oppHRSA-18-028-cfda93.300-cidHRSA-18-028-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Bureau of Health Workforce National Center for Health Workforce Analysis

Health Workforce Research Center Cooperative Agreement Program

Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-18-028

Funding Opportunity Type: New, Competing Continuation

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 93.300

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Fiscal Year 2018

Application Due Date: April 12, 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 one month to complete.

Issuance Date: January 12, 2018

Robin Streeter, PhD, MPH Special Assistant to the Director, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis Telephone: (301) 443-1304 Fax: (301) 443-6380 Email: RStreeter@hrsa.gov

Authority: Health Equity: Section 761(c) of the Public Health Service Act; Behavioral Health Workforce:

Section 509, 516, and 520A of the Public Health Service Act.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is accepting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2018 Health Workforce Research Center Cooperative Agreement Program. The purpose of this program is to support and disseminate rigorous research that strengthens evidence-based policy and enhances understanding of issues and trends in the health workforce. HRSA anticipates that two (2) Health Workforce Research Centers (HWRCs) will be funded under this notice:

• One (1) HWRC will focus on health equity in health workforce education and training. HRSA expects that this HWRC will be funded solely by HRSA.

• One (1) HWRC will focus on the behavioral health workforce. HRSA expects that this HWRC will be funded through a partnership between the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and HRSA.

Funding Opportunity Title: Health Workforce Research Center

Cooperative Agreement Program Funding Opportunity Number: HRSA-18-028 Due Date for Applications: April 12, 2018 Anticipated Total Annual Available FY2018 Funding:

$1,350,000

Estimated Number and Type of Award(s): Up to 2 cooperative agreements Estimated Award Amount: Health Equity in Health Workforce

Education and Training: Up to $450,000 per year

Behavioral Health Workforce: Up to $900,000 per year

Cost Sharing/Match Required: No Project Period/Period of Performance: September 1, 2018 through August 31, 2022 (4 years) Eligible Applicants:

Eligible applicants include: a State; a State workforce investment board; a public health or health professions school; an academic health center; or an appropriate public or private nonprofit entity.

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

HRSA-18-028

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:

Webinar

Day and Date: Thursday, February 8, 2018 Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET Call-In Number: 1-888-769-8713 Participant Code: 3760192 Web link: https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/nofo_hrsa_18_028/ Playback Number: 1-888-566-0132 Passcode: 5136 http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/ https://hrsa.connectsolutions.com/nofo_hrsa_18_028/

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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 INFORMATION

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

HRSA-18-028 1

I. Program Funding Opportunity Description

1. Purpose

This notice solicits applications for the Health Workforce Research Center (HWRC) Cooperative Agreement Program. Under this notice, applications are being sought for two separate HWRCs: (1) one focused on health equity in health workforce education and training and will be funded under HRSA’s Title VII authority; and (2) one focused on the behavioral health workforce, and will be funded under SAMHSA’s Title V authority and jointly administered via an Interagency Agreement with HRSA.

Program Purpose The overarching purpose of the HWRC Cooperative Agreement Program is to:

A. Collect, analyze, and report health workforce program data to the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis and to the public; and B. Provide technical assistance to local and regional entities on the collection, analysis, and reporting of health workforce data.

Through these efforts, the HWRC Cooperative Agreement Program supports and disseminates rigorous and timely research that strengthens evidence-based policy and enhances government’s and the public’s understanding of issues and trends in the health workforce. In this way, HWRC projects help inform health workforce planning and policy at all levels.

Program Requirements HRSA expects that each award recipient funded under this notice will have expertise in the following:

• A broad, comprehensive, national-level understanding of the current U.S. health workforce.

• Experience in working with health workforce data.

• Expertise in analytical methods and tools appropriate for health workforce research.

• Awareness of emerging topics, issues, and trends related to the health workforce.

