FAQs BHWET HRSA 21 089 FINAL_FAQs.pdf

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Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Professionals

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (FAQs) Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-21-089

Application Submission

1. QUESTION: How can I obtain a copy of the full notice of funding opportunity

(NOFO)?

ANSWER: The HRSA-21-089 Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Professionals Program NOFO is posted at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=HRSA-21-089 Click on the “Package” tab, then choose “Preview.” When the window pops up, choose the Download Instructions button. You will then have access to the NOFO as a PDF file.

2. QUESTION: I am having trouble printing the NOFO. Can you help me?

ANSWER: For assistance accessing the NOFO, click on the “Package” tab, then choose “Preview.” When the window pops up, choose the Download Instructions button. You will then have access to the NOFO as a PDF file. For additional assistance please contact GRANTS.GOV Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726, or support@grants.gov

3. QUESTION: Do all attachments count toward the page limit?

ANSWER: Yes, all non-OMB required attachments count toward the page limit.

We encourage applicants to print your application in its entirety including the attachment to ensure that you do not exceed the 75-page limit. If an application exceeds the page limit, it may be considered non-responsive and it will not go forward for panel review.

Table of Contents I. Application Submission Page 1 II. Applicant Eligibility Page 3 III. Accreditation Page 4 IV. Use of BHWET Funds

a. Infrastructure Page 5

b. Stipends/Tuition Support Page 6

V. Internships and Field Placements Page 9 VI. Funding Preference and Priority Page 11 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=HRSA-21-089 mailto:support@grants.gov?subject=GRANTS.GOV%20Support%20Center

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4. QUESTION: Where do I find instructions about font size and other format requirements?

ANSWER: You can find formatting instructions in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide. The Guide can be found at:

https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf-424-app-guide.pdf.

5. QUESTION: Are Letters of Support required for this grant application?

ANSWER: Letters of Support should be submitted as applicable in Attachment

10. See page 22 of the NOFO for more details.

6. QUESTION: If an attachment is not applicable, should we skip that number in the attachment section or renumber the attachments?

ANSWER: Please do not renumber the attachments. Attachments should be submitted with the same numbers as specified in the NOFO.

7. QUESTION: The SF424 R&R Application Packet has a section on human subjects.

Is this required for this grant?

ANSWER: HRSA-21-089 is a training grant and there are no human subject requirements for this funding.

8. QUESTION: What should the logic model include?

ANSWER: Per the NOFO (page 14), a logic model is a one-page diagram that presents the conceptual framework for a proposed project and explains the links among program elements. A logic model must contain the activities and processes and must summarize the connections between the goals of the project, assumptions, inputs, target population, activities, outputs, and outcomes.

Additional information on developing logic models can be found at the following website: https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/docs/logic_model.pdf.

9. QUESTION: Can an application have more than one Program Director/Program

Investigator?

ANSWER: HRSA only recognizes one Program Director/Program Investigator, who will be accountable to HRSA. However, applicants can identify multiple key personnel in their proposal.

https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf-424-app-guide.pdf https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf-424-app-guide.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/docs/logic_model.pdf

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Applicant Eligibility

10. QUESTION: Our University consists of 10 separate campuses. Each campus is a degree granting institution (2-year or 4-year degrees) with its own unique DUNS number, but shares the same EIN number. Are we limited to one application for the entire system or one application per DUNS number for each separate campus?

ANSWER: Multiple applications from an organization are not allowable. An organization is defined by having a valid Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number or Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Where multiple programs within your organization are interested in applying under this funding announcement, you may collaborate across programs to submit a single application.

11. QUESTION: Are undergraduate programs, including social work, eligible to apply for this or is this grant focused on graduate-level students?

ANSWER: Undergraduate programs are not eligible for this funding opportunity.

Please continue to monitor GRANTS.GOV for opportunities relevant to undergraduate programs. https://www.grants.gov/search-grants.html

12. QUESTION: Can current BHWET grantees apply for funding under the FY 2021 BHWET program?

ANSWER: Yes. Per the NOFO, current FY 2017 BHWET grant recipients are eligible to apply. Existing BHWET grantees applying for the FY 2021 BHWET Professionals NOFO should apply as competing continuations. There are no progress report addendums required for these applications.

