[Federal Register: June 25, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 122)]
[Notices]               
[Page 42778-42781]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25jn02-59]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary

 
Availability of Funds for Grants for the Technical Assistance and 
Capacity Development Demonstration Grant Program for HIV/AIDS-Related 
Services in Minority Communities

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the 
Secretary, Office of Public Health and Science, Office of Minority 
Health.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 Technical Assistance 
and Capacity Development Demonstration Grant Program for HIV/AIDS-
Related Services in Minority Communities is to stimulate, foster, and 
support the development of effective and durable service delivery 
capacity for HIV prevention and treatment among organizations closely 
interfaced with minority populations impacted by HIV/AIDS. The grantee 
will identify community-based minority-serving organizations that are 
well linked with minority populations affected by HIV/AIDS, and which 
have recognized needs and/or gaps in their capacity to provide HIV/
AIDS-related prevention and care services. The goals are to:
     Provide administrative and programmatic technical 
assistance to enable those organizations to enhance their delivery of 
necessary services; and
     Assist those community-based minority-serving 
organizations, through an ongoing mentoring relationship, in the 
development of their capacity as fiscally viable and programmatically 
effective organizations thereby allowing them to successfully compete 
for federal funds and other resources.

    Authority: This program is authorized under section 1707(e)(1) 
of the Public Health Service Act (PHS), as amended.

    This program is intended to demonstrate the impact of technical 
assistance and capacity development on improving HIV prevention and 
care among organizations within a circumscribed area in which many 
minority individuals (see definition of Minority Populations) are in 
need of HIV/AIDS prevention and/or treatment services. To the extent 
that selected services such as substance abuse and mental health 
treatment, in relation to HIV/AIDS, are available within the 
circumscribed area, linkages with these services will be fostered as 
part of the technical assistance. The program is intended to address 
HIV/AIDS issues within the context of related socioeconomic factors and 
contribute to overall community empowerment by strengthening indigenous 
leadership and organizations.
    Project outcomes must include any or all of the following:
     Reduction in high-risk behaviors by increasing the 
capacity of community-based minority-serving organizations to work 
directly with hardly reached minority populations (e.g., youth, women 
at risk, men having sex with men, homeless persons, injection drug 
users, mentally ill persons, incarcerated persons).
     Improved access to health care through increasing the 
capacity of community-based minority-serving organizations to work 
directly with hardly reached minority populations (e.g., youth, women 
at risk, men having sex with men, homeless persons, injection drug 
users, mentally ill persons, incarcerated persons).
     Increased counseling and testing services by increasing 
the capacity of community-based minority-serving organizations to work 
directly with hardly reached minority populations (e.g., youth, women 
at risk, men having sex with men, homeless persons, injection drug 
users, mentally ill persons, incarcerated persons).

[[Page 42779]]

     Increased number of community-based minority-serving 
organizations directly involved in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
     Increased number of community-based minority-serving 
organizations with the programmatic and fiscal capacity to identify, 
apply for, and receive funding to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

ADDRESSES: For this grant, applicants must use Form PHS 5161-1 (Revised 
July 2000 and approved by OMB under Control Number 0348-0043). 
Applicants are advised to pay close attention to the specific program 
guidelines and general instructions provided in the application kit. To 
get an application kit, write to: Ms. Chanee Jackson, OMH Grants 
Management Center, c/o Health Management Resources, Inc., 8401 
Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Landover, MD 20785, e-mail 
grantrequests@healthman.com, fax (301) 429-2315; or call Chanee Jackson 
at (301) 429-2300. Send the original and 2 copies of the complete grant 
application to Ms. Chanee Jackson at the same address.

DATES: To receive consideration, grant applications must be postmarked 
by the OMH Grants Management Center by 5 p.m. EDT on July 25, 2002. 
Applications postmarked after the exact date and time specified for 
receipt will not be accepted. Applications submitted by facsimile 
transmission (FAX) or any other electronic format will not be accepted. 
Applications which do not meet the deadline will be returned to the 
applicant unread.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Karen Campbell, Grants Management 
Officer, for technical assistance on budget and business aspects of the 
application. She may be contacted at the Office of Minority Health, 
Rockwall II Building, Suite 1000, 5515 Security Lane, Rockville, MD 
20852; or by calling (301) 594-0758. For questions on the program and 
assistance in preparing the grant proposal, contact: Ms. Cynthia H. 
Amis, Director, Division of Program Operations, at the same address; or 
by calling (301) 594-0769.
    For additional assistance, contact OMH Regional Minority Health 
Consultants listed in the grant application kit. For health 
information, call the OMH Resource Center at 1-800-444-6472.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: 
The OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program 
is 93.006.

