and forms. Application kits may be obtained from the organization specified for the activity covered by this notice (see Section 4).

When requesting an application kit, the applicant must specify the particular activity for which detailed information is desired. This is to ensure receipt of all necessary forms and information, including any specific program review and award criteria.

The PHS 5161-1 application form and the full text of the activity (i.e., the GFA) described in Section 4 are available electronically via SAMHSA's World Wide Web Home Page (address: http://www.samhsa.gov).

Application Submission: Applications must be submitted to:

SAMHSA Programs, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Suite 1040, 6701 Rockledge Drive MSC-7710, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7710.*

* Applicants who wish to use express mail or courier service should change the zip code to 20817.

Application Deadlines: The deadline for receipt of applications is listed in the table above.

[[Page 10483]]

Competing applications must be received by the indicated receipt date to be accepted for review. An application received after the deadline may only be accepted if it carries a legible proof-of-mailing date assigned by the carrier and that date is not later than one week prior to the deadline date. Private metered postmarks are not acceptable as proof of timely mailing.

Applications received after the deadline date and those sent to an address other than the address specified above will be returned to the applicant without review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for activity-specific technical information should be directed to the program contact person identified for the activity covered by this notice (see Section 4).

Requests for information concerning business management issues should be directed to the grants management contact person identified for the activity covered by this notice (see Section 4).

Table of Contents

1. Program Background and Objectives 2. Special Concerns 3. Criteria for Review and Funding

   3.1 General Review Criteria

   3.2 Funding Criteria for Scored Applications 4. Special FY 1999 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Activities

   4.1 Grants

   4.1.1. Grants for Evaluation of Treatment Models for Adolescents (Adolescent Treatment Models) 5. Public Health System Reporting Requirements 6. PHS Non-use of Tobacco Policy Statement 7. Executive Order 12372

1. Program Background and Objectives

   SAMHSA's mission within the Nation's health system is to improve the quality and availability of prevention, early intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation services for substance abuse and mental illnesses, including co-occurring disorders, in order to improve health and reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society.

   Reinventing government, with its emphases on redefining the role of Federal agencies and on improving customer service, has provided SAMHSA with a welcome opportunity to examine carefully its programs and activities. As a result of that process, SAMHSA moved assertively to create a renewed and strategic emphasis on using its resources to generate knowledge about ways to improve the prevention and treatment of substance abuse and mental illness and to work with State and local governments as well as providers, families, and consumers to effectively use that knowledge in everyday practice.

   SAMHSA's FY 1999 Knowledge Development and Application (KD&A) agenda is the outcome of a process whereby providers, services researchers, consumers, National Advisory Council members and other interested persons participated in special meetings or responded to calls for suggestions and reactions. From this input, each SAMHSA Center developed a ``menu'' of suggested topics. The topics were discussed jointly and an agency agenda of critical topics was agreed to. The selection of topics depended heavily on policy importance and on the existence of adequate research and practitioner experience on which to base studies. While SAMHSA's FY 1999 KD&A programs will sometimes involve the evaluation of some delivery of services, they are services studies and application activities, not merely evaluation, since they are aimed at answering policy-relevant questions and putting that knowledge to use.

   SAMHSA differs from other agencies in focusing on needed information at the services delivery level, and in its question-focus. Dissemination and application are integral, major features of the programs. SAMHSA believes that it is important to get the information into the hands of the public, providers, and systems administrators as effectively as possible. Technical assistance, training, preparation of special materials will be used, in addition to normal communications means.

   SAMHSA also continues to fund legislatively-mandated services programs for which funds are appropriated.

2. Special Concerns

   SAMHSA's legislatively-mandated services programs do provide funds for mental health and/or substance abuse treatment and prevention services. However, SAMHSA's KD&A activities do not provide funds for mental health and/or substance abuse treatment and prevention services except sometimes for costs required by the particular activity's study design. Applicants are required to propose true knowledge application or knowledge development and application projects. Applications seeking funding for services projects under a KD&A activity will be considered nonresponsive.

   Applications that are incomplete or nonresponsive to the GFA will be returned to the applicant without further consideration.

3. Criteria for Review and Funding

   Consistent with the statutory mandate for SAMHSA to support activities that will improve the provision of treatment, prevention and related services, including the development of national mental health and substance abuse goals and model programs, competing applications requesting funding under the specific project activity in Section 4 will be reviewed for technical merit in accordance with established PHS/SAMHSA peer review procedures.

   3.1 General Review Criteria

   As published in the Federal Register on July 2, 1993 (Vol. 58, No. 126), SAMHSA's ``Peer Review and Advisory Council Review of Grant and Cooperative Agreement Applications and Contract Proposals,'' peer review groups will take into account, among other factors as may be specified in the application guidance materials, the following general criteria:

   ‹bullet› Potential significance of the proposed project;

   ‹bullet› Appropriateness of the applicant's proposed objectives to the goals of the specific program;

   ‹bullet› Adequacy and appropriateness of the proposed approach and activities;

   ‹bullet› Adequacy of available resources, such as facilities and equipment;

   ‹bullet› Qualifications and experience of the applicant organization, the project director, and other key personnel; and

   ‹bullet› Reasonableness of the proposed budget.

