[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27321-27324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12556]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service


Announcement of Availability of Funds for Family Planning Service 
Grants

agency: Public Health Service, HHS.

action: Notice.

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summary: The Office of Population Affairs announces the availability of 
funds for FY 1996 family planning services grant projects under the 
authority of Title X of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300, 
et seq.) 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 set out below will be 
accepted for review and possible funding.

OMB Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 93.217.

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

addresses: Additional information may be obtained from and completed 
applications should be sent to the appropriate Regional Health 
Administrator at the address below:

Region I--(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode 
Island, Vermont): DHHS/PHS Region I, John F. Kennedy Federal Building, 
Government Center, Room 1400, 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, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, 
Virginia, W. Virginia DHHS/PHS Region III, 3535 Market Street, 
Philadelphia, PA 19101
Region IV--(Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, N. 
Carolina, S. Carolina, Tennessee): DHHS/PHS Region IV, 101 Marietta 
Tower, Suite 1106, Atlanta, GA 30323
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 1200 Main Tower Building, Room 1800, Dallas, TX 75202
Region VII--(Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska): DHHS/PHS Region VII, 
601 East 12th Street, 5th Fl. W., Kansas City, MO 64106
Region VIII--(Colorado, Montana, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Utah, Wyoming): 
DHHS/PHS Region VIII, 1961 Stout Street, Denver, CO 80294
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-20, Seattle, WA 98121.

for further information contact: Regional Grants Management Officers: 
Region I, Mary O'Brien--617/565-1482; Region II, Steven Wong--212/264-
4496; Region III, Marty Bree--215/596-6653; Region IV, Wayne Cutchins--
404/331-2597; Region V, Lawrence Poole--312/353-8700; Region VI, Joyce 
Bailey--214/767-3879; Region VII, Michael Rowland--816/426-2924; Region 
VIII, Susan A. Jaworowski--303/844-4461; Region IX, Ken Souza--415/556-
8187; Region X, Jim Tipton--206/615/2473.
    Regional Program Consultants for Family Planning: Region I, James 
Sliker--617/565-1452; Region II, Margaret Lee--212/264-2571; Region 
III, Elizabeth Reed--215/596-6686; Region IV, Christino Rodrigues--404/
331-5254; Region V, George Hockenberry--312/535-1700; Region VI, Paul 
Smith--214/767-3072; Region [[Page 27322]] VII, Susan Moskosky--816/
426-2924; Region VIII, John J. McCarthy, Jr.--303/844-5955; Region IX, 
James Hauser--415/556-7117; Region X, Karen Matsuda--206/615-2501.

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 compliance standards 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 to administer the program. Copies 
of the pre-1988 compliance standards are available from the Regional 
Program Consultants listed above.
    The Title X program has established these five priorities:

(1) Increasing outreach to women not likely to seek services, including 
homeless persons, disabled persons, substance abusers and adolescents;
(2) Expanding the comprehensiveness of reproductive health services, 
including STD and cancer screening and prevention, increased 
involvement of male partners, HIV prevention, education and counseling, 
and substance abuse screening and referral;
(3) Serving adolescents, including more community education, emphasis 
on postponement of sexual activity, and more accessible provision of 
contraceptive counseling and contraception;
(4) Eliminating disincentives to provide high-cost but highly effective 
contraceptives such as Norplant and Depo-Provera, serving high risk 
(and high-unit cost) clients, and providing nonrevenue-generating 
services such as community education and prevention services; and
(5) Emphasizing training and retention of family planning nurse 
practitioners, particularly minority nurse practitioners and nurse 
practitioners serving disadvantaged and medically underserved 
communities.

