To
improve the distribution, supply, and quality of health personnel
in the health services delivery system by encouraging the regionalization
of health professions schools. Emphasis is placed on community-based
training of primary care oriented students, residents, and providers.
The Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) program assists schools
in the development and operation of AHECs to implement educational
system incentives to attract and retain health care personnel in
scarcity areas. By linking the academic resources of the university
health science center with local planning, educational and clinical
resources, the AHEC program establishes a network of health-related
institutions to provide educational services to students, faculty
and practitioners and ultimately to improve the delivery of health
care in the service areas. These programs are collaborative partnerships
which address current health workforce needs within a region of
a State or in an entire State.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
With
respect to the costs of operating the model area health education
center program of the school, the school must make available (directly
or through donations from public or private entities) nonfederal
contributions in cash toward such costs of at least 50 percent of
such costs. Amounts provided by the Federal Government may not be
included in determining the amount of nonfederal contributions in
cash. With respect to the costs of operating the area health education
center program of the school, the school will maintain expenditures
of nonfederal amounts for such costs at a level of such expenditures
maintained by the school for the fiscal year preceding the first
fiscal year for which the school receives an award under this program.
Schools may expend not more than 10 percent of amounts received
for demonstration projects cited under Section 746(a)(3)(E). The
aggregate amount of awards to schools in a State for the fiscal
year under this new Model AHEC authority shall not exceed the lesser
of (i) $2 million; and (ii) and amount equal to $250,000 times the
aggregate number of AHEC centers operated in the State by the schools.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: The types of entities eligible
to apply for this program include public or private nonprofit accredited
schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine and incorporated consortia
made up of schools, or the parent institutions of schools. Applicants
must also have previously received funds, but are no longer receiving
funds under Section 751(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act,
and are operating an AHEC program.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Accredited schools of medicine
or osteopathic medicine, or the parent institution on behalf of
such schools.
Credentials/Documentation:
Costs will be determined by DHHS Regulations 45 CFR 74, Subpart
Q.
Pre-application
Coordination: Not applicable. This program is
excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application
Procedure: Consultation is available from
Headquarters Office staff. Submit applications in accordance with
instructions specified. The new URL (Uniform Resource Locator)
for the Bureau of Health Professions (BHPr) Grants page is www.hrsa.gov/bhpr/grants.html.
This year BHPr has decided to use Adobe Acrobat to publish the
grants documents on the Web page. In order to download, view and
print these grants documents, you will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat
Reader. This can be obtained without charge from the Internet
by going to the Adobe Web page (www.adobe.com) and downloading
the version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader which is appropriate for
your operating system, i.e., Windows, Unix, Macintosh, etc. A
set of more detailed instructions on how to download and use the
Adobe Acrobat Reader can be found on the BHPr Grants Web page
under "Notes on this WWW Page."
Award
Procedure: Notification is made in writing
by a Notice of Grant Award issued from Headquarters Office.
Deadlines:
Application deadlines can be obtained via the Internet at http://www.hrsa.gov/bhpr/grants.2001.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: From 3 to 4
months.
Appeals:
None.
Renewals:
Competitive continuation may be submitted during the final budget
period of the approved project.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: Awardees shall make
available (directly or through contributions from State, county
or municipal governments, or the private sector) recurring non-Federal
contributions in cash in an amount not less than 50 percent of the
operating costs of the Model State-Supported AHEC Program.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Project periods
are limited up to 3 years.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
A Uniform Summary Progress report must be submitted annually. A
financial status report must be submitted within 90 days after the
end of each budget period. Final progress and financial reports
must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the project period.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. 133 (Revised,
June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit
Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance
of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities
that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted
in Circular No. A-133. In addition, grants and cooperative agreements
are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal
government officials.
Records:
Financial records must be kept available for 3 years after submission
of final financial status report and 3 years after final disposition
of nonexpendable property. If questions remain, such as those
raised as a result of audit, records must be retained until the
matter is resolved.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 75-0350-0-1-550.
Obligations:
FY 01 $9,090,667; FY 02 est $9,000,000; and FY 03 est $0.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
For fiscal year 2001, $78,168 to $703,509; Average: $384,825.
In fiscal year 2001, 14 continuations and 13 competing awards were
made. It is estimated that 19 continuations 9 competing awards will
be made in fiscal year 2002. No awards are estimated for fiscal
year 2003.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Pertinent information may be obtained by contacting the Bureau of
Health Professions Grants Office, Grants Management Branch, Room
8C-26, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD. Telephone number (301)
443-6880.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Not applicable.
Headquarters
Office: Program Contact: Louis D. Coccodrilli,
Chief, AHEC Branch, Division of State Community and Public Health,
Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration,
Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services,
Room 9-105, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD
20857. Telephone: (301) 443-6950. Grants Management Contact: Mark
Wheeler, Grants Management Officer, Bureau of Health Professions,
Health Resources and Services Administration, Public Health Service,
Department of Health and Human Services, Room 8C-26, Parklawn
Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301)
443-6880. Use the same number for FTS.
Web
Site Address: http://www.hrsa.gov/bhpr
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Awards are made to a school of medicine or osteopathic medicine
that is operating an area health education center program and that
is not receiving financial assistance under Section 751(a)(2) of
the PHS Act to encourage State coordination and support for AHEC
community-based primary care training activities.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Applications are reviewed by nonfederal consultants who make recommendations
to the Secretary of the Department. The Secretary will approve projects
which best promote the purposes of Section 751(a)(1) and (a)(2).
Review Criteria: The following review criteria apply to the Basic/Core
AHEC Programs, section 751(a)(1) and the Model State-Sponsored AHEC
Programs, section 751(a)(2). The review of applications will take
into consideration the following criteria: (1) The degree to which
the proposed project adequately provides for the program requirements
set forth in sections 751(a)(1) and 751(a)(2); (2) the capability
of the applicant to carry out the proposed project activities in
a cost-efficient manner; (3) the extent of the need of the area
to be served by the proposed area health education center; (4) the
potential of the proposed AHEC program and participating centers
to continue on a self-sustaining basis; and (5) the extent to which
the proposed project adequately responds to AHEC program performance
measures and outcome indicators.