13. QUESTION: “All current grant recipients funded under the FY 2017 BHWET

Program NOFO are eligible to apply.” Does this mean that an entity MUST be a current grant recipient in 2017 to be eligible for this opportunity?

ANSWER: No, this NOFO is open to all eligible entities. Please see the eligibility requirements for professional programs.

14. QUESTION: Can a university combine two disciplines within one application (e.g., master’s program in counseling psychology and a psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioners program)? Or, would they need to be submitted as two separate applications?

ANSWER: Applicants can apply as single entities that include multidisciplinary training OR applicants can apply as a collaborative program. All applicants must demonstrate interprofessional collaboration in their proposals. For example, a particular program within an institution may apply as a sole grantee and https://www.grants.gov/search-grants.html

4 | P a g e demonstrate in its application the ways in which trainings are interdisciplinary (e.g. School of Social Work applies for funding asking for financial support for MSW students, and proposes training opportunities with the Psychology Department). Alternatively, two or more programs may partner on all aspects of the application (e.g. School of Social Work and Psychology Department apply together asking for financial support for both MSW students and psychology interns, and propose trainings for both groups on selected topics). Remember, institutions with the same Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number or Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) can only submit a single application.

15. QUESTION: Are Doctoral-level occupational therapy programs eligible?

ANSWER: No. The BHWET program funds master’s programs in Occupational Therapy only.

16. QUESTION: Can pharmacy residents participate in this grant program?

ANSWER: No. Pharmacy programs are not eligible for this funding opportunity.

17. QUESTION: Our Graduate nursing program has a post-master's certificate entry into our Psych Mental Health NP program - would these students be eligible?

ANSWER: No, certificate programs are not eligible for this NOFO.

18. QUESTION: Page 5 of the NOFO under Eligible Applicants does not mention speech and language programs. May students in Speech and Language receive trainee support?

ANSWER: No. Speech and Language programs are not identified in the NOFO and are not eligible.

Accreditation

19. QUESTION: Do individual programs have to have specialized accreditation to apply?

ANSWER: Per the NOFO, applicants must be actively accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body, as specified by the U.S. Department of Education (see: https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/).

20. Are MSW programs that have received initial accreditation with a progress report eligible to apply?

ANSWER: Yes. Applicants should include a statement identifying that the program is accredited on contingency. You should also include current https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

5 | P a g e accreditation documents and must submit updated documents as they become available.

21. QUESTION: We are in the process of applying for American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation, but we will not have our official APA accreditation letter until after the NOFO deadline. Can we still apply?

ANSWER: Applicants must be accredited at the time of their application submission and must provide documentation of their institution’s APA accreditation letter as Attachment 6. However, if programs are in the process of applying for APA accreditation, and are APA- accredited on contingency, they may apply. A statement identifying the program is accredited on contingency must be included in the application.

22. QUESTION: I see that DSW programs are eligible for the BHWET Professionals

Program. However, DSW programs are not accredited currently as this process is still in the pilot phase. What documentation should I show in order to be able to apply?

ANSWER: A statement identifying the program is accredited on contingency must be included in the application.

Use of Funds - Infrastructure

23. QUESTION: Is health insurance for trainees an allowable expense?

ANSWER: Yes. Health insurance is allowable as a trainee-related expense under the Professional Track. However, the trainee health insurance costs should be budgeted out of the 40% cap on administrative and management costs.

24. QUESTION: What allowable costs can be charged to the grant? What percentage of funding can be allocated to administrative and management costs of the program?

ANSWER: Applicants are required to provide a budget, with narrative, where at least 60 percent of the total requested budget per year must be dedicated to stipends only for trainees in final experiential training (internship or field placement). All other costs, including indirect, must be budgeted out of the remaining 40 percent.

Please Note: 60 percent of the total requested per year is for stipends ONLY. All other requested participant support costs must be budgeted out of administration and program management.

