FR Doc 04-6727
[Federal Register: March 25, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 58)]
[Notices]
[Page 15308-15311]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25mr04-41]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
RIN 1820 ZA34
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of proposed priorities for Community Integration for
Individuals with Disabilities.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services proposes priorities under the National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTC) Program. The
Assistant Secretary may use one or more of these priorities for
competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2004 and later years. We take this
action to focus research attention on areas of national need. We intend
these priorities to improve community integration outcomes of persons
with disabilities who have psychiatric or other mental health
conditions.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before April 27, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments about these proposed priorities to
Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 3412, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2645. If you prefer
to send your comments through the Internet, use the following address:
donna.nangle@ed.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle. Telephone: (202) 205-
5880.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call
[[Page 15309]]
the TDD number at (202) 205-4475 or via Internet: donna.nangle@ed.gov.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Invitation to Comment
We invite you to submit comments regarding these proposed
priorities. To ensure that your comments have maximum effect in
developing the notice of final priorities, we urge you to identify
clearly the specific proposed priority that each comment addresses.
We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific
requirements of Executive Order 12866 and its overall requirement of
reducing regulatory burden that might result from these proposed
priorities. Please let us know of any further opportunities we should
take to reduce potential costs or increase potential benefits while
preserving the effective and efficient administration of the program.
During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public
comments about these proposed priorities in room 3412, Switzer
Building, 330 C Street SW., Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30
a.m. and 4 p.m., eastern time, Monday through Friday of each week
except Federal holidays.
Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities in Reviewing the Rulemaking
Record
On request, we will supply an appropriate aid, such as a reader or
print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public
rulemaking record for these proposed priorities. If you want to
schedule an appointment for this type of aid, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
We will announce the final priorities in a notice in the Federal
Register. We will determine the final priorities after considering
responses to this notice and other information available to the
Department. This notice does not preclude us from proposing or funding
additional priorities, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking
requirements.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in
which we choose to use these proposed priorities, we invite
applications through a notice published in the Federal Register.
When inviting applications, we designate each priority as absolute,
competitive preference, or invitational. The effect of each type of
priority follows:
Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by either
(1) awarding additional points, depending on how well or the extent to
which the application meets the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or
(2) selecting an application that meets the competitive priority over
an application of comparable merit that does not meet the competitive
priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are
particularly interested in applications that meet the invitational
priority. However, we do not give an application that meets the
invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other
applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Note: NIDRR supports the goals of President Bush's New Freedom
Initiative (NFI). The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at the
following site:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative/freedominitiative.html
.
These proposed priorities are in concert with NIDRR's Long-Range
Plan (Plan). The Plan is comprehensive and integrates many issues
relating to disability and rehabilitation research topics. While
applicants will find many sections throughout the Plan that support
potential research to be conducted under these proposed priorities, a
specific reference is included for each priority presented in this
notice. The Plan can be accessed on the Internet at the following site:
http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/index.html.
Through the implementation of the NFI and the Plan, NIDRR seeks to-
(1) Improve the quality and utility of disability and rehabilitation
research; (2) foster an exchange of expertise, information, and
training to facilitate the advancement of knowledge and understanding
of the unique needs of traditionally underserved populations; (3)
determine best strategies and programs to improve rehabilitation
outcomes for underserved populations; (4) identify research gaps; (5)
identify mechanisms of integrating research and practice; and (6)
disseminate findings.
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers
RRTCs conduct coordinated and integrated advanced programs of
research targeted toward the production of new knowledge to improve
rehabilitation methodology and service delivery systems, alleviate or
stabilize disability conditions, or promote maximum social and economic
independence for persons with disabilities. Additional information on
the RRTC program can be found at
http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/res-program.html#RRTC
.
General Requirements of Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers
RRTCs must:
Carry out coordinated advanced programs of
rehabilitation research;
Provide training, including graduate, pre-
service, and in-service training, to help rehabilitation personnel more
effectively provide rehabilitation services to individuals with
disabilities;
Provide technical assistance to individuals with
disabilities, their representatives, providers, and other interested
parties;
Disseminate informational materials to
individuals with disabilities, their representatives, providers, and
other interested parties; and
Serve as centers for national excellence in
rehabilitation research for individuals with disabilities, their
representatives, providers, and other interested parties.
The Department is particularly interested in ensuring that the
expenditure of public funds is justified by the execution of intended
activities and the advancement of knowledge and, thus, has built this
accountability into the selection criteria. Not later than three years
after the establishment of any RRTC, NIDRR will conduct one or more
reviews of the activities and achievements of the RRTC. In accordance
with the provisions of 34 CFR 75.253(a), continued funding depends at
all times on satisfactory performance and accomplishment of approved
grant objectives.