Successful applicants will demonstrate their expertise as well as the potential impact of their work through the publication of articles in peer-reviewed journals; presentations at national and international conferences and meetings; and publication of policy briefs, fact sheets, articles, blogs, etc. that are available in the public domain.

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Program Priorities Under this notice, the award(s) will provide support for the establishment of up to two HWRCs. Successful applicants will demonstrate broad, national-level research expertise in one of the following HWRC topic areas:

(1) Health Equity in Health Workforce Education and Training: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine define health equity as “[T]he state in which everyone has the opportunity to attain full health potential, and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or any other socially defined circumstance.”1

To achieve and support this vision, the National Academies stress the need for health workforce education and training to evolve in ways that not only incorporate a more robust “understanding of the social determinants of health across the learning continuum” but also encourage sustained partnerships among academic institutions, communities, and organizations.2 These broad themes are the focus of programs associated with the authorizing legislation for the HWRC Cooperative Agreement Program, including:

• Providing educational assistance in health professions for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (42 USC §293c.).

• Supporting health workforce research related to the development, evaluation, and dissemination of curricula and other tools to increase cultural competency in the health workforce and strengthen the workforce’s ability to address health disparities (42 USC §293e(a)(1)).

• Providing continuing education to the health workforce, including to providers in underserved communities (42 USC §294b).

• Conducting studies to better understand the distribution of the health workforce and factors that determine the ability of the health workforce to serve minority groups (42 USC §295k(b)(2)).

The successful applicant in this topic area will conduct research to examine a range of issues related to health equity in health workforce education and training. The encompassing goal of this Center’s research will be to strengthen the evidence base for effective education and training programs that can enable and empower a health workforce capable of fostering health equity.

Examples of research areas related to this topic include:

• Looking across a range of health care professions and providers to develop a comprehensive picture of how current health workforce education and training

1 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. Communities in action: Pathways to health equity (Page 1). Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

2 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. A framework for educating health professionals to address the social determinants of health (Page 69; Figure 4-1). Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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programs incorporate consideration of health equity, including social needs, social determinants of health, and related elements, into their programs.

• Developing measures to assess and track consideration of health equity and related elements into health workforce education and training programs.

• Evaluating health workforce education and training programs to understand whether and how a program’s incorporation of health equity considerations, including consideration of social needs and social determinants of health, may improve health care delivery, with respect to factors such as: increasing access to primary care;

mitigating provider shortages in underserved areas; delivering integrated primary, behavioral, and oral health care; addressing health workforce diversity; and strengthening community/provider partnerships.

Applicants may suggest other research topics that directly relate to health equity in health workforce education and training.

HRSA expects that the successful applicant in this topic area will conduct national-level research that spans a range of current and emerging topics related to health equity in health workforce education and training. HRSA also expects that the successful applicant will demonstrate a strong capability to develop and maintain a research portfolio that considers a mix of health professions and health providers.

(2) Behavioral Health Workforce: The successful applicant in this topic area will conduct research that addresses current and emerging behavioral health workforce challenges. The behavioral health workforce includes practitioners who provide care and services related to the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders and mental illness. Behavioral health practitioners include professionals3 and paraprofessionals (e.g., peer providers, community health workers).

Examples of research areas related to this topic include:

• Strengthening the behavioral health workforce to address the consequences and impact of substance use disorders and mental illness:

o Improve behavioral health workforce training, planning, and policy to address severe substance use disorders (e.g., opioid addiction) and serious mental illness (SMI) through a better understanding of demographics, unemployment rates, unfilled jobs, and other socioeconomic factors.

o Develop evidence-based strategies for strengthening the behavioral health workforce to provide care and treatment for individuals and populations with severe substance use disorders and mental illness, including serious mental illness (SMI).

3 Psychiatrists; psychologists; clinical social workers; advanced practice registered nurses (behavioral health nurse practitioners); behavioral health physician assistants; licensed professional counselors;

addiction counselors; school counselors; marriage and family therapists.

