Proposed Priority-National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research-Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, 14483-14487 [2013-05227]
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regulatory action’’ as an action likely to
result in a rule that may—
(1) Have an annual effect on the
economy of $100 million or more, or
adversely affect a sector of the economy,
productivity, competition, jobs, the
environment, public health or safety, or
State, local, or tribal governments or
communities in a material way (also
referred to as an ‘‘economically
significant’’ rule);
(2) Create serious inconsistency or
otherwise interfere with an action taken
or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary
impacts of entitlement grants, user fees,
or loan programs or the rights and
obligations of recipients thereof; or
(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues
arising out of legal mandates, the
President’s priorities, or the principles
stated in the Executive order.
This proposed regulatory action is not
a significant regulatory action subject to
review by OMB under section 3(f) of
Executive Order 12866.
We have also reviewed this regulatory
action under Executive Order 13563,
which supplements and explicitly
reaffirms the principles, structures, and
definitions governing regulatory review
established in Executive Order 12866.
To the extent permitted by law,
Executive Order 13563 requires that an
agency—
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only
on a reasoned determination that their
benefits justify their costs (recognizing
that some benefits and costs are difficult
to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the
least burden on society, consistent with
obtaining regulatory objectives and
taking into account—among other things
and to the extent practicable—the costs
of cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative
regulatory approaches, select those
approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety,
and other advantages; distributive
impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify
performance objectives, rather than the
behavior or manner of compliance a
regulated entity must adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available
alternatives to direct regulation,
including economic incentives—such as
user fees or marketable permits—to
encourage the desired behavior, or
provide information that enables the
public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires
an agency ‘‘to use the best available
techniques to quantify anticipated
present and future benefits and costs as
accurately as possible.’’ The Office of
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Information and Regulatory Affairs of
OMB has emphasized that these
techniques may include ‘‘identifying
changing future compliance costs that
might result from technological
innovation or anticipated behavioral
changes.’’
We are issuing this proposed priority
only on a reasoned determination that
its benefits would justify its costs. In
choosing among alternative regulatory
approaches, we selected those
approaches that would maximize net
benefits. Based on the analysis that
follows, the Department believes that
this proposed priority is consistent with
the principles in Executive Order 13563.
We also have determined that this
regulatory action would not unduly
interfere with State, local, and tribal
governments in the exercise of their
governmental functions.
In accordance with both Executive
orders, the Department has assessed the
potential costs and benefits of this
regulatory action. The potential costs
are those resulting from statutory
requirements and those we have
determined as necessary for
administering the Department’s
programs and activities.
The benefits of the Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and
Centers Programs have been well
established over the years. Projects
similar to the new RTTC have been
completed successfully, and the new
RTTC, established consistently with this
priority, is expected to improve the lives
of individuals with disabilities from
minority backgrounds; generate through
research and development, disseminate,
and promote the use of new information
that will improve the outcomes for
individuals with disabilities; and
increase the capacity of minority
entities to conduct disability and
rehabilitation research and develop
rehabilitation professionals.
Intergovernmental Review: This
program is not subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79.
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document in
an accessible format (e.g., braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc) by
contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC
20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245–
7363. If you use a TDD or TTY, call the
FRS, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339.
Electronic Access to This Document:
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
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14483
and the Code of Federal Regulations is
available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you
can view this document, as well as all
other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Dated: March 1, 2013.
Michael K. Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2013–05225 Filed 3–5–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
34 CFR Chapter III
[CFDA Number: 84.133B–10.]
Proposed Priority—National Institute
on Disability and Rehabilitation
Research—Rehabilitation Research
and Training Center
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Proposed priority.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for
Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services proposes a priority under the
Rehabilitation Research and Training
Center (RRTC) Program administered by
the National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
Specifically, this notice proposes a
priority for an RRTC on Promoting
Healthy Aging for Individuals with
Long-Term Physical Disabilities. The
Assistant Secretary may use this priority
for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2013
and later years. We take this action to
focus research attention on an area of
national need. We intend the priority to
contribute to improved health and
function outcomes for individuals aging
with long-term physical disabilities.