Priorities
Background
Community integration (CI) and independent living (IL) are central
to NIDRR's mission, which is to develop knowledge that will ``improve
substantially the options for disabled individuals to perform regular
activities in the community, and the capacity of society to provide
full opportunities for its disabled citizens.'' NIDRR's Plan, which
articulates this mission, emphasizes that community integration is not
just about being located physically in the community; it is about
[[Page 15310]]
full participation, independence, empowerment, choice, and control.
The U.S. Supreme Court, in its 1999 L.C. v. Olmstead decision, held
that title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits
unjustified isolation or segregation of qualified individuals with
disabilities, including individuals with mental disabilities, through
institutionalization. The President issued Executive Order 13217,
``Community-based Alternatives for Individuals with Disabilities,''
which requires Federal agencies to implement the Olmstead decision.
In April, 2002, President Bush announced the creation of the New
Freedom Commission on Mental Health. He charged the Commission with
studying the mental health care system in the United States and making
recommendations that would enable adults with serious mental illness
and children with serious emotional disturbance to live, work, learn,
and participate fully in their communities. The ensuing Commission
Report, ``Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in
America'' (July, 2003), along with reports from the Surgeon General and
numerous other public and private entities, offer consensus on a number
of findings addressed in the priorities below. These include the
importance of enhancing: (1) Recovery as an organizing framework; (2)
recovery-oriented, community-based interventions that are consumer and
family-driven; (3) integration of care and collaboration across service
sectors serving persons with psychiatric disability (e.g., health,
mental health, substance abuse, corrections/juvenile justice,
education, social services); (4) financial flexibility, workforce
development, and accountability across service sectors; (5) access to
care by reducing stigma; and culturally competent care and service to
rural and other underserved populations; and (6) culturally competent
care and service to rural and other underserved populations.
NIDRR, in keeping with its long-standing commitment to CI for
people with disabilities, and consistent with findings from the
President's Commission and findings from the field, announces its
intention to fund three RRTCs related to child, adolescent, and adult
mental health. Each of these priorities addresses at least some of the
findings previously discussed.
New to this set of priorities is a focus on outcomes rather than
activities. The overall outcome for each of these priorities mirrors
the President's charge: To work towards enabling adults with serious
mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbance to live,
work, learn, and participate fully in their communities and to provide
supports for their families and caregivers.
Proposed Priorities
The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services proposes to fund three RRTCs that will focus on rehabilitation
related to improving the community integration outcomes of persons with
disabilities who have psychiatric or other mental health conditions.
Under each of these priorities, the RRTC must:
(1) Contribute substantially to the scientific knowledge-base
relevant to its respective subject area,
(2) Research, develop, and evaluate interventions and tools to
improve outcomes in its focus area,
(3) Develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive plan for
training critical stakeholders (e.g., consumers, family members,
practitioners, service providers, researchers, and policymakers),
(4) Provide technical assistance, as appropriate, to critical
stakeholders, (e.g., consumers, family members, practitioners, and
service providers) to facilitate utilization of research findings in
its respective area of research, and
(5) Develop a systematic plan for widespread dissemination of
informational materials based on knowledge gained from the RRTC's
research activities, and disseminate the materials to persons with
disabilities, their representatives, service providers, and other
interested parties.
In addition to the activities proposed by the applicant to carry
out these purposes, each RRTC must--
Conduct a state-of-the-science conference on its
respective area of research in the third year of the grant cycle and
publish a comprehensive report on the final outcomes of the conference
in the fourth year of the grant cycle. This conference must include
materials from experts internal and external to the RRTC;
Coordinate on research projects of mutual
interest with relevant NIDRR-funded projects as identified through
consultation with the NIDRR project officer;
Involve individuals with disabilities, including
those from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, in planning and
implementing its research, training, and dissemination activities, and
in evaluating the RRTC;
Demonstrate in its application how it will
address, in whole or in part, the needs of individuals with
disabilities from minority backgrounds; and
Articulate goals, objectives, and expected
outcomes for the proposed research activities. It is critical that
proposals describe expected public benefits, especially benefits for
individuals with disabilities, and propose projects that are designed
to demonstrate outcomes that are consistent with the proposed goals.
Applicants must include information describing how they will measure
outcomes, including the indicators that will represent the end-result,
the mechanisms that will be used to evaluate outcomes associated with
specific problems or issues, and how the proposed activities will
support new intervention approaches and strategies, including a
discussion of measures of effectiveness.