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• Addressing behavioral health workforce shortages and maldistribution:

o Strengthen behavioral health workforce development and planning to meet future behavioral health workforce demands and address provider shortages.

o Identify methodologies for improving demand and supply projection estimates across multiple behavioral health professions.

o Implement and utilize minimum datasets (MDS) to improve behavioral health workforce planning and projections.

o Identify strategies and practices to strengthen behavioral health workforce training, recruitment, and retention, especially in rural and underserved areas.

o Assess the use of incentives to attract and retain behavioral health providers, especially in rural and underserved geographies and in meeting the needs of vulnerable and at-risk populations (e.g., American Indians/Alaska Natives, young adults).

• Improving service delivery and reimbursement:

o Identify new and evolving models of behavioral health services delivery.

o Identify competency-based initiatives that may be incorporated into training programs so that future behavioral health providers are ready to work within new service delivery models that utilize evidence-based practices and provide culturally competent care.

o Improve behavioral health practitioners’ understanding and implementation of telehealth and related technology-assisted care models to better reach underserved areas and populations by enabling virtual diagnosis, care, and monitoring.

o Assess behavioral health integration into primary care.

o Develop methods for evaluating workforce practices in new and evolving models of care, including continuum of care models.

o Identify reimbursement models and billing practices that may be currently in use or that may be appropriate for adoption by behavioral health providers.

Applicants may suggest other research topics that directly relate to current and emerging behavioral health workforce topics.

HRSA expects that the successful applicant in this topic area will conduct national-level research that spans a range of current and emerging behavioral health workforce topics. HRSA expects that the successful applicant will demonstrate a strong capability to develop and maintain a research portfolio that considers a mix of behavioral health professions and paraprofessions.

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Other Guidance

Consortium Model (OPTIONAL) To ensure that your HWRC will have the necessary breadth to comprehensively address a wide range of issues related to your selected HWRC topic area (from Section I.1 of this notice), you may propose to utilize a consortium model. Under a consortium model, members of your consortium would represent a purposeful group of organizations and staff who will work together on research studies related to your selected HWRC topic area. The HWRC consortium would not simply be a group of loosely affiliated individual researchers, and the HWRC cannot act as an entity whose sole purpose is to disburse funds to individual researchers who are working independently, either in the same or in a different geographical location as the applicant.

If you propose to utilize a consortium model, all members of your consortium must meet the eligibility requirements listed in Section III.1 of this notice. Also, if you are proposing to use a consortium model, your application must include a memorandum of understanding (MOU) from each anticipated consortium partner. In developing these MOUs, please recognize that the successful HWRC applicants will be ultimately responsible for the quality and accuracy of all research submitted to the Federal Government; supervision and administrative activities; and overall management of federal funds awarded under this NOFO.

Partnership (OPTIONAL) You may propose to partner with other stakeholders, including foundations, public organizations, and private organizations who will work with you to conduct and disseminate research related to your selected HWRC topic area from Section I.1 of this notice.

Partners do not need to meet the eligibility requirements listed in Section III.1 of this notice. However, if you do elect to partner with a foundation or organization that is engaged in work related to your selected HWRC topic area, you must describe how the partnership will strengthen the conduct and dissemination of your research. HRSA funding must not be distributed to the partner organizations, either directly or as a subaward.

2. Background

The Health Equity in Health Workforce Education and Training component of the HWRC Cooperative Agreement Program is authorized by Title VII of the Public Health Service Act, Section 761(c). This program provides funding to eligible entities for the purposes of conducting and disseminating research on health workforce topics related to the Public Health Service Act’s Title VII programs. Findings from HWRC-funded projects help to inform health workforce educators, planners, and policy makers, as well as HRSA’s National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA) and other audiences interested in health workforce issues. The HWRCs are overseen by HRSA/BHW’s National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA.

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The Behavioral HWRC is authorized by Sections 509, 516, and 520A of the Public Health Service Act. Because the Behavioral HWRC is a joint initiative between SAMHSA and HRSA, it receives guidance and direction from both SAMHSA and HRSA.

