Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 Funding Opportunities

AGENCY:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice of Funding Availability.

SUMMARY:

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), and Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) announces the availability of FY 2000 funds for grants for the activities discussed in detail under Section 3 of this notice. This notice is not a complete description of the activities; potential applicants must obtain a copy of the Program Announcements, including Part I, Cooperative Agreement To Study Women With Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health (ADM) Disorders Who Have Histories of Violence: Phase II, and Cooperative Agreement To Study Children Of Women With Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health (ADM) Disorders Who Have Histories Of Violence; and Part II, General Policies and Procedures Applicable to all SAMHSA Applications for Discretionary Grants and Cooperative Agreements, before preparing an application.

The actual amount available for awards and their allocation may vary, depending on unanticipated program requirements and the number and quality of applications received. FY 2000 funds for the activity discussed in this announcement were appropriated by the Congress under Public Law No. 106-113. SAMHSA's policies and procedures for peer review and Advisory Council review of grant and cooperative agreement applications were published in the Federal Register (Vol. 58, No. 126) on July 2, 1993.

The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People 2000, a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas. The SAMHSA Centers' substance abuse and mental health services activities address issues related to Healthy People 2000 objectives of Mental Health and Mental Disorders; Alcohol and Other Drugs; Clinical Preventive Services; HIV Infection; and Surveillance and Data Systems. Potential applicants may obtain a copy of Healthy People 2000 (Full Report: Stock No. 017-001-00474-0) or Summary Report: Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (Telephone: 202-512-1800).

SAMHSA will publish additional notices of available funding opportunities for FY 2000 in subsequent issues of the Federal Register.

General Instructions

Applicants must use application form PHS 5161-1 (Rev. 6/99; OMB No. 0920-0428). The application kit contains the two-part application materials (complete programmatic guidance and instructions for preparing and submitting applications), the PHS 5161-1 which includes Standard Form 424 (Face Page), and other documentation and forms. Application kits may be obtained from the organization specified for the activity covered by this notice (see Section 3).

When requesting an application kit, the applicant must specify the particular activity for which detailed information is desired. This is to ensure receipt of all necessary forms and information, including any specific program review and award criteria.

The PHS 5161-1 application form and the full text of the activity described in Section 4 are also available electronically via SAMHSA's World Wide Web Home Page (address: http://www.samhsa.gov).

Application Submission

Applications must be submitted to: SAMHSA Programs, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Suite 1040, 6701 Rockledge Drive MSC-7710, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-7710*

(*Applicants who wish to use express mail or courier service should change the zip code to 20817.)

Applications sent to an address other than the address specified above will be returned to the applicant without review.

Application Deadlines

The deadlines for receipt of applications are listed in the table above. Competing applications must be received by the indicated receipt date to be accepted for review. An application received after the deadline may only be accepted if it carries a legible proof-of-mailing date assigned by the carrier and that date is not later than one week prior to the deadline date. Private metered postmarks are not acceptable as proof of timely mailing. Applications received after the deadline date will be returned to the applicant without review.

Programmatic Information

1. Program Background and Objectives

SAMHSA's mission within the Nation's health system is to improve the quality and availability of prevention, early intervention, treatment, and rehabilitation services for substance abuse and mental illnesses, including co-occurring disorders, in order to improve health and reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society.

Reinventing government, with its emphases on redefining the role of Federal agencies and on improving customer service, has provided SAMHSA with a welcome opportunity to examine carefully its programs and activities. As a result of that process, SAMHSA moved assertively to create a renewed and strategic emphasis on using its resources to generate knowledge about ways to improve the prevention and treatment of substance abuse and mental illness and to work with State and local governments as well as providers, families, and consumers to effectively use that knowledge in everyday practice.

2. Criteria for Review and Funding

2.1 General Review Criteria

Competing applications requesting funding under the specific project activities in Section 3 will be reviewed for technical merit in accordance with established PHS/SAMHSA peer review procedures. Review criteria that will be used by the peer review groups are specified in the application guidance material.

2.2 Award Criteria for Scored Applications

Applications will be considered for funding on the basis of their overall technical merit as determined through the peer review group and the appropriate National Advisory Council review process. Availability of funds will also be an award criteria. Additional award criteria specific to the programmatic activity may be included in the application guidance materials.

3. Special FY 2000 SAMHSA Activities

Cooperative Agreement Awards for Women with Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health (ADM) Disorders Who Have Histories of Violence (short title: Women, ADM Disorders, and Violence II), number TI 00-003; and

Cooperative Agreement Awards to Study Children of Women with Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health (ADM) Disorders Who Have Histories of Violence (short title: Children's Subset Study) number TI 00-006.

Application Deadline: June 13, 2000 for both announcements.

Purpose: This notice is to inform the public that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is making available approximately $7.5 million for approximately 10 awards in FY 2000 to current study site grantees who were funded under the Women, ADM Disorders and Violence-Phase I program. These phase II cooperative agreements will include a full scale implementation of service intervention models, integrated strategies, and outcome evaluations of alternative models of delivering and financing integrated service models for women with co-occurring ADM disorders who have histories of physical and/or sexual abuse. The study seeks to generate and apply empirical knowledge about the development of a comprehensive, integrated services approach, and the effectiveness of this approach for the target population of women with ADM disorders who are/have been the victims of violence.

