oppHRSA-18-017-cfda93.516-cidHRSA-18-017-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Bureau of Health Workforce Division of Nursing and Public Health

Regional Public Health Training Centers (PHTC) Program

Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-18-017

Funding Opportunity Type: New

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 93.516

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Fiscal Year 2018

Application Due Date: January 19, 2018

Ensure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and passwords are current immediately!

Deadline extensions are not granted for lack of registration.

Registration in all systems, including SAM.gov and Grants.gov, may take up to 1 month to complete.

Issuance Date: November 14, 2017

Michael L. Jenkins, Jr., MPH, CHES Social Scientist Division of Nursing and Public Health Email: RegionalPHTCNOFO@hrsa.gov Telephone: (301) 443-1057

Authority: Public Health Service Act, Section 766 (42 U.S.C. 295a) mailto:RegionalPHTCNOFO@hrsa.gov

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW), Division of Nursing and Public Health is accepting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2018 Regional Public Health Training Centers Program. The purpose of this program is to increase the number of individuals in the public health workforce, enhance the quality of this workforce, and improve the ability of the workforce to meet national, state, and local health care needs. This program aims to strengthen the public health workforce through tailored training and technical assistance involving collaborative, community-based projects involving state and local health departments, primary care providers, and related organizations (to include non-traditional partners) to help them work together to address critical local public health needs.

Although the Regional Public Health Training Centers are intended to build the capacity of the public health workforce, recipients are well-positioned to address the clinical priorities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) including mental health, opioid abuse, and childhood obesity.

The FY 2018 President’s Budget does not request funding for this program. This notice is a contingency action taken to ensure that, should funds become available for this purpose, applications can be processed, and funds awarded in a timely manner. You should note that this program may be cancelled prior to award recommendations.

Funding Opportunity Title: Regional Public Health Training Centers

(PHTC) Program Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-18-017 Due Date for Applications: January 19, 2018 Anticipated Total Annual Available FY18 Funding:

$9,100,000

Estimated Number and Type of Award(s): Up to 10 Cooperative Agreements Estimated Award Amount: Between a maximum of $780,000 to

$1,105,000 per year of the 4-year period of performance, depending on the region served

Cost Sharing/Match Required: No Project Period/Period of Performance: July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2022

(4 years)

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Eligible Applicants: Accredited schools of public health or another public or private nonprofit institutions accredited for the provision of graduate or specialized training in public health.

For-profit entities are not eligible under this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).

See Section III-1 of this NOFO, formerly known as the funding opportunity announcement (FOA), for complete eligibility information.

Application Guide

You (the applicant organization/agency) are responsible for reading and complying with the instructions included in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide, available online at http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf, except where instructed in this NOFO to do otherwise. A short video explaining the Application Guide is available at http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/.

Technical Assistance

The following technical assistance webinar has been scheduled to help you understand, prepare, and submit an application for this NOFO. The webinar is scheduled for:

Day and Date: Thursday, December 7, 2018 Time: 1:00 p. m.– 3:00 p.m. ET Call-In Number: 1-888-324-9557 Participant Code: 9872141 Web link: https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/fy18_phtc_nofo/ Playback Number: 1-866-351-5759 http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/

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Table of Contents

I. PROGRAM FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

1. PURPOSE

2. BACKGROUND

II. AWARD INFORMATION

1. TYPE OF APPLICATION AND AWARD

2. SUMMARY OF FUNDING

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

2. COST SHARING/MATCHING

3. OTHER ELIGIBILITY LIMITATIONS

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

2. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

i. Project Abstract

ii. Project Narrative

iii. Budget

iv. Budget Justification Narrative

v. Attachments

3. DUN AND BRADSTREET DATA UNIVERSAL NUMBERING SYSTEM (DUNS) NUMBER AND SYSTEM

FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

4. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

5. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

6. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. REVIEW CRITERIA

2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

3. ASSESSMENT OF RISK AND OTHER PRE-AWARD ACTIVITIES

4. ANTICIPATED ANNOUNCEMENT AND AWARD DATES

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. AWARD NOTICES

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

3. REPORTING

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

IX. TIPS FOR WRITING A STRONG APPLICATION

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I. Program Funding Opportunity Description

1. Purpose

This notice solicits applications for the Regional Public Health Training Centers (PHTC) Program.