SAMHSA is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that leads public health efforts to address the behavioral health needs of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of mental illness and substance use disorders on America’s communities. SAMHSA provides national leadership in promoting the provision of quality behavioral health services. SAMHSA works to address mental illness and substance use disorders through:

• Increasing awareness and understanding

• Strengthening prevention

• Improving access to care and the quality of evidence-based treatments

• Supporting recovery

HRSA seeks to improve the health of the nation's underserved communities and vulnerable populations by developing, implementing, evaluating, and refining programs that strengthen the nation's health workforce and connect skilled health professionals to communities in need. HRSA’s programs holistically support a diverse, culturally competent workforce by addressing:

• Education and training

• Recruitment and retention

• Financial support for students, faculty, practitioners, and supporting institutions

• Health workforce data collection and analysis

• Evaluation and coordination of health workforce activities

NCHWA, a division within BHW, oversees and participates in research and evaluation initiatives that help inform policy decisions related to the health workforce.

Currently, six HWRCs are funded through August 31, 2022. These six HWRCs focus on a range of topics, including the allied health workforce, the long-term care workforce, the oral health workforce, emerging health workforce topics, and technical assistance related to the health workforce. In addition, one HWRC is currently focused on the behavioral health workforce and is funded through August 31, 2018. Information about the work supported through the current HWRC cooperative agreements is available via HRSA’s Health Workforce Research Centers website:

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/researchcenters/index.html.

http://bhw.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/researchcenters/index.html

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II. Award Information

1. Type of Application and Award

Types of applications sought: New applications; Competing Continuation applications

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.

In addition to the usual monitoring and technical assistance provided under the cooperative agreement, HRSA program involvement will include:

• Participating in the planning and development of each HWRC’s annual research portfolio and in the selection of each HWRC’s annual research studies.

• Reviewing, and, if necessary, commenting on each HWRC’s plans and methodologies presented in their study proposals.

• Reviewing each HWRC’s work products, including each study’s methodology, analysis, results, policy implications, and format, prior to public dissemination.

• Providing consultation, as appropriate, to each HWRC to design strategies for disseminating HWRC work in order to target multiple audiences interested in health workforce issues. Dissemination products may include policy briefs; peer-reviewed journal articles; invited presentations; responses to inquiries from health policy programs and health policy researchers; webinars; presentations at national, regional, state, and local conferences; and other appropriate vehicle(s) for sharing rigorous, policy-oriented research.

• Participating, as appropriate, in meetings, training activities, or workgroups conducted during the project period.

• Hosting periodic conference calls with all of the HWRC Principal Investigators

(PIs).

The cooperative agreement recipient’s responsibilities will include:

• Adherence to HRSA guidelines pertaining to acknowledgement and disclaimer on all products produced by HRSA award funds, per Section 2.2 of the R&R Application Guide (Acknowledgement of Federal Funding).

• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other HRSA-funded HWRCs as well as with health workforce stakeholders.

• Submitting research study proposals with relevant timelines and milestones to the NCHWA Project Officer for review.

https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply/applicationguide/sf424rrguidev2.pdf

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• Participating in the planning and development of each HWRC’s annual project portfolio and in the final selection of research studies.

• Conducting research studies, and synthesizing the results into reports or other work products developed for both technical and non-technical audiences.

• Preparing and submitting a 250-word abstract and a 2-page brief for each completed study in addition to the study’s primary work product(s) (e.g., full policy brief, report, journal manuscript, monograph, etc.).

• Submitting work products (e.g., abstracts, 2-page briefs, full policy briefs, reports, manuscripts, monographs, etc.) for NCHWA review, generally within 180 days of the end of each budget period. The time line for submitting specific work products may be extended by the Project Officer on a case-by-case basis.

• Publishing HWRC research findings in peer-reviewed journals.

• Posting completed work products to the HWRC’s publicly available website.