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No more than 40 percent administrative and management of the program may be dedicated to recipient activities (e.g. Project staff time, travel, subawards, other participant support costs, indirect costs, etc).

25. QUESTION: We are a state university. Would we use our negotiated cost agreement rate or the 8%?

ANSWER: Institutions of Higher Education, whether private or public, are restricted to the 8% training grant indirect cost rate.

26. QUESTION: Is the training grant for behavioral health targeted to existing programs or can funds be used to help establish a new track?

ANSWER: The BHWET Program places special emphasis on establishing or expanding internships or field placement programs in behavioral health that include interdisciplinary training for: 1) students/interns, 2) faculty, and 3) field supervisors to provide quality behavioral health services to communities in need.

New experiential learning tracks can be established within already existing programs.

27. QUESTION: Could funds be used to develop a new program, which would include internships? Or, must the program already be in place and funds used to expand it?

ANSWER: No. Per the NOFO, applicants must be accredited at the time of their application submission and provide documentation of their institution’s accreditation letter as Attachment 6. However, if programs are in the process of applying for APA accreditation, and are APA- accredited on contingency, they may apply. A statement identifying the program is accredited on contingency must be included in the application. Otherwise, funds cannot be used to develop a completely new program.

Use of Funds - Stipends/Tuition Support

28. QUESTION: Does 60 percent for Professionals include just stipends or does it include salaries and fringe benefits as well?

ANSWER: Per the NOFO, professional applicants are required to provide a budget with no less than sixty (60) percent of a recipient’s overall requested budget per year dedicated to and distributed as stipends to trainees in internships/field placements. The 60 percent allotted for stipends is for stipends only. The stipend is to support living expenses and not student travel, materials and supplies. If a grantee wishes to fund student/intern support costs in addition to the stipend, these need to be included in the 40 percent of funding available for administrative and management of the program. Allowable participant/trainee supports costs include health insurance, travel, and training-related expenses such

7 | P a g e as attendance at professional conferences. Fringe benefits for trainees are not allowable.

29. QUESTION: What is the supported level of stipend for trainees?

ANSWER: The required minimum stipend amount of: $10,000 per master’s-level student; $25,000 per doctoral-level student in psychology or school psychology practicum for 10 or more hours per week per academic semester for two semesters or doctoral level social work student; $28,352 per doctoral-level psychology intern, or psychiatric nursing intern; and $47,844 per post-doctoral psychology fellow, psychiatry resident, and behavioral pediatric resident.

30. QUESTION: Can stipend money we receive through this NOFO be used to support existing slots that are currently funded under the FY17 BHWET awards?

ANSWER: Yes, if existing training slots are supported via federal funding that will end in FY 2021 (e.g. FY17 BHWET funds), it is acceptable to fund these training slots as well as new training slots with the stipend portion of this NOFO.

31. QUESTION: Can stipend money we receive through this NOFO be used to support existing slots that are funded from non-federal sources?

ANSWER: No, this would be considered supplanting of federal funds. Federal funds awarded are intended to supplement normal activities, not supplant activities already funded by non-federal resources. Any existing training slots that are currently funded from non-federal sources must continue to be funded via the existing sources, per Maintenance of Effort requirements (see section III. 3. of the NOFO).

32. QUESTION: What is meant by “per geographic reimbursement requirement set by the application association”?

ANSWER: Per the NOFO, stipend support for doctoral-level psychiatry, psychology and school psychology students is $28,352 per year. This is a fixed amount. The APPIC requires APA-accredited internships provide a stipend per psychology intern that is consistent with regional standards, equal among all trainees, and stated clearly in advance (e.g., through promotional materials, the APPIC Directory). Any regional standard above the stipend must be covered by the grant recipient using non-federal funding, must be specified in the budget narrative justification, and will be a part of the approved budget.

33. QUESTION: If graduate physician trainees (residents in pediatrics or psychiatry) were to receive stipends through this grant, the stipend would be well below the standard rate of compensation for that level of education. Is it correct that the remainder of their stipend could not be funded through federal Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding?