Program Purpose

The Regional PHTC Program seeks to increase the number of individuals in the public health workforce, enhance the quality of this workforce, and improve the ability of this workforce to meet national, state, and local health care needs. Specifically this program aims to strengthen the public health workforce through tailored training and technical assistance involving collaborative, community-based projects. Training curricula will provide skill-based, interactive instruction and quality education using multiple modalities (i.e., synchronous, asynchronous, distance-based, bi-directional video), underscoring the following eight cross-cutting core public health competency domains in the primary areas of (1) systems thinking, (2) change management, and (3) persuasive communication; and secondary areas of (4) data analytics, (5) problem solving,

(6) training a “health work force [sic] that reflects and responds to the cultural diversity of populations served” as supported by section 766(b)(1),1 (7) resource management, and (8) policy engagement. Each PHTC must develop trainings in the three primary areas and may develop trainings in the secondary areas and beyond based on the results from local health needs assessments. Among the local health needs, recipients are encouraged to consider addressing the clinical priorities of the HHS including mental health, opioid abuse, and childhood obesity. Moreover, the program aims to establish and enhance collaborative partnerships among state and local health departments, primary care providers, and related organizations (to include non-traditional partners) as they work together to address critical local public health needs.

Program Requirements Regional PHTCs are required to fulfill the following statutory requirements:

1. Designate a geographic area or medically underserved population to be served by the Center, located apart from the teaching facility of the school that is participating in the program with this Center;

2. Involve faculty members and students in collaborative projects to enhance public health services to medically underserved communities to better address issues related to the social determinants of health;

3. Assess the health personnel needs of the area to be served by the center by assessing the real-time public health issues, health personnel needs, and training gaps of the area to be served by the Center and assist in the planning and development of training programs to meet these needs. Again, applicants are encouraged to consider addressing the clinical priorities of HHS including mental health, opioid abuse, and childhood obesity; and

1 The Healthy People 2000 (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hp2000/hp2k01-acc.pdf) supports efforts to increase access to needed services by (1) fostering community-based, integrated systems of care that better respond to the community’s needs; and (2) supporting the development of a health work force that reflects and responds to the cultural diversity of populations served. These activities support this goal in accordance with section 766(b)(1).

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hp2000/hp2k01-acc.pdf

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4. Establish or strengthen field placements for students at public or nonprofit health agencies or organizations, including hospitals, community-based health care facilities, and non-traditional health care settings.

The Regional PHTC Program will comprise a national program that serves all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the six U.S. Pacific Jurisdictions. Each Regional PHTC will encompass a defined service area to include one of the regions identified in of this NOFO. HRSA will fund up to 10 PHTCs—no more than one in each HHS region—to ensure that the United States and its territories and jurisdictions have access to public health workforce education and training. You must select no more than one region to support in your application and you must agree to support the public health workforce education and training needs across the entire region for the full 4-year period of performance.

Funding Preference This funding opportunity includes a preference for any applicant that is a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) accredited school of public health. If you are seeking to obtain the funding preference, please clearly indicate in the Project Abstract that you wish to apply and provide accreditation documentation in Attachment 1. For more information see Section V.2

2. Background

This program is authorized by Section 766 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 295a).

Public health professionals work in a rapidly changing health care environment where public health roles and activities are being revised and refined. These forces and events are challenging the skills and abilities of the public health professionals currently employed in state, tribal, and local public health agencies. To deliver essential, quality and integrative services, professionals will need to develop a “broader set of skills and knowledge”.2

Despite improvements in public health workforce development and training, gaps in competency and training persist. Based on a recent analysis, the most critical competency gaps and training opportunities are policy analysis and development, business and financial management, systems thinking and social determinants of health, evidence-based public health practice, and collaborating with and engaging diverse communities.3 Reports indicate that using technology to develop innovative collaborative learning experiences can lead to improvements in knowledge and skills, and enhance a sense of community in learning. There is an “urgent need to equip the people currently working in state public health programs and those who will be entering

2 deBeaumont Foundation. (2017). Building Skills for a More Strategic Public Health Workforce: A Call to Action. Available at: http://www.debeaumont.org/consortiumreport/ 3 deBeaumont Foundation, & astho. (n.d.). Information to Action: The Workforce Data of Public Health WINS. Available at: http://www.astho.org/phwins/Key-Findings/ http://www.debeaumont.org/consortiumreport/ http://www.astho.org/phwins/Key-Findings/

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public health with the knowledge and skills necessary” to promote public health programs.4

Since 1999, the Regional Public Health Training Centers Program funding has supported ongoing professional development and training for public health workers to ensure they are prepared to handle evolving public health needs in communities, their skills are kept up-to-date, and they have opportunities for career advancement. Revised for FY 2018, the current program moves away from the establishment of Local Performance Sites (LPS), and allows the PHTCs to develop Community Based Training (CBT) Partnerships (for definition see Other Information Section) and improve training by working more closely with regional partners to better assess overall community health needs, workforce trainings needs, and develop more comprehensive and robust trainings that best serve the workforce in accomplishing their job duties and serving the community.