Note: In certain cases, exceptions may be made for posting peer-reviewed journal articles, if posting a published article is prohibited by the journal.

• Responding to the Project Officer’s comments, questions, and requests

(including executing short-term, rapid-response qualitative or quantitative analyses to assist in answering health workforce planning and policy questions) within five to ten business days. Note: The time line for responding to rapid response requests or other requests from the Project Officer may be extended by the Project Officer on a case by case basis.

• Designing and implementing strategies to disseminate the HWRC’s research studies to multiple audiences interested in health workforce issues.

Dissemination products may include policy briefs; peer-reviewed journal articles;

invited presentations; responses to inquiries from health policy programs and health policy researchers; webinars; presentations at national, regional, state, and local conferences; and other appropriate vehicle(s) for sharing rigorous, policy-oriented research.

• Implementing and maintaining a publicly available website with information about the health workforce, current HWRC projects funded under this cooperative agreement, and completed projects funded under this cooperative agreement.

The recipient’s website will also include the acknowledgement and disclaimer information required on all products supported by HHS award funds.

• Attending and presenting at periodic HWRC Cooperative Agreement Program meetings at HRSA’s headquarters in Rockville, Maryland or in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

• Participating in periodic NCHWA-hosted conference calls with other HWRCs.

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2. Summary of Funding

Approximately $1,350,000 is expected to be available annually to fund up to two (2) recipients.

• If you are applying under the HWRC topic area related to Health Equity in Health

Workforce Education and Training, you may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $450,000 total cost (includes both direct and indirect, facilities and administrative costs) per year.

• If you are applying under the HWRC topic area related to the Behavioral Health Workforce, you may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $900,000 total cost (includes both direct and indirect, facilities and administrative costs) per year.

The actual amounts available for both awards will not be determined until enactment of the final FY 2018 federal appropriation. 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. During a given fiscal year, additional supplemental funds may be provided for additional activities or work products.

The project period is September 1, 2018 through August 31, 2022 (4 years). Funding beyond the first year is dependent on the availability of appropriated funds, 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.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

An eligible applicant for the HWRC Cooperative Agreement Program is a State, a State workforce investment board, a public health or health professions school, an academic health center, or an appropriate public or private nonprofit entity. Faith-based and community-based organizations, Tribes, and tribal organizations may apply for these funds, if otherwise eligible. Foreign entities are not eligible for this award.

2. Cost Sharing/Matching

Cost sharing/matching is not required for this program.

3. Other Information

Ceiling Amount Applications that exceed the ceiling amounts of $450,000 for the Health Equity in Health Workforce Education and Training topic area or $900,000 for the Behavioral Health 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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Workforce topic area will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered for funding under this NOFO.

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

NOFO.

Multiple Applications Multiple applications from an organization are allowable under two conditions.

First, for a selected HWRC topic area (from Section I.1 of this notice), you can submit only one application per campus. A campus is defined as a division of a university that has the same name yet is separate with its own grounds, buildings (e.g., school of nursing) and faculty; a single department or agency of a state or local government; or other separate legal entity. For example, the University of ABC – Springfield and the University of ABC – Goldboro can each submit an application for the same HWRC topic area under this program.

Second, you can submit only one application per campus for each of the two HWRC topic areas identified in Section I.1. For example, the University of ABC – Springfield can submit one application for the Health Equity in Health Workforce Education and Training topic area AND one application for the Behavioral Health Workforce topic area.

Alternatively, the University of ABC – Springfield can submit one application for the Health Equity in Health Workforce Education and Training topic area, and the University of ABC – Goldboro can submit one application for the Behavioral Health Workforce topic area.

If for any reason (including submitting to the wrong funding opportunity number or making corrections/updates), an application is submitted more than once from a single campus for the same center 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.

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 Research and Related (R&R) application package associated with this NOFO following the directions provided at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html https://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

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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 and when accessing the 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 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 80 pages when printed by HRSA. The page limit includes the abstract, project and budget narratives, attachments including biographical sketches (biosketches), and letters of commitment and support required in HRSA’s SF-424 R&R Application Guide and this NOFO.