Each RRTC must focus research on one of the following priorities:
Priority 1--Recovery and Recovery-Oriented Psychiatric Rehabilitation
for Persons With Long Term Mental Illness
The purpose of the priority is to establish an RRTC on Recovery and
Recovery-Oriented Psychiatric Rehabilitation for Persons with Long Term
Mental Illness, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration. The RRTC must be outcomes-
focused, with the aim of enabling adults with serious mental illness to
live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. Emphasis
must be placed on the development and translation into practice of
scientific knowledge that is culturally competent and consumer and
family centered. To achieve these goals, the RRTC will conduct
research, training, technical assistance, and dissemination activities
on individual and environmental factors relevant to recovery and
recovery-oriented psychiatric rehabilitation. Relevant topic areas may
include, but are not limited to--
The concept and dimensions of recovery as it
relates to people with long-term mental illness;
Factors that inhibit recovery (e.g., stigma and
discrimination, fragmentation of the service delivery system, workforce
shortages); or
Factors that enhance recovery, including model
interventions and supports (e.g., culturally competent treatment,
supported employment, supported education, and alternative and
innovative practices such as exercise, peer supports, and personal
assistance services).
The reference for this topic can be found in the Plan, chapter 6,
[[Page 15311]]
Independent Living and Community Integration.
Priority 2--Developing and Implementing Integrated Systems of Care for
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
The purpose of the priority is to establish an RRTC on development
and implementation strategies for effective and integrated systems of
care for children and adolescents with serious emotional disorders and
their families and caregivers, in collaboration with the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Mental Health
Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The RRTC must be outcome-focused, with the aim of developing and
implementing effective and integrated systems of care that provide
children and families access to the services and supports they need in
order to live, learn, work, and thrive in their communities. To achieve
this, the RRTC must conduct research, training, technical assistance,
and dissemination activities on relevant areas such as, but not limited
to--
Strategies for maximizing collaboration in
planning, accountability, financing, and service delivery within and
across service sectors (e.g., mental health, juvenile justice, child
welfare, education, substance abuse, primary health).
Strategies for enhancing the child and
adolescent mental health workforce so that it is more diverse and has
the training, organizational support, and infrastructure necessary to
implement family and community-based individualized service plans.
Strategies for developing culturally competent
policies, practices, and procedures, and incorporating them into the
service delivery system.
Performance measurement and quality improvement
procedures designed to help systems of care make adjustments and
improvements as needed to achieve their goals.
Strategies for developing and implementing
financial policies that are flexible and encourage home and community-
based care provided in accordance with individualized service plans.
Strategies for maximizing translation of
evidence-based research into systems of care that permit families'
self-determination; maximize partnerships between schools, families,
and communities; and provide access to effective family and community-
based interventions.
The reference for this topic can be found in the Plan, chapter 6,
Independent Living and Community Integration.
Priority 3--Strengthening Family and Youth Participation in Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Services
The purpose of the priority is to establish an RRTC on promoting
effective family-centered and community-based practices and supports
for children and adolescents with serious emotional disorders and their
families and other caregivers, in collaboration with the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Mental Services,
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The work of
the RRTC must be outcome-focused with the aim of increasing the extent
to which families and youth have awareness of and access to supports
and services that effectively promote their participation in family,
school, work, and community life and roles. To achieve this, the RRTC
will conduct research, training, technical assistance, and
dissemination activities on relevant topic areas such as, but not
limited to--
Strategies for reducing stigma as a barrier to
service delivery for children, families, and other caregivers.
Strategies for integrating the concept of
recovery (as discussed in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation) in
service delivery for children and youth.
Strategies for developing, delivering, and
evaluating culturally competent youth and family-driven individualized
service plans that are applicable across a variety of settings and
service sectors.
Strategies for maximizing the translation of
evidence-based research into effective community-based practices.
Strategies to support successful transitions
across settings.
The reference for this topic can be found in the Plan, chapter 6,
Independent Living and Community Integration.
Executive Order 12866
This notice of proposed priorities has been reviewed in accordance
with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of the order, we have
assessed the potential costs and benefits of this regulatory action.
The potential costs associated with the notice of proposed
priorities are those resulting from statutory requirements and those we
have determined as necessary for administering this program effectively
and efficiently.
In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative
and qualitative--of this notice of proposed priorities, we have
determined that the benefits of the proposed priorities justify the
costs.
Summary of Potential Costs and Benefits
The potential costs associated with these proposed priorities are
minimal while the benefits are significant. Grantees may anticipate
incurring costs associated with completing the application, including
staff time, copying, and mailing or delivery. The use of e-Application
technology reduces copying and mailing costs significantly.
The benefits of the RRTC Program have been well established over
the years. Similar projects have generated findings that advance the
field and improve options for individuals with disabilities.
The benefit of these proposed priorities and project requirements
will be the establishment of new RRTCs that generate, disseminate, and
promote the use of new information to improve options and participation
in the community for individuals with disabilities. Applicable Program
Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO access at
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.133B,
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center Program)
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(2).
Dated: March 22, 2004.
Troy R. Justesen,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 04-6727 Filed 3-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P