New and innovative ways to provide training and education are needed. Although much of this work is incumbent upon health department leadership to establish a culture of learning and encourage continuing education and training opportunities, PHTCs have a pivotal role in training the current and future workforce through pioneering new training content and delivery methods through the strategic CBT Partnerships.

Program Definitions

Program Definitions A full listing of definitions of key terms relevant to this notice can be found in Section VIII. A glossary containing general definitions for terms used can be located at the Health Workforce Glossary.

II. Award Information

1. Type of Application and Award

Type(s) of applications sought: New

HRSA will provide funding in the form of a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is a financial assistance mechanism where substantial involvement is anticipated between HRSA and the recipient during performance of the contemplated project.

HRSA program involvement will include:

1) Make available the services of experienced HRSA personnel as participants in the planning and development of all phases of the project;

2) Provide ongoing input and review of activities and procedures to be established and implemented for accomplishing the goals of the cooperative agreement;

4 National Network of Public Health Institutes. (2016). Advancing Online Public Health Training Systems:

Challenges and Opportunities. Available at: https://nnphi.org/resource/advancing-online-public-health-training-systems-challenges-opportunities/ https://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/resourcecenter/glossary https://nnphi.org/resource/advancing-online-public-health-training-systems-challenges-opportunities/ https://nnphi.org/resource/advancing-online-public-health-training-systems-challenges-opportunities/

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3) Participate, as appropriate, in meetings or site visits conducted during the period of the cooperative agreement;

4) Review project information prior to dissemination;

5) Assist the Regional PHTCs to enhance or develop a network among other

HRSA- and HHS-funded programs, as well as with external stakeholders, to disseminate resources, best practices, and lessons learned;

6) Provide assistance and referral in the establishment and facilitation of effective collaborative relationships with federal and state agencies, HRSA grant projects and resource centers, and other entities that may be relevant to the project’s mission;

7) Provide programmatic input and consultation for development and delivery of training and technical assistance;

8) Collaborate with awardees to develop and implement assessment and evaluation strategies;

9) Provide information resources; and

10) Participate in the dissemination of project activities and products.

The cooperative agreement recipient’s responsibilities will include:

1) Administrative activities including:

a. Collaborating and communicating in a timely manner with the HRSA project officer; and

b. Participating in ongoing conference calls and webinars with other Regional

PHTC recipients and HRSA staff.

2) Carrying out all required activities, including those outlined in section 766(c) of the Public Health Service Act including:

a. Establishing or strengthening field placements for students in public or nonprofit private health agencies or organizations;

b. Involving faculty members and students in collaborative projects to enhance public health services to medically underserved communities;

c. Specifically designating a geographic area or medically underserved population to be served by the center that shall be in a location removed from the main location of the teaching facility of the school that is participating in the program with such center; and

d. Assessing the health personnel needs of the area to be served by the center and assist in the planning and development of training programs to meet such needs.

3) Programmatic oversight including:

a. Providing the HRSA project officer with an opportunity to review project information prior to dissemination;

b. Establishing contacts that may be relevant to the project’s mission such as federal and non-federal partners, and other HRSA grant projects;

c. Coordinating activities with other awardees under this NOFO;

d. Working with HRSA to identify collaborative partnerships for community-based training topics and sites.

4) Evaluation activities including:

a. Collaborating with HRSA and other recipients under this NOFO to develop and implement assessment and evaluation strategies; and

b. Partnering with HRSA to evaluate priorities and respond to constituent/field requirements.

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2. Summary of Funding

Approximately $9,100,000 is expected to be available annually to fund approximately 10 recipients. You may apply for a ceiling amount of varying amounts depending on the specific HHS region you are applying to serve, total cost (includes both direct and indirect, facilities and administrative costs) per year (see Award Ceiling Allocation Table below). The actual amount available will not be determined until enactment of the final FY 2018 federal appropriation. The FY 2018 President’s Budget does not request funding for this program. This program notice is subject to the appropriation of funds, and is a contingency action taken to ensure that, should funds become available for this purpose, applications can be processed, and funds can be awarded in a timely manner.

