Grants and cooperative agreements; availability, etc.: Family planning services projects,

[Federal Register: June 8, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 109)]

[Notices]

[Page 30845-30848]

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

[DOCID:fr08jn99-170]

[[Page 30845]]

Part III

Department of Health and Human Services

Office of Public Health and Science

Announcement of Anticipated Availability of Funds for Family Planning Services Grants; Notice

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of Public Health and Science

Announcement of Anticipated Availability of Funds for Family Planning Services Grants

AGENCY: Office of Population Affairs, OPHS, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Office of Population Affairs announces the anticipated allocation of funds for FY 2000 family planning services grant projects under the authority of Title X of the Public Health Service Act and solicits applications for competing grant awards to serve the areas and/or populations set out below. Only applications which propose to serve the populations and/or areas listed in Table I will be accepted for review and possible funding. In addition, general program information is included to provide potential grantees with information about future funding opportunities.

OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 93.217.

DATES: Application due dates vary. See Supplementary Information below.

ADDRESSES: Completed applications for DHHS Regions II, III, and IV should be sent to: Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services, Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, S.W., Suite 5B95, Atlanta, GA 30323-8909.

Completed applications for DHHS Regions, V, VI, VII, IX, and X should be sent to: Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services, 1301 Young Street, Suite 766, Dallas, TX 75202.

See Supplementary Information section for addresses for additional information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Program Requirement

Region Program Consultants for Family Planning: Region I, James Sliker, 617/565-1060; Region II, Lucille Katz--212/264-3935; Region III, Louis Belmonte--215/861-4641; Region IV, Christino Rodriquez--404/ 562-7900; Region V, Janice Ely--312/886-3864; Region VI, Paul Smith-- 214/767-3060; Region VII, Elizabeth Curtis--816/426-2924; Region VIII, John J. McCarthy, Jr.--303/844-6163; Region IX, Nadine Simons--414/437- 8116; Region X, Janet Wildeboor--206/615-2501.

Administrative and Budgetary Requirements

Region II, III and IV: June Faizi (Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services)--404/562-7902; Regions V, VI, VII, IX and X: Maudeen Pickett (Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services)--214/767-3401. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title X of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 300, et seq., authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to public or private nonprofit entities to assist in the establishment and operation of voluntary family planning projects to provide a broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods and services (including natural family planning methods, infertility services, and services for adolescents). The statute requires that, to the extent practicable, entities shall encourage family participation. Also, Title X funds may not be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning. Implementing regulations appear at 42 CFR part 59, subpart A.

On February 5, 1993, HHS published at 58 FR 7462 an interim rule that suspends the 1988 Title X rules, pending the promulgation of new regulations. The principal effect of this action was to suspend the definitions of ``family planning,'' ``grantees,'' ``prenatal care,'' ``Title X,'' ``Title X Program,'' and ``Title X Project'' presently found at 42 CFR 59.2 and 42 CFR 59.7-59.10. Proposed rules were also published at 58 FR 7464 on the same date. During the pendency of rulemaking, the policies and interpretations relating to the provision of abortion-related services by Title X grantees that were in effect prior to the issuance of the 1988 rule, including those set out in the 1981 Family Planning Guidelines, are being used by the program. Copies of the pre-1988 policies and interpretations are available from the Regional Program Consultants for Regions I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X, at the addresses listed below.

Region I (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont): DHHS/PHS Region I, JFK Federal Building, Room 2126, Boston, MA 02203 Region II (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands): DHHS/PHS Region II, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 3337, New York, NY 10278 Region III (Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, W. Virginia): DHHS/PHS Region III, 150 S. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA, 19106-3499 Region IV (Kentucky, Mississippi, N. Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, S. Carolina): DHHS/PHS Region IV, 61 Forsyth Street, Suite 5B95, Atlanta, GA 30303 Region V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin): DHHS/PHS Region V, 105 West Adams Street, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603 Region VI (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas): DHHS/PHS Region VI, 1301 Young Street, Suite 1124, Dallas, TX 75202 Region VII (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska): DHHS/PHS Region VII, 601 East 12th Street, Room 210, Kansas City, MO 64106 Region VIII (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming): DHHS/PHS Region VIII, Federal Building, 4th Floor, 1961 Stout Street, Denver, CO 80294-3538 Region IX (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands): DHHS/PHS Region IX, 50 United Nations Plaza, Room 327, San Francisco, CA 94102 Region X (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington): DHHS/PHS Region X, Blanchard Plaza, 2201 Sixth Avenue, M/S RX-29, Seattle, WA 98121

Incorporating Public Health Initiatives, Program Priorities and Key Issues for Family Planning.

