FEDERAL AGENCY:

HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION:

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1992, Public Law 102-170.

OBJECTIVES:

To support the operation of rural health research centers to provide an information base and policy analysis capability on the full range of rural health services issues, including financing, recruitment and retention of health professionals, access to care, and rural delivery systems.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

All funds awarded should be expended solely for carrying out the approved projects in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 102-170.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   All public and private entities, nonprofit and for-profit, are eligible to apply. Eligible entities may include, but are not limited to, public and private institutions for higher education, public or private health research organizations, and foundations.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   The entities that will benefit from this program are health care personnel, health research personnel, and the general public.

Credentials/Documentation:   The basis for determining the allowance and allocability of costs charged to Public Health Service (PHS) grants is set forth in 45 CFR 74, Subpart Q. The five separate sets of cost principles are: (1) OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments, (2) OMB Circular No. A-21 for institutions of higher education, (3) 45 CFR 74, Appendix E for hospitals, (4) OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations, and (5) 48 CFR, Subpart 31.2 for-profit (commercial) organizations.

Pre-application Coordination:   Preapplication coordination is not required. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   The standard application forms, PHS 398, Rev. 5/95, as furnished by the PHS and required by 45 CFR, Part 92, must be used for this program. This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR, Part 92 for State and local governments and OMB Circular No. A-110 for nonprofit organizations. Application kit can be obtained by writing HRSA Grants Application Center, 901 Russell Avenue, Suite 450, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 or by calling toll free: 1-877-477-2123.

Award Procedure:   The review of applications is carried out by Federal and nonfederal professionals in health services research. Applications are reviewed for merit and are recommended for approval or disapproval. Final decisions are made by the Director, Office of Rural Health Policy.

Deadlines:   Contact Headquarters Office for competing application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   About 5 months.

Appeals:   None.

Renewals:   Cooperative Agreements may be made for up to 4-year project periods. Subject to availability of funds, after initial awards, projects may be renewed non-competitively contingent upon submission and approval of an application.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   There are no statutory formula or matching requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Awards are made annually. Awards are normally made in a lump sum for the entire budget period. Payments are made through an Electronic Transfer System or Cash Demand System.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Annual Program reports and special reports (if any) are required. In addition, a Financial Status Report is to be submitted within 90 days after the close of each budget period.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In addition, grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal officials.

Records:   Grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records for 3 years after the end of the budget period. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving the records has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the regular 3-year period, whichever is later.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   75-0350-0-1-550.

Obligations:   (Cooperative Agreements) FY 01 $3,000,000; FY 02 est $3,500,000; and FY 03 est $3,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  
From $400,000 to $600,000; Average: $490,000.

In fiscal year 2001, six noncompeting continuations were funded. In fiscal years 2002 and 2003, six noncompeting continuations are anticipated.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Program guidelines may be obtained by contacting the Headquarters Office for PHS Grants Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH) 94-50,000, (Rev.) April 1, 1994.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  
See Regional Agency Offices. Sarah Bryce: Telehealth Focused Rural Health Research Center
Sarah Bryce: Rapid Response Rural Data Analysis and Issue Specific Rural Research Studies
Sarah Bryce: Rural Health Research Dissemination
Sarah Bryce: Rural Health Research Center
Aaron Beswick: Frontier Community Health Integration Project Technical Assistance, Tracking, and Analysis Program
Megan Meacham, National Rural Health Best Practices and Community Development Program
Amy Chanlongbutra, Rural Policy Analysis.
Sarah Bryce, Rural Health Value
Keith Midberry, State Rural Health Coordination and Development Cooperative Agreement (SRHCD-CA):
Owmy Bouloute , Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Evaluation Cooperative Agreement
Mike McNeely, Information Services to Rural Hospital Flexibility Program Grantees
Yvonne Chow, Rural Quality Improvement Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreement.
Wakina Scott, Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreement.

Headquarters Office:  
Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop 17W59-D, Rockville, Maryland 20857 Phone: (301) 443-0835.

Web Site Address:  
http://www.hrsa.gov/ruralhealth

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

(1) The Project HOPE Walsh Center for Rural Health Analyses, located in Bethesda, MD is analyzing the restructuring of Medicare and special payments to hospitals. (2) The Rural Research Center of the University of Nebraska at Omaha focuses its research on Medicare managed care in general, on the Medicare +Choice programs, and on rural delivery systems. (3) The University of North Carolina Rural Health Research Program addresses issues in rural Medicaid managed care, the rural workforce, and maps displaying the location of a variety of rural health resources. (4) The Rural Research Center at the University of South Carolina at Columbia concentrates on health disparities of rural African Americans. (5) Texas A&M University School of Rural Public Health conducts research on rural systems building, Hispanics and long-term care. (6) The WAMI Rural Health Research Center at the University of Washington focuses on the rural health professions workforce, prenatal care, and health of American Indians/Alaska Natives.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Criteria will be published in the HRSA Preview for competitive application cycles.