The period of performance is July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2022 (4 years). Funding beyond the first year is dependent on the availability of appropriated funds for the Regional PHTC Program in subsequent fiscal years, satisfactory recipient performance, and a decision that continued funding is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

All HRSA awards are subject to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements at 45 CFR part 75.

Indirect costs under training awards to organizations other than federally recognized Native American or American Indian tribes, state, or local governments will be budgeted and reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement, and are not subject to upward or downward adjustment.

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

You may apply for up to the award ceiling allocated for the specific HHS region you are applying to serve, as follows:

AWARD CEILING ALLOCATION TABLE

Region and States/Territories # of States/ Territories

Award Ceiling Per Year

Region 1: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont 6 $940,000

Region 2: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands 4 $780,000

Region 3: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia 6 $940,000

Region 4: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee 8 $1,105,000

Region 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin 6 $940,000

Region 6: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas 5 $865,000 Region 7: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska 4 $780,000 Region 8: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming 6 $940,000 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=1&SID=4d52364ec83fab994c665943dadf9cf7&ty=HTML&h=L&r=PART&n=pt45.1.75

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Region 9: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam 7 $1,030,000

Region 10: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington 4 $780,000

Student Stipend Support:

At least 10 percent of the award recipient’s overall requested budget (direct and indirect costs) must be used for stipend support, according to the following guidelines:

• $3,500 per student; and

• the minimum number of students involved in field placements must be no less than 15 students per region.

Stipends are subsistence allowances for students to help defray living expenses during the training experience, and are not provided as a condition of employment, or for tuition, fees, health insurance, or other costs associated with the training program.

The stipend amounts that can be charged to the award are fixed. Award recipients may not provide stipends lower than the amount specified above; however, recipients may choose to provide higher stipend amounts by including funds from non-federal sources.

No full-time student is allowed to receive a stipend for participation in a student field placement for more than 1 year, or 12 consecutive months. Part-time students are allowed to participate in student field placements and receive a stipend prorated at one-half of the fixed amount for no more than 2 years or 24 consecutive months.

Technical Assistance Support:

Recipients must provide a formal plan to establish and implement a formal arrangement with an organization/s able to: (1) train and provide technical assistance with regards to marketing and communication assistance, technical writing, data analysis, instructional design consultation, web design, learning management system design and management, etc., and (2) attend and participate in activities such as HRSA and related stakeholder meetings, learning collaboratives, webinars, and other grant-related activities. Allocation to support this activity should be no less than $75,000 of the grant recipient’s total requested budget per year. Details of this allocation must be included in the proposed line item budget and budget justification.

Community Based Training Partnership/s Support:

A CBT Partnership/s may be infused with funding up to $25,000 per funding year to support activities and operations.

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III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include an accredited school of public health, or another public or nonprofit private entity accredited for the provision of graduate or specialized training in public health. Faith-based and community-based organizations, tribes, and tribal organizations may apply for these funds, if otherwise eligible. In addition to the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau may apply.

Tribes and tribal organizations may apply for these funds, if otherwise eligible. Foreign entities are not eligible for this HRSA award.

2. Cost Sharing/Matching

Cost sharing/matching is not required for this program.

3. Other Eligibility Limitations

Ceiling Amount Applications that exceed the ceiling amount (see Award Ceiling Allocation Table) will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered for funding under this notice.

Deadline Any application that fails to satisfy the deadline requirements referenced in Section IV.4 will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered for funding under this notice.

Maintenance of Effort (MOE) The recipient must agree to maintain non-federal funding for award activities at a level that is not less than expenditures for such activities during the fiscal year prior to receiving the award, as required by section 797(b) of the Public Health Service Act.

Complete the MOE document and submit it as Attachment 7 in your application.

Multiple Applications

NOTE: Multiple applications from an organization are not allowable. Only one application per campus, defining a campus as a division of a university that has its own grounds, buildings and faculty.

If for any reason (including submitting to the wrong funding opportunity number or making corrections/updates), an application is submitted more than once prior to the application due date, HRSA will only accept your last validated electronic submission, under the correct funding opportunity number, prior to the Grants.gov application due date as the final and only acceptable application.