Biographical Sketches DO count in the page limit. Standard OMB-approved forms that are included in the application package DO NOT count in the page limit. Indirect Cost Rate Agreements and proof of non-profit status (if applicable) also DO NOT count 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.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.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

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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 and 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 #7: Other Relevant Documents.

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

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. How the proposed project for which funding is requested will be accomplished, i.e., the "who, what, when, where, why and how" of a project.

The Abstract must be clear, concise, and without reference to other parts of the application. The Abstract must also include the following elements:

1. Applicant’s name

2. Applicant’s address

3. HWRC Topic Area (from the topics listed in Section I.1 of this notice)

4. Principal Investigator (PI) information: Name, degree(s), email address, and phone number

5. Contact person’s name and email address, if different from the PI

6. Anticipated consortium model members, if applicable

7. Anticipated partner(s), if applicable

8. Applicant’s web site, if applicable

9. A summary of the research studies proposed for Budget Year 1

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.

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

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

In this section, you must:

• Identify one (1) topic area from the two (2) HWRC topic areas outlined in

Section I.1 of this notice as the focus of your HWRC Cooperative Agreement Program activities.

• Demonstrate a comprehensive, national-level understanding of the current composition and state of the health workforce, including education and training, as it relates to your selected HWRC topic area.

• Clearly articulate current and emerging issues and challenges related to your selected HWRC topic area.

• Describe challenges related to research in your selected HWRC topic area.

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

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

(a) METHODOLOGY/APPROACH -- Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion

#2 (a).

Applicants for the Health Equity in Health Workforce Education and Training Topic Area:

You must propose six (6) research questions and develop a study proposal for each.

Your proposed research studies must also meet the following requirements:

• Each study must address a relevant, national-level planning or policy research question related to your selected HWRC topic area.

• Collectively, your six (6) proposed studies must address a mix of health practitioners.

• At least four (4) of your six (6) proposed studies must use a predominantly quantitative methodology.

• Your six (6) proposed studies must be feasible to complete within approximately one (1) year.

Post award, HRSA will select four (4) of the successful applicant’s six (6) proposed research studies for completion in Budget Year 1. If necessary, the selected Budget Year 1 studies will be refined collaboratively between the successful applicant and HRSA. This process may include additional input from HRSA on possible alternative proposals and suggested proposal modifications.

Applicants for the Behavioral Health Workforce Research Topic Area:

You must propose ten (10) research questions and develop a study proposal for each. Your proposed research studies must also meet the following requirements:

• Each study must address a relevant, national-level planning or policy research question related to the behavioral health workforce.

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• You must propose at least one (1) behavioral health workforce research study related to each of the three (3) broad priorities listed in Section I.1. These priorities are:

1. Strengthening the behavioral health workforce to address the consequences and impact of substance use disorders and mental illness.

2. Addressing behavioral health workforce shortages and maldistribution.

3. Improving service delivery and reimbursement.

• You may focus your remaining seven (7) proposals on the three priorities listed above, or on other behavioral health workforce issues, or on any combination of these three priorities and other topics.

• Your proposed studies do not need to address each priority equally.

• Collectively, your ten (10) proposed studies must address a mix of behavioral health practitioners.

• At least six (6) of your ten (10) proposed studies must use a predominantly quantitative methodology.

• Your ten (10) proposed studies must be feasible to complete within approximately one (1) year.

REMINDER: Both new and competing continuation applicants must propose work that does not duplicate previous or current HWRC work. However, applicants may propose work that builds on or updates previously funded HWRC studies.

Information on previous and current HWRC studies is available here:

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/health-workforce-analysis/research/research-centers.