Availability of Funds

    About $4.8 million is expected to be available for award in FY 
2002. It is expected that 10 to 12 awards will be made. Support may be 
requested for a total project period not to exceed 3 years.
    Those applicants funded through the competitive process:
     Are to begin their service demonstration programs on 
September 30, 2002.
     Will receive an award up to $400,000 total costs (direct 
and indirect) for a 12-month period.
     Will be able to apply for a noncompeting continuation 
award up to $400,000 (direct and indirect) for each of two additional 
years. After year 1, funding will be based on:

--The amount of money available; and
--Success or progress in meeting project objectives.

    Note: For the noncompeting continuation awards, grantees must 
submit continuation applications, written reports, and continue to 
meet the established program guidelines.

Eligible Applicants

    To qualify for funding, an applicant must:
    1. Be a private nonprofit community-based minority-serving 
organization (see definition) which addresses health and human 
services; or
    2. Be a public (state or local government) or tribal governmental 
entity which addresses health and human services.
    Applicants must have a minimum of five years experience providing 
HIV/AIDS-related services. The applicant must have the necessary 
administrative infrastructure to receive and appropriately manage 
federal funds.

    Note: Faith-based organizations that meet the above criteria are 
eligible to apply for these Technical Assistance and Capacity 
Development Demonstration grants. Tribal organizations and local 
affiliates of national, state-wide, or regional organizations that 
meet the definition of a private non-profit community-based, 
minority-serving organization are also eligible to apply.

    Organizations may not receive a grant from more than one OMH 
program at the same time. However, an organization with an OMH grant 
that ends by 9/29/02 can submit an application under this announcement.
    The applicant submitting the application will:
    1. Serve as the lead agency for the grant;
    2. Be responsible for the implementation and management of the 
project; and
    3. Serve as the fiscal agent for the federal grant awarded.

Background

    The Office of Minority Health's (OMH) mission is to improve the 
health of racial and ethnic minority populations (see definition of 
Minority Populations) through the development of health policies and 
programs that help to eliminate health disparities and gaps. OMH serves 
as the focal point in the Department of Health and Human Services for 
service demonstrations, coalition and partnership building, and related 
efforts to address the health needs of racial and ethnic minorities. In 
keeping with its mission, OMH is continuing the Technical Assistance 
and Capacity Development Demonstration Grant Program for HIV/AIDS-
Related Services in Minority Communities to assist in addressing the 
HIV/AIDS issues facing minority communities. This program is based on 
the premise that providing technical assistance and capacity 
development to organizations closely linked with the minority 
populations impacted by the disease, will improve their capacity to 
better provide minority populations with HIV/AIDS prevention and 
treatment services. It is anticipated that this approach will 
strengthen existing community-based minority-serving organizations' 
ability to address this health issue by developing and expanding their 
technical skills and infrastructure capacity. Applicants are encouraged 
to establish linkages with other federally funded programs supporting 
HIV/AIDS prevention and care to maximize these efforts.

Effect of HIV/AIDS on Minorities

    The Census 2000 Brief \1\ reports the U.S. population as 281.4 
million, with 36.4 million \2\ Blacks or African Americans, or 12.9 
percent; 35.3 million Hispanics, or 12.5 percent; approximately 12.8 
million Asians/Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, or 4.5 
percent; and approximately 4 million American Indians/Alaska Natives or 
1.5 percent of the total population. HIV/AIDS remains a 
disproportionate threat to minorities. As of December 31, 2000, the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received reports of 
774,467 (cumulative) cases of persons with AIDS in the U.S.\3\, of whom 
38 percent were Black or

[[Page 42780]]