The proposal should reflect the applicant's ability to incorporate into the project plan public health initiatives such as Healthy People 2000 health promotion and disease prevention objectives for family planning, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services priorities of assuring a healthy start for every child by increasing the proportion of pregnancies that are intended, promoting personal responsibility for healthy lifestyles, and addressing the elimination of racial and ethnic disparities in health as identified by the President's Initiative on Race.

In addition, the following priorities represent overarching goals for the Title X program and, along with the key issues, should be reflected in the applicant's project plan:

(1) Expansion and enhancement of the quality of clinical reproductive health services through partnerships with entities that have related interests and that work with similar priority populations;

(2) Increased emphasis on services to adolescents, including emphasis on postponement of sexual activity and more accessible provision of contraceptive counseling and services;

(3) Increased services to hard-to-reach populations by partnering with

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community-based organizations and others that have a stake in the prevention of unintended pregnancy;

(4) Expansion of comprehensiveness of reproductive health services, including STD and cancer screening and prevention, HIV prevention, education and counseling, and substance abuse screening and referral;

(5) Increased services to males, emphasizing shared responsibility for preventing unintended pregnancy and STD/HIV infection.

Key issues impacting family planning:

Other key issues are impacting the current and future delivery of family planning services. These issues include:

(1) Medicaid waivers and managed care;

(2) Implications of welfare reform and other issues that are affecting family planning services, such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) as well as other Federal and State initiatives;

(3) Electronic technology;

(4) Research findings;

(5) Legislative mandates, such as counseling teens on involving families and avoiding coercive sexual relationships.

These program priorities and key issues are being pursued to the extent that funding or increases in program efficiency allow.

The proposed FY 2000 budget for the Title X Family Planning program is approximately $240 million. It is anticipated that during FY 2000 approximately 35 percent of the amount that is appropriated for the program will be allocated to competing applications. It is anticipated that the balance will be used to support non-competing grantees in the 10 regions and central office. Because some of the grants expected to be funded with the appropriation for FY 2000 have application due dates in the next few months, this action is being taken now to permit the orderly processing of the applications.

Each regional office is responsible for evaluating applications, establishing priorities, and setting funding levels according to criteria in 42 CFR 59.11.

This notice announces the anticipated allocation of funds, if appropriated, for competitive family planning service grants in 22 States, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Subject to enactment of the anticipated appropriation, competing grant applications are invited for the following areas:

Table I.

Number of competing

Appl. due Grant Populations or areas to be served

grants to FY99 funding date funding be awarded

date

Region I: No grants available for competition in FY 2000. Region II:

Univ. of PR/Public Hlth..............................

1 1,735,229 03/01/00 07/01/00

NY State Health Dept.................................

1 7,703,876 03/01/00 07/01/00 Region III:

Delaware Dept. of Health.............................

1

690,187 12/01/9904/01/00

Virginia Dept. of Health.............................

1 3,724,186 12/01/9904/01/00

Maryland Dept. of Health.............................

1 3,205,729 12/01/9904/01/00

WV Dept. of Health...................................

1 1,693,832 12/01/9904/01/00

Family Health Council................................

1 2,762,425 03/01/00 07/01/00

Family Planning Council of Central PA................

1 2,086,193 03/01/00 07/01/00

Family Planning Council..............................

1 3,487,780 03/01/00 07/01/00

Maternal and Family Health Council...................

1 1,264,753 03/01/00 07/01/00 Region IV:

Florida Dept. of Health..............................

1 6,578,352 03/01/00 07/01/00

Tennessee Dept. of Health............................

1 5,503,248 03/01/00 07/01/00

Kentucky Cab. For Human Resources....................

1 3,864,571 03/01/00 07/01/00

Georgia Dept. of Human Resources.....................

1 5,824,306 03/01/00 07/01/00

North Carolina Dept. of Human Resources..............

1 4,736,317 03/01/00 07/01/00

Alabama Dept. of Human Resources.....................

1 3,698,168 03/01/00 07/01/00

South Carolina Dept. of Human Resources..............

1 4,131,705 03/01/00 07/01/00

Mississippi Dept. of Health..........................

1 3,722,603 03/01/00 07/01/00 Region V:

Ohio Dept. of Health.................................

1 4,133,315 11/01/9903/01/00

Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio...................

1

623,535 11/01/9903/01/00

Planned Parenthood of Summit, Portage and Medina

1

676,843 03/01/00 07/01/00 Counties............................................ Region VI:

New Mexico Department of Health......................