Failure to include all required documents as part of the application may result in an application being considered incomplete or non-responsive. Applications received

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without the appropriate tables will be deemed non-responsive to the NOFO and will not be considered for funding under this notice.

Student Eligibility Stipends are only available for:

• Graduate and doctoral students pursuing a degree in a health profession (including psychology, sociology and social work);

o Undergraduate juniors or seniors enrolled in a health profession degree program (e.g., public health, psychology, sociology, and social work) may be considered.

• U.S. citizens, non-citizen U.S. nationals, or foreign nationals holding a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States.

Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible to receive federal funding under this NOFO.

In the event that a student terminates his or her participation from the program prior to the specified end date, the stipend must be prorated according to the amount of time spent in training, and the award recipient must contact HRSA to discuss options for the remaining stipend funds.

Applicant responsibility You must select no more than one region to support in your application, and you must agree to support the public health workforce education and training needs across the entire region for the full 4-year period of performance.

Completeness Failure to include ALL required documents as part of the application will result in an application being considered incomplete or non-responsive.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

HRSA requires you to apply electronically through Grants.gov. You must use the SF- 424 R&R application package associated with this NOFO following the directions provided at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

Effective December 31, 2017 - You must use the Grants.gov Workspace to complete the workspace forms and submit your application workspace package. After this date, you will no longer be able to use PDF Application Packages.

HRSA recommends that you supply an email address to Grants.gov on the grant opportunity synopsis page when accessing the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) (also known as “Instructions” on Grants.gov) or application package. This allows Grants.gov to email organizations that supply an email address in the event the NOFO is changed and/or republished on Grants.gov before its closing date. Responding to an earlier version of a modified notice may result in a less competitive or ineligible http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

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application. Please note, you are ultimately responsible for reviewing the Find Grant Opportunities page for all information relevant to desired opportunities.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Section 4 of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide provides instructions for the budget, budget justification, staffing plan and personnel requirements, assurances, certifications, and abstract. You must submit the information outlined in the SF-424 R&R Application Guide in addition to the program specific information below. You are responsible for reading and complying with the instructions included in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide except where instructed in the NOFO to do otherwise.

Applications must be submitted in the English language and must be in terms of U.S.

dollars (45 CFR § 75.111(a)).

See Section 8.5 of the SF-424 R&R Application Guide for the Application Completeness Checklist.

Application Page Limit The total size of all uploaded files may not exceed the equivalent of 70 pages when printed by HRSA. The page limit includes the abstract, project and budget narratives, attachments including biographical sketches (bio-sketches), and letters of commitment and support required in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide and this NOFO.

Standard OMB-approved forms that are included in the application package do NOT count in the page limitation. Biographical Sketches do count in the page limitation.

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement and proof of non-profit status (if applicable) will not be counted in the page limit. We strongly urge you to take appropriate measures to ensure your application does not exceed the specified page limit.

Applications must be complete, within the specified page limit, and validated by Grants.gov under the correct funding opportunity number prior to the deadline to be considered under this notice.

Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary Exclusion Certification

1) The prospective recipient certifies, by submission of this proposal, that neither it nor its principals is presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal department or agency.

2) Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 45 CFR § 75.371, including suspension or debarment. (See also 2 CFR parts 180, 376, and 31 U.S.C. 3321).

3) Where the prospective recipient is unable to attest to any of the statements in this certification, an explanation shall be included in Attachment 12: Other Relevant Documents.

See Section 4.1 viii of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide for additional information on all certifications.

http://www.grants.gov/search-grants.html http://www.grants.gov/search-grants.html http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf

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Program-Specific Instructions In addition to application requirements and instructions in Section 4 of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide (including the budget, budget justification, staffing plan and personnel requirements, assurances, certifications, and abstract), please include the following:

i. Project Abstract See Section 4.1.ix of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide.

The Abstract must include:

1. A brief overview of the project as a whole;

2. Specific, measurable objectives that the project will accomplish;

3. The HHS region for which the applicant is competing; and,

4. Which of the 3 HHS clinical priorities (mental health, opioid abuse, and/or childhood obesity) will be addressed by the project, if applicable; and

5. How the proposed project will be accomplished, i.e., the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of a project.

ii. Project Narrative

This section provides a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the proposed project. It should be succinct, self-explanatory and well organized so that reviewers can understand the proposed project.