Post award, SAMHSA and HRSA will select eight (8) of the successful applicant’s ten (10) proposed research studies for completion in Budget Year 1. If necessary, the selected Budget Year 1 studies will be refined collaboratively among the successful applicant, SAMHSA, and HRSA. This process may include additional input from SAMHSA and HRSA on possible alternative proposals and suggested proposal modifications.

All Applicants:

Depending on available funding in subsequent years, recipients will be required to propose additional research studies for Budget Year 2, Budget Year 3, and Budget Year 4. It is expected that these subsequent budget year efforts will build on the recipient’s Budget Year 1 work to culminate in a comprehensive body of research and work products. State and regional studies may be considered in Budget Year 2 through Budget Year 4.

You must present your Budget Year 1 research study proposals using the format outlined below. Limit each research proposal to a maximum of two (2) pages total.

Research Study Proposal (maximum 2 pages total)

• Title

• Stand-alone, two-sentence description of the research study

• Statement of purpose and program/policy relevance:

o Describe the purpose of the proposed study.

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/health-workforce-analysis/research/research-centers

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o Explain how the results can be used to inform health workforce programs and policies related to your selected HWRC topic area.

• Design and analysis:

o State the proposed study question(s) or study hypothesis(es).

o Describe the study design.

o Discuss the proposed approach for data analysis, and explain the rationale for selecting the proposed approach.

o Briefly discuss the limitations of the proposed methods.

• Data sources:

o Identify proposed data sources.

o If applicable, include information on data availability, cost, and schedule for obtaining and preparing the data for analysis.

For primary data: discuss the data collection plan, including sampling methods, estimated sample size, expected response rate, data collection schedule, etc.

For secondary data: describe your experience in accessing and using these data, and indicate whether utilization of the data will require a data use agreement or similar vehicle.

• Human subjects research: Provide answers to the questions below.

o Are human subjects involved?

If activities involving human subjects are planned at any time during the proposed study, indicate YES, even if the proposed work is exempt from Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects.

Indicate NO if no activities involving human subjects are planned.

o If the answer is YES, indicate whether the Institutional Review Board (IRB) review is pending or completed.

If the IRB review has been completed and the work has been approved, provide the approval date.

If the proposed work is exempt from IRB approval, indicate the exemption relied upon and a short description corresponding to one or more of the exemption categories. See 45 CFR part 46.

For the Human Subject Assurance Number, provide the IRB approval number or the approved Federal Wide Assurance (FWA), Multiple Project Assurance (MPA), Single Project Assurance (SPA) or Cooperative Project Assurance Number (CPA) that you have on file with the Office of Human Research Protections, if available.

If the study has not yet been reviewed by IRB and you believe the research is exempt, provide a justification for the exemption(s) with sufficient information about involvement of human subjects to allow a tentative conclusion by HRSA staff that the claimed exemption(s) seem(s) appropriate.

REMINDER: Non-exempt research involving human subjects cannot be conducted under a HHS-sponsored award unless you provide verification of the justification for the research per HHS regulations. Documentation of IRB review when it is completed and its exemption or approval must be sent to the Project Officer. This

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IRB certification must include the grant number, title of the study, name of the appropriate IRB which has reviewed and exempted or approved the proposed activity, name of the principal investigator/ program director, date of IRB exemption or approval, and appropriate signatures.

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

You must describe the activities or steps proposed to effectively manage your HWRC workload, including research studies and Rapid Response Requests.

REMINDER: Rapid Response Requests In addition to conducting research studies, the successful applicant in the Health Equity in Health Workforce Education and Training topic area must be able to respond to as many as four (4) Rapid Response Requests in each budget year. The successful applicant in the Behavioral Health Workforce topic area must be able to respond to as many as six (6) Rapid Response Requests in each budget year.

Rapid Response Requests are generally small-scale tasks with a turnaround time of five (5) to ten (10) business days. The time line for addressing rapid response requests may be extended by the Project Officer on a case-by-case basis.

You must include the following in your Work Plan:

• Project Management Plan: You must present a Project Management Plan to ensure that all work, including research studies and rapid response requests, stays on track throughout Budget Year 1.