1 1,995,334 09/01/9901/01/00

Arkansas Department of Health........................

1 2,961,564 11/01/9903/01/00

Oklahoma Department of Health........................

1 2,891,198 08/01/9912/01/99 Region VII:

Kansas State Department of Health and Environment....

1 1,786,800 03/01/00 07/01/00 Region VIII: No grants available for competition in FY 2000. Region IX:

Government of Guam...................................

1

168,408 03/01/00 07/01/00

Republic of Palau....................................

1

57,971 03/01/00 07/01/00

Federated States of Micronesia.......................

1

220,564 03/01/00 07/01/00

Gila River Indian Community..........................

1

172,582 03/01/00 07/01/00 Region X:

Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette........

1

561,485 03/01/00 07/01/00

Idaho Department of Health and Welfare...............

1

961,979 03/01/00 07/01/00

International Community Health Service...............

1

123,800 05/30/00 09/30/00

Total............................................

32 83,748,838 ........... ...........

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Applications must be postmarked or, if not sent by U.S. mail, received at the appropriate Grants Management Office no later than close of business on application due dates listed above. Private metered postmarks will not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing. Applications which are postmarked or, if not sent by U.S. mail, delivered to the appropriate Grants Management Office later than the application due date will be judged late and will not be accepted for review. (Applicants should request a legibly dated postmark from the U.S. Postal Service.) Applications which do not conform to the requirements of this program announcement or do not meet the applicable regulatory requirements at 42 CFR part 59, subpart A will not be accepted for review. Applicants will be so notified, and the applications will be returned.

Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

(1) The extent to which family planning services are needed locally;

(2) The capacity of the applicant to address the family planning needs of the area to be served;

(3) The relative need of the applicant;

(4) The capacity of the applicant to make rapid and effective use of the Federal assistance;

(5) The adequacy of the applicant's facilities and staff;

(6) The relative availability of non-Federal resources within the community to be served and the degree to which those resources are committed to the project; and

(7) The degree to which the project plan adequately provides for the requirements set forth in the Title X regulations.

Application Requirements

Application kits (including the application form, PHS 5161-1, Revised 5/96) (OMB approval No. 0937-0189) may be obtained by contacting the appropriate Office of Grants Management in Atlanta or Dallas. Limited technical assistance regarding programmatic aspects of proposal preparation is available from the regional offices. For information on administrative and budgetary aspects of proposal preparation, contact the appropriate Office of Grants Management. An application must contain: (1) a narrative description of the project and the manner in which the applicant intends to conduct it in order to carry out the requirements of the law and regulations; (2) a budget that includes an estimate of project income and costs, with justification for the amount of grant funds requested; (3) a description of the standards and qualifications that will be required for all personnel and facilities to be used by the project; and (4) such other pertinent information as may be required by the Secretary as specified in the application kit. In preparing an application, applicants should respond to all applicable regulatory requirements. (The information collections contained in this notice have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget and assigned control number 0937-0189.)

The Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS) requires all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and to promote the non-use of all tobacco products. This is consistent with the OPHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

Application Review and Evaluation

Each regional office is responsible for conducting its own competitive application reviews. Applications must be submitted to the appropriate Office of Grants Management at the address listed above. Staff are available to answer questions and provide limited technical assistance in the preparation of grant applications.

Grant Awards

Grant projects are generally approved for 3 to 5 years with an annual non-competitive review of a continuation application to obtain continued support. Non-competing continuation awards are subject to factors such as the project making satisfactory progress and the availability of funds, In all cases, continuation awards require a determination by HHS that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

Review Under Executive Order 12372

applicants under this announcement are subject to the review requirements of Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Huamn Services Programs and Activities, as implemented by 45 CFR part 100. As soon as possible, the applicant should discuss the project with the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for each State to be served. The application kit contains the currently available listing of the SPOCs which have elected to be informed of the submission of applications. For those State not represented on the listing, further inquiries should be made to the Governor's office of the pertinent states for information regarding the review process designed by their state or the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for the state in question. SPOC comments must be received by the appropriate Grants Management Office (Atlanta or Dallas) 30 days prior to the funding date to be considered.

When final funding decisions have been made, each applicant will be notified by letter of the outcome of its application. The official document notifying an applicant that a project application has been approved for funding is the Notice of Grant Award, which specifies to the grantee the amount of money awarded, the purposes of the grant, and terms and conditions of the grant award.

(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 300)

Dated: June 2, 1999. Denese O. Shervington, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs.

[FR Doc. 99-14425Filed6-7-99; 8:45 am]

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