Successful applications will contain the information below. Please use the following section headers for the narrative:

PURPOSE AND NEED -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #1

You must describe the purpose and need for the proposed project, including how you will:

o Specifically designate a geographic area or medically underserved population to be served by the center, including how you will:

o Assess the health personnel needs of the area to be served by the center and assist in the planning and development of training programs to meet such needs.

o Evaluate the regional need/demand for workforce development for public health workers in the identified region.

o Address the needs of the population and/or areas including factors such as socioeconomic status, education gaps, the physical environment, lack of employment, and insufficient social support networks, as well as access to health care.

o Prioritize resources to provide training and education to health professions students, and frontline public health workers and middle managers in in medically underserved communities.

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RESPONSE TO PROGRAM PURPOSE -- This section includes three sub-sections

— (a) Work Plan; (b) Methodology/Approach; and (c) Resolution of Challenges—all of which correspond to Section V’s Review Criteria #2 (a), (b), and (c).

(a) WORK PLAN -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #2 (a).

You must provide a detailed work plan that demonstrates your experience implementing a project of the proposed scope as Attachment 2. A sample work plan can be found here:

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/technicalassistance/workplantemplate.docx.

You must:

• Provide a detailed description of the activities or steps you will use to achieve each of the objectives proposed during the entire period of performance.

Describe the timeframes, deliverables, and key partners required during the period of performance to address each of the needs described in the Purpose and Need section. Identify and formally establish CBT Partnerships within the service area, including collaborative educational and training partnerships and linkages among health departments, primary care providers, community organizations (to include non-traditional partners), and other federal agency programs;

Utilize CBT Partnerships to identify regional problems to be addressed and gaps which the proposed project is intended to fill;

Utilize CBT Partnerships to establish or strengthen faculty-student collaborative projects and field placements with a core focus on socio-environmental factors related to local public health needs. This placement should provide structured opportunities and/or experiences to allow the student to apply acquired knowledge and skills in a public health practice setting. Field experiences should culminate with a deliverable of a poster presentation or scientific report that must include the following sections: abstract, introduction, methodology, findings, conclusions and discussion. These deliverables should be shared with HRSA (for a full definition of Student Field Placements, see the Other Information section).

• Explain how the work plan is appropriate for the program design and how the targets fit into the overall timeline of project implementation.

• Identify meaningful support and collaboration with key stakeholders in planning, designing and implementing all activities, including development of the application and, further, the extent to which these contributors reflect the populations and communities served.

• If funds will be sub-awarded or expended on contracts, describe how your organization will ensure the funds are properly documented.

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/technicalassistance/workplantemplate.docx

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(b) METHODOLOGY/APPROACH -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #2 (b).

You must describe your objectives and proposed activities, and provide evidence for how they link to the project purpose and stated needs. Propose methods that you will use to address the stated needs and meet each of the previously described program requirements and expectations in this NOFO. As appropriate, include development of effective tools and strategies for ongoing staff training, outreach, collaborations, clear communication, and information sharing/ dissemination with efforts to involve patients, families and communities, if applicable. If applicable, include a plan to disseminate reports, products, and/or project outputs so project information is provided to key target audiences.

Explain why your project is innovative and provide the context for why it is innovative.

You must submit a logic model for designing and managing the project as part of Attachment 9. A logic model is a one-page diagram that presents the conceptual framework for a proposed project and explains the links among program elements to achieve the relevant outcomes. While there are many versions of logic models, for the purposes of this notice the logic model should summarize the connections between the:

• Goals of the project (e.g., objectives, reasons for proposing the intervention, if applicable);

• Assumptions (e.g., beliefs about how the program will work and support resources. Base assumptions on research, best practices, and experience);

• Inputs (e.g., organizational profile, collaborative partners, key staff, budget, other resources);

• Target population (e.g., the individuals to be served);

• Activities (e.g., approach, listing key intervention, if applicable);

• Outputs (i.e., the direct products or deliverables of program activities); and

• Outcomes (i.e., the results of a program, typically describing a change in people or systems).

(c) RESOLUTION OF CHALLENGES -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #2 (c)

Discuss challenges that you are likely to encounter in designing and implementing the activities described in the work plan, and approaches that you will use to resolve such challenges.

IMPACT -- This section includes two sub-sections— (a) Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity; and (b) Project Sustainability—both of which correspond to Section V’s Review Criteria #3 (a) and (b).