African American, and 18 percent were Hispanic.
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    \1\ U.S. Census Bureau, The Black Population: 2000--Census 2000 
Brief, August 2001.
    \2\ This number includes individuals who self-reported as Black, 
or as Black and one or more other race on the Census 2000 
questionnaire.
    \3\ HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report-U.S. HIV and AIDS cases 
reported through December 2000, Year-End Edition, Vol. 12, No. 2.
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    Of the 42,156 AIDS cases reported to CDC during 2000, 41,960 were 
adult/adolescent and 196 were children (<13 years of age). For the 
adult/adolescent population, 47 percent were Black or African American, 
and 19 percent were Hispanic. Of the 196 children reported with AIDS, 
65 percent were Black non-Hispanic, and 17 percent were Hispanic.
    Through December 2000, the most common exposure category reported 
for AIDS cases among African American and Hispanic males was men who 
have sex with men (37% and 42%, respectively), with the second most 
common exposure being injection drug use (34% and 35%, respectively).
    HIV infection among U.S. women has increased significantly over the 
last decade, especially in communities of color. Between 1985 and 1999, 
the proportion of all AIDS cases reported among adult and adolescent 
women more than tripled, from 7 to 23 percent. African American and 
Hispanic women account for more than three-fourths, or 77 percent, of 
the AIDS cases reported among women in the U.S. Through December 2000, 
the most common exposure categories for AIDS cases among African 
American and Hispanic females were heterosexual contact (47%, Hispanic; 
38%, African American) and injection drug use (41%, African American; 
40%, Hispanic). Young African American and Hispanic women accounted for 
more than three-fourths of the HIV infections reported among females 
between the ages of 13 to 24, according to reports to the CDC from the 
32 areas with confidential HIV reporting for adults and adolescents for 
all years combined through 1999.

Project Requirements

    Each project funded under this demonstration program is to conduct 
a model program which is designed to carry out the following functions:
    1. Identify the existing capacity for delivering HIV-related 
services (both HIV prevention and treatment) to minority populations 
and compare this with available HIV/AIDS surveillance data.
    2. Identify high risk minority communities where there are 
recognized gaps in services for minority populations with HIV/AIDS.
    3. Increase the capacity of existing community-based minority-
serving organizations which are well interfaced with the minority 
populations to be served to deliver HIV/AIDS prevention and care by:
     Providing administrative technical assistance to improve 
the fiscal and organizational capacity appropriate to their 
programmatic responsibilities; and
     Identifying programmatic technical assistance from the 
Department of Health and Human Services' Operating Divisions and 
linking appropriate community-based minority-serving organizations with 
these resources.
    4. Working with newly identified community-based minority-serving 
organizations to develop strong linkages with other providers of 
services to complete a continuum of prevention and treatment services, 
including substance abuse treatment and mental health services for 
minority HIV/AIDS populations.

Use of Grant Funds

    Budgets up to $400,000 total costs (direct and indirect) may be 
requested per year to cover costs of:
     Personnel;
     Consultants;
     Supplies;
     Equipment;
     Grant-related travel;
     Other grant related costs.

    Note: All budget requests must be fully justified in terms of 
the proposed purpose, objectives, and activities. Funds to attend an 
annual OMH grantee meeting must be included in the budget.

    Funds may not be used for:
     Medical treatment;
     Medical supplies;
     Direct services;
     Fund raising activities;
     Building alterations or renovations;
     Construction.

Review of Applications

     Applications will be screened upon receipt. Those that are 
judged to be incomplete, non-responsive, or non-conforming to the 
announcement will not be accepted for review and will be returned.
     Each organization may submit no more than one proposal 
under this announcement.
     Accepted applications will be reviewed for technical merit 
in accordance with PHS policies.
     Accepted applications will be evaluated by an Objective 
Review Committee. Committee members will be chosen for their expertise 
in minority health and their understanding of the health problems and 
related issues confronted by racial and ethnic minority populations in 
the United States.

Application Review Criteria

    The technical review of applications will consider the following 5 
generic factors.

Factor 1: Program Plan (35%)

     Appropriateness of proposed approach and specific 
activities for each objective.
     Soundness of any established organizational linkage(s) for 
providing administrative and programmatic technical assistance related 
to HIV/AIDS and assisting with the capacity development of identified 
community-based minority-serving organizations.
     Logic and sequencing of the planned approaches in relation 
to the objectives and program evaluation.

Factor 2: Evaluation (20%)

     Thoroughness, feasibility, and appropriateness of the 
evaluation design, data collection, and analysis procedures.
     Clarity of the intent and plans to document activities and 
their outcomes to establish a model.
     Potential for replication of the project for similar 
target populations and communities including the assessment of the 
utility of the different tools used to implement the program.
     Potential for proposed project to impact the HIV/AIDS 
health disparities experienced by minority populations.

Factor 3: Background (15%)

     Demonstrated knowledge of the HIV/AIDS epidemic at the 
local level.
     Established level of cultural competence and sensitivity 
to the issues of minority populations impacted by HIV/AIDS in the 
service area.
     Expertise and understanding of HIV/AIDS prevention and 
treatment service delivery systems especially as related to HIV/AIDS 
care among minority populations.
     Demonstrated need for technical assistance and capacity 
development among the proposed target service organizations.
     History of long-term relationship with the targeted 
minority community and evidence of support of local agencies and/or 
organizations.
     Extent to which the applicant demonstrates access to 
targeted organizations, is well-positioned and accepted within the 
communities to be served, and able to interface with community 
leadership and existing provider systems in the area.
     Demonstration of objective outcomes of past efforts/
activities with the target population. (Currently funded Technical 
Assistance and Capacity Development Demonstration grantees [competing 
continuation applicants] must attach a progress report describing 
project accomplishments and outcomes.)

