Funded projects include efforts to provide primary care services in rural areas, including mental health services, oral health services, chronic diseases, prenatal care, free clinical services, HIT and preventive health services.
In addition, projects designed to increase the number of health professionals available to provide services in rural areas have also been funded.
In addition, projects designed to improve access to rural health services (such as transportation or services on mobile vans) have also been funded.
More recently projects to develop or enhance vertically integrated networks have been supported.
The Department of Health and Human Services is the Federal government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially to those who are least able to help themselves.
For the Outreach Program, in FY 07, a total of 122 awards were made; in FY 08, there will be 92 non-competitive awards. For the Network Development Grant Program, in FY 07, there were a total of 38 grants. In FY 08 there will be a total of 77 awards. For the Network Planning Grant Program, in FY 07, there were a total of 10 grants. In FY 08 there will be a total of 17 awards.
Uses and Use Restrictions
All funds awarded are to be expended solely for carrying out the approved projects.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Rural Health Care Services Outreach and Rural Health Network Development Programs: Rural public or nonprofit private entities that include three or more health care providers that provide or support the delivery of health care services.
The administrative headquarters of the organization must be located in a rural county or a rural zip code of an urban county; or an organization is constituted exclusively to provide services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers in rural areas and supported under Section 330G of the Public Health Service Act; or the applicant is a Tribal government whose grant-funded activities will be conducted within their Federally-recognized Tribal area.
Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Program This program is available to support rural public, rural non-profit, or other providers of healthcare services, such as a critical access hospital or rural health clinic.
(1) The applicant must be located in a rural area, as determined by eligible rural county or census tracts, and all services must be provided in a rural county or census tract.
To ascertain rural eligibility, please refer to ftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/ruralhealth/Eligibility2005.pdf.
This website lists eligibility by county and census tract and includes a hyperlink to the Federal Financial Institutions Examining Council's (FFIEC) Geocoding System to determine your census tract number and eligibility.
(2) The applicant exists exclusively to provide services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers in rural areas and is supported under Section 330G of the Public Health Service Act.
(3) The applicant is a Tribal government whose grant-funded activities will be conducted within their Federally-recognized Tribal area (documentation of status as a Federally-recognized Native American Tribe must be included).
Frontier Extended Stay Cooperative Agreement Program Rural public or nonprofit private entities that include three or more health care providers that provide or support the delivery of health care services.
The administrative headquarters of the organization must be located in a rural county or a rural zip code of an urban county; or an organization is constituted exclusively to provide services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers in rural areas and supported under Section 330G of the Public Health Service Act; or the applicant is a Tribal government whose grant-funded activities will be conducted within their Federally-recognized Tribal area.
Delta States Rural Development Network Grant Program.
Rural public or nonprofit private entities that include three or more health care providers that provide or support the delivery of health care services.
Eligible organizations must be rural public or rural private nonprofit entities located within a rural Delta county/parish.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Medically underserved populations in rural areas will receive expanded services in rural communities where they did not previously exist.
Credentials/Documentation
Applicants should review the individual HRSA Guidance documents issued under this CFDA program for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
This program is eligible for coverage under E.O.
12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
An applicant should consult the office of the official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.
Application Procedures
Grant applications and required forms for this program can be obtained from Grants.gov. Please visit the Grants.gov Web site at www.grants.gov to both find and apply for all Federal grant opportunities. All qualified applications will be forwarded to an objective review committee which will make funding recommendations to the Associate Administrator for the Office of Rural Health. The Associate Administrator has the authority to make final selections for awards.
Award Procedures
Applications are reviewed by Federal and nonfederal experts in rural health care services development, coordination, and delivery. Applications are evaluated 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 listed below for deadline dates.
Authorization
Health Care Safety Net Amendment, Public Law 107-251.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
From 6-9 months.
Appeals
None.
Renewals
Rural Health Outreach and Rural Health Network awards may be made for up to 3-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, availability of appropriated funds, and awardee's satisfactory performance. Rural Health Network Planning Awards are only available for one year.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
There are no statutory formula or matching requirements for this program.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Awards are made annually. Funds are available to grantees on an as needed basis throughout the budget period and payments are made through the Payment Management System.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
A performance progress report is submitted with each noncompeting continuation application.
A financial status report is to be submitted within 90 days after the close of the budget period.
A final Program report is to be submitted within 90 days after the close of the project period.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
All records must be maintained until expiration of 3 years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions remain following the 3-uear period, such as those raised as a result of an audit or an on-going enforcement action, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved.
Financial Information
Account Identification
75-0350-0-1-550.
Obigations
(Grants) FY 07 $25,088,433; FY 08 est $25,831,745; and FY 09 est $25,000,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
A maximum of $150,000 for the first year of funding for the Outreach Grant; A maximum of $180,000 for the first year of funding for the Network Development Grant. A maximum of $85,000 for funding for the Network Development Planning Grant.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR Part 92 for State, local and tribal governments and 45 CFR Part 74 for institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofit organizations and commercial organizations, as applicable.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
Program Contact: Ms. Nisha Patel, Outreach Grant Program Coordinator, Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, Room 9A-55, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-0835. Sherilyn Pruitt, Network Development Grant Program Coordinator, Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, Room 9A-55, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-0835. Ms. Eileen Holloran, Network Development Planning Grant Program Coordinator, Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, Room 9A-55, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-0835.
Headquarters Office
Grants Management Office: Rick Goodman, Director, Division of Grants Management Operations, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 11A-16. Health Services Branch: 301-443-2385; Research and Training Branch: 301-443-3099; Government and Special Focus Branch: 301-443-3288.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Criteria are based on the need of the project, innovation, realistic and measurable goals and objectives, clearly defined roles of each network member, strength of applicant's management plan, community involvement, level of local commitment, costs, and program evaluation plan.
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