(a) EVALUATION AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT CAPACITY -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #3 (a)

You must describe the plan for program performance evaluation that will contribute to continuous quality improvement. The program performance

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evaluation must monitor ongoing processes and progress toward meeting goals and objectives of the project. Include descriptions of the inputs (e.g., key evaluation staff and organizational support, collaborative partners, budget, and other resources); key processes; variables to be measured; expected outcomes of the funded activities; and a description of how all key evaluative measures will be reported. In the Attachments section (IV.2.v. Attachment 3), you must attach a complete staffing plan and job descriptions for key personnel. Bio sketches of Key Personnel should be uploaded in the SF-424 R&R Senior/Key Person Profile form. You must demonstrate evidence that the evaluative measures selected will be able to assess: 1) the extent to which the program objectives have been met, and 2) the extent to which these can be attributed to the project.

You must also describe the systems and processes that will support your organization's collection of HRSA’s performance measurement requirements for this program. You should describe your capacity to collect required outcome measures such as, but not limited to the:

• Number and type of continuing education courses offered to the current public health workforce;

• Number and demographic characteristics of students participating in field placements coordinated through the cooperative agreement in accordance with section 766(b)(1);

• Number and type of settings used for field placements coordinated through the cooperative agreement;

• Scope, methods and results from annual needs assessments of training needs among the current workforce;

• Scope, methods and results from core competency training course post training evaluation assessments;

• Scope, methods and results from field placements, and faculty-student collaboration projects supported through the cooperative agreement;

• Number and type of collaborations and partnerships established as CBT partnerships through the cooperative agreement; and

• Scope, methods and results CBT Partnership projects supported through the cooperative agreement.

At the following link, you will find the required data forms for this program (OMB # 0915- 0061; Expiration Date: 06/30/2019):

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/reporting/index.html. Describe the data collection strategy to collect, manage, analyze and track data (e.g., assigned skilled staff, data management software) to measure process and impact/ outcomes, and explain how the data will be used to inform program development and service delivery in a way that allows for accurate and timely reporting of performance outcomes. Describe current experience, skills, and knowledge, including individuals on staff, materials published, and previous work of a similar nature.

You must describe any potential obstacles for implementing the program performance evaluation and meeting HRSA’s performance measurement requirements and your plan to address those obstacles. The evaluation and reporting plan also should indicate the feasibility and effectiveness of plans for dissemination of project results, the extent to which project results may be national in scope, and the degree to which the project activities are replicable.

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/grants/reporting/index.html

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You must include a plan for Rapid Cycle Quality Improvement (RCQI) for the continuous monitoring of ongoing project processes, outcomes of implemented activities, and progress toward meeting goals and objectives and the implementation of necessary adjustment to planned activities to effect course corrections. Additional information on RCQI is available at the following website:

http://www.healthworkforceta.org/resources/rapid-cycle-quality-improvement-resource-guide/.

(b) PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #3

You must provide a clear plan for project sustainability after the period of federal funding ends, including a description of specific actions you will take to:

(a) highlight key elements of your grant projects (e.g., training methods or strategies, which have been effective in improving practices); (b) obtain future sources of potential funding; as well as (c) provide a timetable for becoming self-sufficient. Recipients are expected to sustain key elements of their projects (e.g., strategies or services and interventions), which have been effective in improving practices and those that have led to improved outcomes for the target population.

You must discuss challenges that are likely to be encountered in sustaining the program and approaches that will be used to resolve such challenges.

ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES --

Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #4

Succinctly describe your capacity to effectively manage the programmatic, fiscal, and administrative aspects of the proposed project. Provide information on your organization’s current mission and structure, including an organizational chart, relevant experience, and scope of current activities, and describe how these elements all contribute to the organization’s ability to conduct the program requirements and meet program expectations. (A project organizational chart is requested in Section IV.2.v. Attachment 5.) Discuss how the organization will follow the approved plan, as outlined in the application, properly account for the federal funds, and document all costs so as to avoid audit findings. Describe how the unique needs of target populations of the communities served are routinely assessed and improved.

The staffing plan and job descriptions for key faculty/staff must be included in Attachment 3 (Staffing Plan and Job Descriptions for Key Personnel). However, the biographical sketches must be uploaded in the SF-424 RESEARCH & RELATED Senior/Key Person Profile form, which can be accessed in the Application Package under “Mandatory.” Include biographical sketches for persons occupying the key positions, not to exceed TWO pages in length each. In the event that a biographical sketch is included for an identified individual who is not yet hired, please include a letter of commitment from that person with the biographical sketch.

