Arra - Health Careers Opportunity Program (93.416)

Program

93.416 Arra - Health Careers Opportunity Program

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Health Resources and Services Administration

Authorization

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) , Public Law 111-5.

Program Number

93.416

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

As funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the HCOP program strives to develop a more competitive applicant pool to build diversity in the health professions. The program's goal is to provide students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to develop the skills needed to successfully compete to enter and graduate from health professions schools, allied health professions schools, graduate programs in behavioral and mental health, and programs for the training of physician assistants.

Types of Assistance

Project Grants

Uses and Use Restrictions

Section 739 provides for assisting individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to undertake education to enter a health or allied health profession. Grant funds may be used for: (1) recruitment; (2) facilitating entry; (3) counseling, mentoring and other services; (4) preliminary education and health research training; (5) financial aid/information dissemination; (6) primary care exposure activities; (7) development of a more competitive applicant pool; and (8) stipends.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

None

Beneficiary Eligibility

None

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. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. HRSA is requiring applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov. All applicants must submit in this manner unless the applicant is granted a written exemption from this requirement in advance by the Director of HRSA�s Division of Grants Policy. Grantees must request an exemption in writing from dgpwaivers@hrsa.gov and provide details as to why they are technologically unable to submit electronically though the Grants.gov portal.

Application information may be found by visiting www.grants.gov. All qualified applications will be forwarded to an objective review committee which will make funding recommendations to the Associate Administrator for the Bureau of Health Professions. The Associate Administrator has the authority to make final selections for awards.

Award Procedure

Notification is made in writing by a Notice of Grant Award issued from HRSA Division of Grants Management.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 30 to 60 days. Sara Rue, Public Health Analyst, Division of Diversity and Interdisciplinary Education, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Room 9-36, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

From 30 to 60 days.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Project period is approximately 2 years. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Notice of Grant Award.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

All projects funded with ARRA funds are subject to special quarterly reporting requirements as outlined in Section 1512 of the Recovery Act. A Uniform Progress Report must be submitted for a second or subsequent budget period within a previously approved project period. A final progress report and final financial status report must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the project period. Cash reports are not applicable. All projects funded with ARRA funds are subject to special quarterly reporting requirements as outlined in Section 1512 of the Recovery Act. A Uniform Progress Report must be submitted for a second or subsequent budget period within a previously approved project period. A final progress report and final financial status report must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the project period. All projects funded with ARRA funds are subject to special quarterly reporting requirements as outlined in Section 1512 of the Recovery Act. for An annual financial status report is required 90 days after the end of each budget period. A final progress report and final financial status report must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the project period. All projects funded with ARRA funds are subject to special quarterly reporting requirements as outlined in Section 1512 of the Recovery Act.

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. 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 receive 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

Grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records 3 years after the end of a grant period. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the record 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 end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: In FY 2008, there were15 HCOP projects. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-0351-0-1-550.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $9,282,051; FY 09 est $0; FY 10 est $0 - It is estimated there will be ARRA funding for both FY 2009-FY2010: $3M.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$66,083 to $1,454,970, with an average award of $618,803.

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.

Related Programs

93.822 Health Careers Opportunity Program

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. Sara Rue, Public Health Analyst, Division of Diversity and Interdisciplinary Education, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Room 9-36, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.

Headquarters Office

Sara Rue 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9-36, Rockville, Maryland 20857 Phone: (301) 443-3043