    These program priorities represent overriding goals which are being 
pursued to the extent that funding increases or increases in program 
efficiency allow. Some funding may be available to Title X grantees to 
improve and expand services.
    The Administration's FY 1996 budget request for this program is 
$198.9 million. This amount represents a three percent increase over 
the FY 1995 appropriation of $193.3 million, of which $179.6 million 
will be made available to Title X service grantees. Approximately 17 
percent of the funds appropriated for FY 1996 and made available to 
Title X service grantees will be used for competing grants. The 
remaining funds will be used for non-competing continuation grants. 
This program announcement is subject to the appropriation of funds and 
is a contingency action being taken to ensure that, should funds become 
available for this purpose, they can be awarded in a timely fashion 
consistent with the needs of the program as well as to provide for the 
distribution of funds throughout the fiscal year. Since the precise 
funding levels for FY 1996 are uncertain at this point, the funding 
levels set out below are based on the FY 1994 appropriation level. 
However, it is expected that funding levels will be increased, if the 
appropriation for FY 1996 increases.
    For FY 1995, the entire $179.6 million will be allocated among the 
10 DHHS regions, and will in turn be awarded to public and private non-
profit agencies located within the regions. 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 availability of funds to provide family 
planning services in 16 States, the Navajo Reservation, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Competing grant 
applications are invited for the following areas:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Number of                                                 
         Populations or areas to be served            grants to       FY 1994       Application    Grant funding
                                                      be awarded      funding        due date          date     
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Region I:                                                                                                       
    Connecticut....................................            1      $1,486,000          9/1/95          1/1/96
    Boston, MA.....................................            1       1,226,000          3/1/96         7/1/96/
    Southeastern MA................................            1         712,000          9/1/95          1/1/96
    Western MA.....................................            1         662,000          9/1/95          1/1/96
    Central MA.....................................            1         501,000          9/1/95          1/1/96
    Northeastern MA................................            1         746,000          3/1/96          7/1/96
    Maine..........................................            1       1,089,000          3/1/96          7/1/96
    New Hampshire..................................            1         637,000          3/1/96          7/1/96
    Rhode Island...................................            1         415,000          3/1/96          7/1/96
    Vermont........................................            1         541,000          9/1/95          1/1/96
Region V:                                                                                                       
    St. Paul, MN...................................            1         235,000          9/1/95          1/1/96
    Cleveland, OH..................................            1       1,346,000         12/1/95          4/1/96
Region VI:                                                                                                      
    Oklahoma.......................................            1       2,639,000          8/1/95         12/1/95
    Texas..........................................            1       9,426,000         12/1/95          4/1/96
Region VII:                                                                                                     
    Missouri.......................................            1       3,517,000         12/1/95          4/1/96
    Nebraska.......................................            1       1,168,000          3/1/96          7/1/96
[[Page 27323]]
                                                                                                                
Region VIII:                                                                                                    
    North Dakota...................................            1         470,000          3/1/96          7/1/96
    Utah...........................................            1         140,000          3/1/96          7/1/96
Region IX:                                                                                                      
    Navajo Reservation-AZ..........................            1         511,000          3/1/96          7/1/96
    Hawaii.........................................            1         874,000          3/1/96          7/1/96
    Clark County, NV...............................            1         584,000          9/1/95          1/1/96
    Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands..            1          67,000          9/1/95          1/1/96
                                                    ------------------------------------------------------------
      Total........................................           22      28,992,000  ..............  ..............
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  Applications must be postmarked or, it 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 number of patients and, in particular, the number of low-income 
patients to be served;
(2) The extent to which family planning services are needed locally;
(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

    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. This 
announcement is related to the priority areas of Family Planning. A 
midcourse review of the objectives is presently ongoing, and the 
proposed revisions are contained in a draft report. A notice of 
Availability and Request for Comment on the Healthy People 2000 
Midcourse Revisions was published in the Fedeal Register on October 3, 
1994 (59 FR 50253). Requests for copies of the Draft for Public Review 
and Comment: Healthy People 2000 Midcourse Revisions can be faxed to 
(301) 594-5981 or mailed to: OFP/OPA, East-West Towers, Suite 200, 5600 
Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. A new PHS report, Healthy People 
2000 Midcourse Review and Revisions, featuring the final revisions and 
status report on progress in achieving targets for the year 2000, will 
be published in 1995.
    The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant recipients 
to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all 
tobacco products. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect 
and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

Application Requirements

    Application kits (including the application form, PHS 5161--
approved by OMB under control number 0937-0189) and technical 
assistance for preparing proposals are available from the regional 
offices. 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 regulations 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, 
applications should respond to all applicable regulatory requirements.
Application Review and Evaluation

    Each regional office is responsible for establishing its own review 
process. Applications must be submitted to the appropriate regional 
office 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, State Review of applications for 
Federal Financial Assistance, 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 States not represented on the listing, further inquiries 
should be made by the applicant regarding the submission to the Grants 
Management Office of the appropriate region. State Single Point of 
Contact comments must be received by the regional office 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, [[Page 27324]] which 
specifies to the grantee the amount of money awarded, the purposes of 
the grant, and terms and conditions of the grant award.

    Dated: May 17, 1995.
Felicia H. Stewart,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs.
[FR Doc. 95-12556 Filed 5-22-95; 8:45 am]
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