Biographical sketches, not exceeding two pages per person, should include the following information:

• Senior/key personnel name http://www.healthworkforceta.org/resources/rapid-cycle-quality-improvement-resource-guide/ http://www.healthworkforceta.org/resources/rapid-cycle-quality-improvement-resource-guide/

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• Position Title

• Education/Training – beginning with baccalaureate or other initial professional education, such as nursing, including postdoctoral training and residency training if applicable:

o Institution and location o Degree (if applicable) o Date of degree (MM/YY) o Field of study

• Section A (required) Personal Statement. Briefly describe why the individual’s experience and qualifications make him/her particularly well-suited for his/her role (e.g., PD/PI) in the project that is the subject of the award.

• Section B (required) Positions and Honors. List in chronological order previous positions, concluding with the present position. List any honors. Include present membership on any Federal Government public advisory committee.

• Section C (optional) Peer-reviewed publications or manuscripts in press (in chronological order). You are encouraged to limit the list of selected peer-reviewed publications or manuscripts in press to no more than 15. Do not include manuscripts submitted or in preparation. The individual may choose to include selected publications based on date, importance to the field, and/or relevance to the proposed research. Citations that are publicly available in a free, online format may include URLs along with the full reference (note that copies of publicly available publications are not acceptable as appendix material).

• Section D (optional) Other Support. List both selected ongoing and completed (during the last 3 years) projects (federal or non-federal support). Begin with any projects relevant to the project proposed in this application. Briefly indicate the overall goals of the projects and responsibilities of the Senior/Key Person identified on the Biographical Sketch.

NARRATIVE GUIDANCE

To ensure that you fully address the review criteria, this table provides a crosswalk between the narrative language and where each section falls within the review criteria.

Narrative Section Review Criteria

Purpose and Need (1) Purpose and Need

Response to Program Purpose:

(a) Work Plan

(b) Methodology/Approach

(c) Resolution of Challenges

(2) Response to Program Purpose

(a) Work Plan

(b) Methodology/Approach

(c) Resolution of Challenges

Impact:

(a) Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity

(b) Project Sustainability

(3) Impact:

(a) Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity

(b) Project Sustainability

Organizational Information, Resources and Capabilities

(4) Organizational Information, Resources and Capabilities

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Budget and Budget Narrative (below)

(5) Support Requested – the budget section should include sufficient justification to allow reviewers to determine the reasonableness of the support requested.

iii. Budget See Section 4.1.iv of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide. Please note: the directions offered in the SF-424 R&R Application Guide may differ from those offered by Grants.gov. Please follow the instructions included the R&R Application Guide and the additional budget instructions provided below. A budget that follows the R&R Application Guide will ensure that, if the application is selected for funding, you will have a well-organized plan, and by carefully following the approved plan can avoid audit issues during the implementation phase.

Reminder: The Total Project or Program Costs are the total allowable costs (inclusive of direct and indirect costs) incurred by the recipient to carry out a HRSA-supported project or activity. Total project or program costs include costs charged to the award and costs borne by the recipient to satisfy a matching or cost-sharing requirement, as applicable.

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, Division H, § 202, (P.L. 115-31) states “None of the funds appropriated in this title shall be used to pay the salary of an individual, through a grant or other extramural mechanism, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II.” Please see Section 4.1.iv Budget – Salary Limitation of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide for additional information. Note that these or other salary limitations may apply in FY 2018, as required by law.

iv. Budget Justification Narrative See Section 4.1.v. of HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide. In addition, the Regional PHTC Program requires the following:

• You must document what percent of the budget will be used for administrative purposes verses education and training, as well as cost borne by the “central office”. CBT Partnerships should be funded at a level dependent upon need and planned activities. Please note that all program income generated must be used for approved project activities.

• The Administration/Coordination budget should reflect all costs borne by the recipient.

• Indirect costs under training grants to organizations other than state, local or tribal governments will be budgeted and reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs rather than on the basis of a negotiated cost agreement, and are not subject to upward or downward adjustment. Direct cost amounts for equipment and capital expenditures, tuition and fees, and subawards and contracts in excess of $25,000 are excluded from the direct cost base for purposes of this calculation.

Participant/Trainee Support Costs: List tuition/fees/health insurance, stipends, travel, subsistence, other, and the number of participants/trainees.