HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
AUTHORIZATION:
Public Health Service Act, Title VII, Section 754, 42
U.S.C. 294p, as amended; Health Professions Education Partnerships Act of
1998, Public Law 105-392.
The goal of this program is to provide or improve access
to health care in rural areas. Specifically, projects funded under this
authority shall be designed to: (a) Use new and innovative methods to train
health care practitioners to provide services in rural areas; (b) demonstrate
and evaluate innovative interdisciplinary methods and models designed to
provide access to cost-effective comprehensive health care; (c) deliver health
care services to individuals residing in rural areas; (d) enhance the amount
of relevant research conducted concerning health care issues in rural areas;
and (e) increase the recruitment and retention of health care practitioners
from rural areas and make rural practice a more attractive career choice for
health care practitioners.
TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Grant funds are awarded to eligible applicants to carry out their
interdisciplinary training projects using various methods, including student
stipends, post-doctoral fellowships, faculty training, and the purchase or
rental of transportation and telecommunication equipment where appropriate to
the rural area.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant Eligibility: Applications will be accepted
from health professions schools, academic health centers, State or local
governments or other appropriate public or private nonprofit entities for
funding and participation in health professions and nursing training
activities. Applications shall be jointly submitted by at least two eligible
entities with the express purpose of assisting individuals in academic
institutions in establishing long-term collaborative relationships with health
care providers in rural areas. Applicants must designate a rural health care
agency or agencies for clinical treatment or training hospitals, community
health centers, migrant health centers, rural health clinics, community
behavioral and mental health centers, long-term care facilities, Native
Hawaiian health centers or facilities operated by the Indian Health Service or
an Indian Tribe organization or Indian organization under a contract with the
Indian Health Service under the Indian Self Determination Act.
Beneficiary Eligibility: The beneficiaries of
this program are health professions students and faculty, health care
practitioners already working in rural areas, and underserved rural
communities seeking to recruit and retain health care providers. Not more than
10 percent of the individuals receiving training shall be trained as doctors
of medicine or osteopathic medicine.
Credentials/Documentation: Institutional
applicants must document their staff, curriculum, facilities, rural clinical
training affiliates, and other pertinent resources per application guidelines.
Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State
and local governments. For other grantees, costs will be determined by DHHS
Regulations 45 CFR 74, Subpart Q.
Pre-application Coordination: 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. Application materials are available on the World Wide
Web at address: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/grants2002/index.htm. Click on the file
name you want to download to your computer. It will be saved as a
self-extracting WordPerfect 5.1 file. Once the file is downloaded to the
applicant's PC, it will still be in a compressed state. To decompress the
file, go to the directory where the file has been downloaded and type in the
file name followed by a return. The file will expand into a WordPerfect 5.1
file. Applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain application materials from
the World Wide Web via the Internet. You will need a copy of the Adobe Acrobat
Reader that can be obtained from The Internet on the Adobe Web page (www.adobe.com).
Award Procedure: Notification in writing. A
Notice of Grant Award will be issued from Headquarters Office.
Deadlines: Application deadlines are available on
the World Wide Web at address: http://bhpr.hrsa/gov/grants2002/applications/rural.html.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: From 5 to 6
months from receipt of application.
Appeals: Appeals are available only to grantees.
Renewals: Competitive continuations may be
submitted during the final budget period of the approved project period.
ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula and Matching Requirements: This program has
no statutory formula or matching requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:
Institutional training grants may be awarded for project periods up to 3
years. Awards are made on an annual basis and it is expected that funds will
be expended within each budget period awarded. After awards are issued, funds
are released in accordance with the payment procedure established by the
grantee with DHHS, which may be an Electronic Transfer System or a Monthly
Cash Request System.
POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports: Uniform Summary progress reports must be
submitted annually. Financial status reports are required within 90 days after
the end of each budget period. A final progress report and financial status
report must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the project period.
Audits: In accordance with the provisions of OMB
Circular No. A-133 "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 are
subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal officials.
Records: Financial records must be kept available
for 3 years after submission of financial status report and 3 years after
final disposition of nonexpendable property. If questions remain, such as
those raised as a result of an audit, record must be retained until the
resolution of audit findings.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION:
Account Identification: 75-0350-0-1-550.
Obligations: (Grants) FY 01 $5,644,936; FY 02 est
$6,081,419; and FY 03 est $0.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance: From
$24,415 to $468,345; Average: $209,071.
In fiscal year 2001, 23 continuation awards and 4 new awards were made. In
fiscal year 2002, 21 awards are anticipated. No awards are anticipated for
fiscal year 2003.
REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Pertinent information maybe obtained by contacting the Bureau of Health
Professions Grants Office, Grants Management Branch, Room 8C-26, 5600 Fishers
Lane, Rockville, MD. Telephone: (301) 443-6960.
INFORMATION CONTACTS:
Regional or Local Office: Not applicable.
Headquarters Office: Program Contact: Ms. Marcia
Starbecker, Program Officer, Division of State, Community, and Public Health,
Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration,
Public Health Service, Room 8-103, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane,
Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-6867. Grants Management Contact:
Mark Wheeler, Grants Management Officer, Bureau of Health Professions, Health
Resources and Services Administration, Public Health Service, Room 8C-26,
Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301)
443-6960. Use the same numbers for FTS.
Web Site Address: http://www.hrsa.gov/bhpr
EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Funded programs were jointly sponsored, usually by
academic and rural health care entities; several programs had health
department sponsors. There was no preference as to whether academia took the
lead and worked with rural health care entity or vice versa. Funded programs
involved three or more of the eligible health care disciplines. Emphasis was
on opportunities for providing clinical services in rural areas and efforts to
promote rural practice options.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
All applications will be evaluated by peer reviewers to
determine the extent to which the applicant documents the following criteria:
(1) the need for the proposed project; (2) the potential effectiveness of the
proposed project in carrying out the education; (3) the potential
effectiveness of the proposed project and expected outcomes; (4) the
methodology includes a clearly articulated project plan; (5) the curriculum
adequately addresses interdisciplinary training of health care practitioner
from two or more disciplines; (6) the plan to recruit and select qualified
trainees with a significant interest or background in rural health care; (7)
the plan for project management describes as well qualified faculty,
institutional and community support; (8) the fiscal plan for assuring
effective use of grant funds.