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ANSWER: The doctoral-level pediatric and psychiatry residents will receive $47,844 per year in stipend support. This is a fixed amount. Where applicable, the difference between the post-doctoral pediatric or psychiatry residency fixed amount of $47,844 and any regional standard above the stipend must be covered by the grant recipient using non-federal funding and must include a written statement in the budget narrative justification. Other federal funds cannot be used to fund the remainder of the stipend amount.

34. QUESTION: Can we adjust the timeline so that we are recruiting in the 2021-2022 year with the internship occurring in 2022-2023?

ANSWER: No, the timeline of the project cannot be changed. The application budget must include 60 percent in stipends budgeted per year of the project. However, trainees can be appointed anytime during a budget period for an entire six or 12 month period. In doing so, the entire six or 12-month stipend is obligated/committed to the current year.

Thus, an internship that begins in January of 2022 during the year 1 budget period may extend beyond the budget period end date. Since the entire stipend is obligated/ committed at the time of the appointment, the stipend amount committed but not yet expended at the end of the budget period should be reported as an unliquidated obligation on the annual Federal Financial Report.

35. QUESTION: Are stipends for the students taxed?

ANSWER: HRSA cannot provide tax advice. There is a paragraph about this in the Grants Policy Statement (P. II-109). We encourage all applicants and grantees to become familiar with the HHS Grants Policy Statement, which can be found on HRSA’s website on the grants tab under resources or at http://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf.

36. QUESTION: Are the stipends included in the modified direct total cost calculation for the 8% (F&A)?

ANSWER: Yes. The 8% training rate allows stipends in the base calculation.

Direct cost amounts for equipment, tuition and fees, and subawards and subcontracts in excess of $25,000 are excluded from the direct cost base for purposes of this calculation.

37. QUESTION: Does it matter how stipends are paid to students —as financial aid toward tuition or as salary?

ANSWER: Recipients must follow their institutional policies and procedures to process the stipend payment. The NOFO stated stipend levels are fixed and are http://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf

9 | P a g e provided to trainees to defray the cost of living during their field placements. The provision of stipends does not establish an employer-employee relationship between grantees and interns, and therefore stipends are not paid as a fee for service. In addition, a statement must be included in the student commitment letter that speaks to the trainees understanding that receipt of the stipend may impact the student’s financial aid.

38. QUESTION: May a student who receives a stipend also receive a scholarship for tuition or health insurance from other sources?

ANSWER: Yes, students may receive funds from other non-federal sources, provided this supplementation does not require any additional obligation from the trainee. An organization can determine the amount of stipend supplementation, if any, it will provide according to its own formally established policies governing stipend support. These policies must be consistently applied to all individuals in a similar status regardless of the source of funds.

Internships and Field Placements

39. QUESTION: We would be able to accommodate additional interns with this funding. Would we need to request funding for multiple students or do we need to apply for multiple grants per student?

ANSWER: Applicants may apply to support multiple interns in one application.

Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $480,000 per year. No less than 60 percent of a grantee’s overall budget per year must be used for stipends to students in field placement or internships.

40. QUESTION: We are anticipating partnering with multiple training sites. Should we list all of these sites within Table 1 Attachment 4, or only select a few sites to highlight?

ANSWER: The applicant must list all of the partnering sites in Table 1 submitted with Attachment 4.

41. QUESTION: How many partnering sites that are located in high need and high demand areas are required in order to receive 5 points?

ANSWER: As stated in page 27 of the NOFO, applicants that partner with at least one training site located in a high need and high demand area will receive 5 points if:

• The experiential training site(s) is/are located in Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) or is/are located in Facility Mental

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Health HPSAs with a score of 16 or above as found in the HPSA Find tool (https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/hpsa-find ) OR

• The experiential training site(s) is/are located within a geographical area considered rural as defined by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) as found in the Am I Rural tool https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/am-i-rural.

The applicant must list all of the partnering sites in Table 1 submitted with Attachment 4.

42. QUESTION: What needs to be included in the student letter of commitment?

ANSWER: All applicants, regardless of discipline, must include as Attachment 8, a sample student letter of commitment. Please refer to page 22 of the NOFO for the student commitment letter requirements.