[[Page 42781]]

Factor 4: Objectives (15%)

     Merit of the objectives.
     Relevance to the program purpose and stated problem.
     Attainability in the stated time frames.

Factor 5: Management Plan (15%)

     Applicant organization's capability to manage and evaluate 
the project as determined by:

--Qualifications and appropriateness of proposed staff or requirements 
for ``to be hired'' staff
--Proposed staff level of effort
--Management experience of the applicant

     Applicant organization's ability to mobilize a strong 
administrative technical assistance capacity with onsite knowledge of 
organizational management skills, diversification of fiscal base, and 
organizational development.
     Appropriateness of defined roles including staff reporting 
channels and that of any proposed contractors.

Award Criteria

    Funding decisions will be determined by the Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Minority Health, OMH and will take under consideration:

     The recommendations and ratings of the review panel.
     Geographic and racial/ethnic distribution.

Reporting and Other Requirements

General Reporting Requirements

    A successful applicant under this notice will submit: (1) Progress 
reports; (2) an annual Financial Status Report; and (3) a final 
progress report and Financial Status Report in the format established 
by the OMH, in accordance with provisions of the general regulations 
which apply under 45 CFR 74.51-74.52, with the exception of State and 
local governments to which 45 CFR part 92, subpart C reporting 
requirements apply.

Public Health System Reporting Requirements

    This program is subject to Public Health Systems Reporting 
Requirements. Under these requirements, a community-based 
nongovernmental applicant 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 organizations within their jurisdictions.
    Community-based nongovernmental applicants are required to submit, 
no later than the Federal due date for receipt of the application, the 
following information to the head of the appropriate state and local 
health agencies in the area(s) to be impacted: (a) A copy of the face 
page of the application (SF 424), and (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, and (3) a description of the coordination planned with the 
appropriate State or local health agencies. Copies of the letters 
forwarding the PHSIS to these authorities must be contained in the 
application materials submitted to the Office of Minority Health.

State Reviews

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 which allows States the option of setting up a system for 
reviewing applications from within their States for assistance under 
certain Federal programs. The application kit available under this 
notice will contain a listing of States which have chosen to set up a 
review system and will include a State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) 
in the State for review. Applicants (other than federally recognized 
Indian tribes) should contact their 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 established by the Office of 
Minority Health's Grants Management Officer.
    The Office of Minority Health does not guarantee that it will 
accommodate or explain its responses to State process recommendations 
received after that date. (See ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs'' Executive Order 12372 and 45 CFR part 100 for a description 
of the review process and requirements).

Healthy People 2010

    The PHS is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease 
prevention objectives of Healthy People 2010, a PHS-led national 
activity announced in January 2000 to eliminate health disparities and 
improve years and quality of life. More information on the Healthy 
People 2010 objectives may be found on the Healthy People 2010 Web 
site: http://www.health.gov/healthypeople. Copies of the Healthy People 
2010: Volumes I and II can be purchased by calling (202) 512-1800 (cost 
$70 for printed version or $19 for CDROM). Another reference is the 
Healthy People 2000 Review-1998-99.
    For 1 free copy of Healthy People 2010, contact NCHS: The National 
Center for Health Statistics, Division of Data Services, 6525 Belcrest 
Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782-2003; or telephone (301) 458-4636, ask for 
HHS Publication No. (PHS) 99-1256.
    This document may also be downloaded from the NCHS Web site: http:/
/www.cdc.gov/nchs.

Definitions

    For purposes of this grant announcement, the following definitions 
are provided:

Community-Based Organization

    A private nonprofit organization that is representative of 
communities or significant segments of communities, and where the 
control and decision-making powers are located at the community level.

Community-Based Minority-Serving Organization

    A community-based organization that has a history of service to 
racial/ethnic minority populations. (See definition of Minority 
Populations below.)

Minority Populations

    American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African American; 
Hispanic or Latino; and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. 
(Revision to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on 
Race and Ethnicity, Federal Register, Vol. 62, No. 210, pg. 58782, 
October 30, 1997.)

    Dated: June 20, 2002.
Nathan Stinson, Jr.,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health.
[FR Doc. 02-15981 Filed 6-24-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-29-P