In addition, it is estimated that $1.2 million will be available in FY 2000 to support up to five awards for study sites for the Children's Subset Study and one award for the Coordinating Center for the Children's Subset Study. The Children's Subset Study will evaluate children 5-10 years of age who have been impacted by their mother's co-occurring disorders and their mother's history of violence. The objective of the Children's Subset Study is to identify models of care that will prevent (or reduce) the intergenerational perpetuation of violence, substance abuse and mental health problems, and reduce the impact of violence in the lives of children whose mothers have co-occurring disorders and histories of trauma. A cross-site process and outcome evaluation of age-specific interventions and services will be conducted by the Coordinating Center.

Eligible Applicants: Applications for the cooperative agreements for the Women, ADM Disorders, and Violence II study sites may be submitted only by current SAMHSA Women, ADM Disorders and Violence Phase I study site grantees. Phase II cooperative agreements are restricted to these specific grantees because their study protocols are in place, thus allowing them to proceed immediately to the next step of expanding the project's scope to improve the knowledge base. Phase I grantees have already (1) established an integrated system of care for women with co-occurring disorders who have histories of physical and sexual abuse, (2) determined the most promising services intervention models for this population, and (3) developed project protocols in compliance with multi-site requirements established by the Steering Committee.

Applications for the Children's Subset Study may be submitted only by current SAMHSA Women, ADM Disorders and Violence Phase I study grantees who are also applying to the Women, ADM Disorders and Violence-Phase II Study. Only those receiving a Phase II award will be eligible to receive a Children's Subset Award. During Phase I, the study grantees established a Children's subcommittee whose main purpose was to develop parameters for the Children's Subset Study. In Phase I, the Children's subcommittee: (1) Developed study goals and objectives, (2) established the common service intervention, and (3) developed the multi-site protocol for the Children's Subset Study.

Only the current Coordinating Center for the SAMHSA Women, ADM Disorders and Violence Study is eligible to apply for funds to carry out additional tasks for the Children's Subset Study. The Coordinating Center is currently in the second year of its five-year project period. The Coordinating Center is an integral part of the Women, ADM Disorders and Violence Study; therefore, it is critical that continuity of the study be maintained by its leadership role during the Phase II study and during the concurrent Children's Subset Study. Its continued responsibility for coordination, technical assistance, evaluation expertise, and advice to the overall Steering Committee's Children's subcommittee established during Phase I are essential to guide those study sites selected to receive a Children's Subset Study award.

Amount: Approximately $7.5 million will be available to support approximately 10 awards under the Women, ADM Disorders and Violence II Cooperative Agreement; approximately $1.2 million will be available to support approximately 6 awards under the Children's Subset Study Cooperative Agreement in FY 2000.

Period of Support: Support may be requested for a period of up to three (3) years. Annual awards will be made subject to continued availability of funds and progress in meeting the goals and objectives of this program.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.230.

Program Contact: For questions concerning program issues, contact: Melissa Rael, RN, M.A., Project Officer, Division of Practice and Systems Development, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, SAMHSA, Rockwall II, Suite 740, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, (301) 443-8236.

For questions regarding grants management issues, contact: Christine Chen, Grants Management Officer, Division of Grants Management, OPS, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockwall II, 6th Floor, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857, (301) 443-8926.

Application kits are available from: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI), P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345, Telephone: 1-800-729-6686.

4. Public Health System Reporting Requirements

The Public Health System Impact Statement (PHSIS) is intended to keep State and local health officials apprised of proposed health services grant and cooperative agreement applications submitted by community-based nongovernmental organizations within their jurisdictions.

Community-based nongovernmental service providers who are not transmitting their applications through the State must submit a PHSIS to the head(s) of the appropriate State and local health agencies in the area(s) to be affected not later than the pertinent receipt date for applications. This PHSIS consists of the following information:

a. A copy of the face page of the application (Standard form 424).

b. A summary of the project (PHSIS), not to exceed one page, which provides:

(1) A description of the population to be served.

(2) A summary of the services to be provided.

(3) A description of the coordination planned with the appropriate State or local health agencies.

State and local governments and Indian Tribal Authority applicants are not subject to the Public Health System Reporting Requirements.

Application guidance materials will specify if a particular FY 2000 activity is subject to the Public Health System Reporting Requirements.

5. PHS Non-Use of Tobacco Policy Statement

The PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

6. Executive Order 12372

Applications submitted in response to the FY 2000 activity listed above are subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372, as implemented through DHHS regulations at 45 CFR Part 100. E.O. 12372 sets up a system for State and local government review of applications for Federal financial assistance. Applicants (other than Federally recognized Indian tribal governments) should contact the State's Single Point of Contact (SPOC) as early as possible to alert them to the prospective application(s) and to receive any necessary instructions on the State's review process. For proposed projects serving more than one State, the applicant is advised to contact the SPOC of each affected State. A current listing of SPOCs is included in the application guidance materials. The SPOC should send any State review process recommendations directly to: Division of Extramural Activities, Policy, and Review, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 17-89, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.

The due date for State review process recommendations is no later than 60 days after the specified deadline date for the receipt of applications. SAMHSA does not guarantee to accommodate or explain SPOC comments that are received after the 60-day cut-off.