43. QUESTION: The budget period start date is after the beginning of our academic year start. Can we include students in our cohort who begin training in May 2021?

ANSWER: This award is under expanded authority (see Part IV of the HHS GPS). A recipient may, at its own risk and without OPDIV prior approval, incur obligations and expenditures to cover costs up to (and including) 90 days before the beginning date of the initial budget period of a new or competing continuation award if such costs (a) are necessary to conduct the project or program, and (b) would be allowable under the grant, if awarded. However, even if authorized as an expanded authority, if a specific expenditure would otherwise require prior approval, the cost or activity must meet the same tests of allowability as if incurred after award.

44. QUESTION: What does the student support disbursement plan need to include?

ANSWER: Per the NOFO, applicants must include a disbursement plan for the provision of stipend support for professional students/interns for the required field placement/internship. The content of the disbursement plan is determined by the applicant.

45. QUESTION: Can grant funds be used to train current interns with new skills or do we need to recruit new interns?

ANSWER: Participants may not concurrently receive scholarships or stipends from HRSA and another similar federal award. The only exceptions are federal educational loans and education remuneration from the VA (GI Bill).

Additionally, participants (completers) who have already received a stipend from BWHET (HRSA-17-070) are not eligible to receive a stipend under HRSA-21-

089. Stipends may be supplemented by an organization from non-federal funds provided the supplementation does not require any additional obligation from the https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/hpsa-find https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/am-i-rural https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/am-i-rural

11 | P a g e participant. However, this must in accordance with institutional policy and be consistently applied. Under no circumstances may HRSA funds be used for stipend supplementation to another HRSA award.

46. QUESTION: Is there a required number of clinical hours for the students to complete in a behavioral health setting?

ANSWER: The NOFO does not require a specific number of clinical hours.

What is required is the length of the field placement, which should be a minimum of six months and no more than 12 consecutive months. Eligible students must be enrolled in their last year of experiential field placement prior to graduation, not the first-year practicum.

47. QUESTION: What type of integration with primary care are you looking for in these internship placements?

ANSWER: The levels of integration maybe varied among internship sites. An explanation in your application is required of how you are exposing your students to integrated behavioral health in primary care settings. We encourage you to use SAMHSA’s models of integrated care to describe the level of integration of your internship sites. http://www.integration.samhsa.gov/integrated-care-models

Funding Preference and Priority

48. QUESTION: Is there a funding preference for this NOFO?

ANSWER: This funding opportunity includes a funding preference for any qualified applicant above the 20th percentile of proposals that have been recommended for approval by peer review groups that: 1) Has a high rate for placing graduates in practice settings having the principle focus of serving residents of medically underserved communities; or 2) During the 2-year period preceding the fiscal year for which such an award is sought, has achieved a significant increase in the rate of placing graduates in such settings.

In order to qualify for the funding preference, you must provide supporting information and data in Attachment 12. Please clearly indicate in the Project Abstract the funding preference for which you are applying. Refer to Section V.2 of this funding opportunity for detailed information on qualifying for a funding preference.

49. QUESTION: My organization graduated or completed fewer than three classes.

Can we still qualify for a funding preference?

ANSWER: New programs that meet at least four of the criteria described in the Funding Preference section of the NOFO shall qualify for a funding preference.

http://www.integration.samhsa.gov/integrated-care-models

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50. QUESTION: How do I meet the funding priority?

ANSWER: In order to qualify under this priority, as a part of Attachment 12, applicants must submit any supporting information and data as evidence that they have trained psychology, psychiatry, and social work professionals to work in integrated care settings.

51. QUESTION: When determining funding priority, what is meant by "graduates"?

Can we provide employment data from previous HRSA BHWET graduates only, or do we need to provide employment data on all graduates from our school as a whole, including those who never received a BHWET grant?

ANSWER: Employment data for all of your graduates should be submitted to determine funding priority.

52. QUESTION: If an institution does not qualify under a funding priority or preference, does that leave us at a significant disadvantage for submitting a competitive application?

ANSWER: Per the NOFO, applications that do not receive a funding preference will be given full and equitable consideration during the review process.