Web Site Address

No Data Available

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Structured summer and academic year projects were conducted offering preliminary education at pre-health professions schools, health professions schools, and allied health professions schools in the United States. The purposes of these programs are recruitment and facilitating entry for individuals from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Overview: (1) The applicant's record in developing, training, and strengthening the academic performance of disadvantaged students throughout the educational pipeline, including health professions schools; (2) the needs assessment study; (3) the established relationship between the program's stated needs, objectives, and outcomes; (4) the project's plan for developing and expanding the pool of competitive health professions school applicants; (5) the qualifications and experience of the faculty and staff to implement and manage an HCOP program, as well as the experience of the faculty and staff in working with the proposed target group; (6) evidence that formal linkages have been established in order to create a more comprehensive HCOP program; (7) the project activities and their reasonability given the proposed level of staff effort, length of project period and budget requested, resources available, and linkages established; (8) the proposed methods for evaluating the project (including data collection, analysis and reporting procedures, quality control methods and type of personnel involved; (9) the demonstrated knowledge and expertise the applicant possess for coordinating activities with school districts and other community based entities, as well as identifying and leveraging resources from private, philanthropic, business and other government entities; and 10) the budget demonstrates effective use of grant funds and is reasonable, based on: (a) a detailed justification for each line item, (b) the level of in-kind support and other sources of funds, both Federal and non-Federal, the applicant proposes to utilize for carrying out the program, (c) the applicant's proposed plan for continuation of the proposed project beyond the federally-funded project period.

REVIEW CRITERIA. All competitive applications will be reviewed and ranked on the basis of 7 review criteria are used to review and rank applications.
1. RESOURCES/ CAPABILITIES: a) the applicant demonstrates a commitment to disadvantaged students and/or underserved communities; b) the applicant provides documentation of evidence utilizing institutional resources and activities aimed at developing, training and strengthening the academic performance and cultural competence of disadvantaged students throughout the educational pipeline, including health professions schools; c) the applicant demonstrates a commitment to disadvantaged students and/or underserved communities; d) the applicant provides documentation of evidence utilizing institutional resources and activities aimed at developing, training and strengthening the academic performance and cultural competence of disadvantaged students throughout the educational pipeline, including health professions schools; e) project personnel are qualified by training and/or experience to implement and carry out the project; and f) the capabilities of the applicant organization, and quality and availability of facilities and personnel to fulfill the needs and requirements of the proposed project.

2. IMPACT: a) the applicant clearly describes the plan for disseminating and implementing HCOP project results to the education and/or health professions community, regionally and/or nationally; b) the applicant clearly delineates specific venues, media, timelines, etc.; c) the applicant describes the extent to which the project activities are replicable; and d) the applicant describes the probability of the program, or significant components of the program, being maintained beyond HCOP funding.

3. NEED: a) the extent to which the application describes the problem and associated contributing factors to the problem, with support data provided; b) the targeted disciplines mirror the health professions workforce needs of the geographic area to be served; and c) support data includes information on the academic performance and social needs of students in the targeted area and demographics for health professionals in the geographic area.

4. RESPONSE: a) an effective, well-delineated plan for carrying out all seven (7) of the HCOP program purposes. The plan explicitly identifies the targeted health disciplines and includes measurable objectives that are clearly written with corresponding methodology, evaluation and budget sections that describe in detail how they will be carried out, evaluated and supported by HCOP grant dollars and/or other sources; b) the extent to which the proposed project responds to the �Purpose� included in the program description; c) the clarity of the proposed goals and objectives and their relationship to the identified project; d) the extent to which the activities described in the application are capable of addressing the problem and attaining the project objectives; and e) the extent to which the project�s objectives are appropriate, measurable, logical, time-framed, and provide baseline data.

5. CULTURAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT: a) the proposed project must clearly define
goals and objectives for teaching cultural competence, including educational and
training activities for each educational level; and b). the objectives must be measurable
and attainable.

6. SUPPORT REQUESTED: a) the overall proposed budget, including non-trainee expenses, should be cost effective, reasonable and consistent in relation to the objectives, the proposed activities and the anticipated results; and b) expenditures should be justified and in-kind contributions documented.

7. PROGRESS SUMMARY OF EVALUATIVE MEASURES (FOR COMPETING CONTINUATIONS): a) the progress summary reveals that the applicant was able to successfully manage the grant and met the objectives of the current HCOP grant; b) lists the original grant objectives and provides outcomes for each objective in measurable terms; and c) provides an evaluation of the outcomes and lists corrective actions taken to remedy objectives that were not met.