• General Work Plan: You must include a General Work Plan for Budget Year 2

– Budget Year 4. The General Work Plan does not need to identify specific research studies that will be conducted during those years but it must describe general HWRC activities that span all four (4) years of the project period.

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

#2 (c) You must discuss challenges (e.g., data availability, data cost, IRB approval, etc.)

that you anticipate you are likely to encounter in designing and implementing the work proposed in the Methodology Section, as well as challenges you anticipate may be associated with performing the activities described in the Work Plan Section.

If you are proposing to use a consortium model, please include challenges you foresee that may be associated with working with the HWRC consortium members.

You must also describe approaches you will use to address all identified challenges.

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IMPACT -- This section includes two sub-sections — (a) Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity; and (b) Project Sustainability — 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) In this section, you must describe your plan for self-monitoring progress on each of the budget year research studies, as well as any Rapid Response Requests received during each budget year.

You must also describe your quality control processes, including an explanation of how you will ensure data quality and the quality of the products produced under this cooperative agreement.

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

(b) In this section, you must present a plan for disseminating products produced under this cooperative agreement. At a minimum, your dissemination plan must include:

• Anticipated products and venues for dissemination of completed work.

• Target audiences for the anticipated dissemination products.

• Methods for ensuring the dissemination products’ quality and accessibility.

• Plans for publishing HWRC work in peer-reviewed journals.

• Development and maintenance of a website dedicated to the HWRC that will house your completed HWRC work. As part of developing and maintaining this website, you must:

o Provide your HRSA Project Officer with a link to your website.

o Post completed HWRC products to your website, including links to abstracts or full manuscripts for all peer-reviewed journal articles that describe work funded under this cooperative agreement.

o Alert visitors to your website of new HWRC products.

You must also describe how you will track and report on the frequency that each product posted on your HWRC website is accessed or downloaded, as well as your plan to track journal citations, conference presentations and posters, speaking engagements (including webinars), and press inquiries/communications.

ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION, RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES --

Corresponds to Section V’s Review Criterion #4 In this section, you must describe your expertise in health workforce research. You must also demonstrate the organizational capability and resources necessary to conduct and disseminate complex, policy-relevant research in a 12 to 18-month time period.

Applicants must provide both organizational information and a staffing plan, as described below:

• Organizational Information: You must describe how the applicant’s organization has the ability to implement the proposed work and meet the

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requirements and expectations of this cooperative agreement. You must also:

o Provide information on your organization’s current mission and structure, relevant experience, and current activities.

o Describe your organizational capacity to effectively manage the programmatic, fiscal, and administrative aspects of your proposed work.

o Include an HWRC organizational chart, as requested in Section IV.2.v, Attachment 1.

• Consortium Model Information: If you are proposing to use a consortium model, you must describe the HWRC consortium members, and you must also:

o Include a brief discussion of each consortium member’s mission, and how their mission will contribute to the success of the HWRC.

o Describe the research and policy expertise that each consortium member brings to the HWRC, and explain how that expertise will contribute to the design, conduct, and dissemination of the HWRC’s research.

o Discuss how your anticipated consortium members will communicate regarding the conduct and dissemination of HWRC research.

o Include a memorandum of understanding (MOU) from each anticipated consortium partner, as requested in Section IV.2.v, Attachment 4.

• Partnership Information: If you are proposing to partner with a foundation, public organization or private organization, you must describe your proposed partner(s), and you must also:

o Include a brief discussion of each partner’s mission, and how their mission will contribute to the success of the HWRC.

o Describe the research and policy expertise that each partner brings to the HWRC, and explain how that expertise will contribute to the design, conduct, and dissemination of the HWRC’s research.

o Discuss how your anticipated partner(s) will communicate regarding the conduct and dissemination of HWRC research.

• Staffing Plan: You must present a staffing plan that describes the education, experience, and rationale for the amount of time requested for…