   3.2 Funding Criteria for Scored Applications

   Applications will be considered for funding on the basis of their overall technical merit as determined through the peer review group and the appropriate National Advisory Council review process.

   Other funding criteria will include:

   ‹bullet› Availability of funds.

   Additional funding criteria specific to the programmatic activity may be included in the application guidance materials.

4. Special FY 1999 SAMHSA Activities

   4.1 Grants

   4.1.1. Grants for Evaluation of Treatment Models for Adolescents (Short Title: Adolescent Treatment Models, GFA No. TI 99-001)

   ‹bullet› Application Deadline: May 10, 1999.

   ‹bullet› Purpose: The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announces the availability of funds for

   [[Page 10484]]

   grants to identify effective treatment programs or models of care that show promise for replication elsewhere. In fiscal year 1999, grants will be made available to identify promising programs that provide treatment services for adolescents. Funds are available only for evaluation and documentation purposes and may not be expended to provide treatment services.

   The primary goal of this initiative is to identify currently existing models of adolescent treatment that, when evaluated for client outcomes and cost, under a rigorous study design, demonstrate effectiveness. Subsequently, documentation for these models will be developed, and those programs identified for replication, as judged by an independent panel of experts, will be invited to exhibit at a conference to disseminate their findings and showcase their models.

   The target population for projects funded under this program is adolescents who have a substance abuse (alcohol and drug) problem. The age range includes individuals who are at least twelve years of age, and no older than nineteen years of age at treatment entry.

   ‹bullet› Priorities: None.

   ‹bullet› Eligible Applicants: Applications may be submitted by units of State or local government and by public and private nonprofit and for-profit entities such as community-based organizations, universities, colleges, and hospitals. The proposed program/model must at a minimum: (1) Be providing services for the target population for a minimum of two years. SAMHSA believes that only programs that have been providing services, based on their model, for a minimum of two years have the expertise and infrastructure to support the rigorous evaluation called for in this GFA; (2) Be collecting data on clients in the target population that include admission, course of treatment, outcome, and follow-up; and (3) Be in compliance with all local, city, county and State licensing requirements.

   ‹bullet› Grants/Amounts: Approximately $4 million will be available to support up to 12 awards under this GFA in FY 1999. The average award is expected to range from $350,000 to $450,000 in total costs (direct + indirect). Support may be requested for a period of up to 3 years. The initial award will be for twelve months. Two subsequent twelve-month awards may be made subject to continued availability of funds and documented results. Projects will be reviewed annually to determine if ongoing funding is needed to complete program goals and to determine if adequate progress is being made.

   ‹bullet› Catalog of Domestic Federal Assistance: 93.230.

   ‹bullet› For Programmatic or Technical Assistance (Not for application kits), contact: Randolph D. Muck, M.Ed., Division of Practice and Systems Development, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, SAMHSA, Rockwall II, Room 7-138, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-6574.

   For Grants Management Assistance, contact: Peggy Jones, Division of Grants Management, OPS, SAMHSA, Rockwall II, Room 614, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-9666.

   ‹bullet› For Application Kits, contact: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345, 1-800-729-6686.

   ‹bullet› SAMHSA is sponsoring three technical assistance workshops for potential applicants. The workshops will be held at the following locations: March 11, 1999--Washington, DC; March 17, 1999--Chicago, IL; and March 19--Los Angeles, CA. For more information, please call Ms. Lisa Wilder, Workshop Coordinator, at 301-984-1471, extension 333.

5. Public Health System Reporting Requirements

   This program is not subject to the Public Health System Reporting Requirements.

6. PHS Non-use of Tobacco Policy Statement

   The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

7. Executive Order 12372

   Applications submitted in response to the FY 1999 activity listed above are subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372, as implemented through DHHS regulations at 45 CFR Part 100. E.O. 12372 sets up a system for State and local government review of applications for Federal financial assistance. Applicants (other than Federally recognized Indian tribal governments) should contact the State's Single Point of Contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert them to the prospective application(s) and to receive any necessary instructions on the State's review process. For proposed projects serving more than one State, the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC of each affected State. A current listing of SPOCs is included in the application guidance materials. The SPOC should send any State review process recommendations directly to: Office of Extramural Activities, Policy and Review, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 17-89, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.

   The due date for State review process recommendations is no later than 60 days after the specified deadline date for the receipt of applications. SAMHSA does not guarantee to accommodate or explain SPOC comments that are received after the 60-day cut-off.

   Dated: March 1, 1999. Richard Kopanda, Executive Officer, SAMHSA.

   [FR Doc. 99-5386Filed3-3-99; 8:45 am]

   BILLING CODE 4162-20-U