DATES: We must receive your comments
on or before April 5, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments about
this notice to Marlene Spencer, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., room 5133, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC
20202–2700.
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If you prefer to send your comments
by email, use the following address:
marlene.spencer@ed.gov. You must
include the phrase ‘‘Proposed Priority
for Promoting Healthy Aging for
Individuals with Long-Term Physical
Disabilities’’ in the subject line of your
electronic message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marlene Spencer. Telephone: (202) 245–
7532 or by email:
marlene.spencer@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–
8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
proposed priority is in concert with
NIDRR’s Long-Range Plan (Plan). The
Plan, which was published in the
Federal Register on February 15, 2006
(71 FR 8165), can be accessed on the
Internet at the following site:
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/
nidrr/policy.html.
Through the implementation of 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 methods 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 for integrating research and
practice; and (6) disseminate findings.
This notice proposes one priority that
NIDRR intends to use for one or more
competitions in FY 2013 and possibly
later years. However, nothing precludes
NIDRR from publishing additional
priorities, if needed. Furthermore,
NIDRR is under no obligation to make
an award using this priority. The
decision to make an award will be based
on the quality of applications received
and available funding.
Invitation To Comment: We invite
you to submit comments regarding this
notice. To ensure that your comments
have maximum effect in developing the
notice of final priority, we urge you to
identify clearly the specific topic that
each comment addresses.
We invite you to assist us in
complying with the specific
requirements of Executive Orders 12866
and 13563 and their overall requirement
of reducing regulatory burden that
might result from this proposed priority.
Please let us know of any further ways
we could reduce potential costs or
increase potential benefits while
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preserving the effective and efficient
administration of the program.
During and after the comment period,
you may inspect all public comments
about this proposed priority in room
5133, 550 12th Street SW., PCP,
Washington, DC, between the hours of
8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Washington,
DC time, Monday through Friday of
each week except Federal holidays.
Assistance to Individuals with
Disabilities in Reviewing the
Rulemaking Record: On request we will
provide an appropriate accommodation
or auxiliary aid to an individual with a
disability who needs assistance to
review the comments or other
documents in the public rulemaking
record for this notice. If you want to
schedule an appointment for this type of
accommodation or auxiliary aid, please
contact the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Purpose of Program: The purpose of
the Disability and Rehabilitation
Research Projects and Centers Program
is to plan and conduct research,
demonstration projects, training, and
related activities, including
international activities, to develop
methods, procedures, and rehabilitation
technology that maximize the full
inclusion and integration into society,
employment, independent living, family
support, and economic and social selfsufficiency of individuals with
disabilities, especially individuals with
the most severe disabilities, and to
improve the effectiveness of services
authorized under the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation
Act).
Rehabilitation Research and Training
Centers
The purpose of the RRTCs, which are
funded through the Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and
Centers Program, is to achieve the goals
of, and improve the effectiveness of,
services authorized under the
Rehabilitation Act through advanced
research, training, technical assistance,
and dissemination activities in general
problem areas, as specified by NIDRR.
These activities are designed to benefit
rehabilitation service providers,
individuals with disabilities, and the
family members or other authorized
representatives of individuals with
disabilities. Additional information on
the RRTC program can be found at:
www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/resprogram.html#RRTC.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and
764(b)(2).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34
CFR part 350.
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Proposed Priority
This notice contains one proposed
priority.
RRTC on Promoting Healthy Aging for
Individuals with Long-Term Physical
Disabilities.
Background
Of the 51.5 million adults with a
disability, 41.5 million have disabilities
in the physical domain (Brault, 2012).
These numbers will likely grow
significantly in the next 25 to 30 years
as the baby boom generation continues
to enter later life, when the risk of
disability is the highest (IOM, 2007).
In 2010, 29.5 million Americans aged
21 to 64, or 16.6 percent of the workingage population, reported disabilities
(Brault, 2012). This large working-age
group includes people who are aging
with life-long and early-onset
disabilities that were once associated
with shortened life expectancy (IOM,
2007; Jensen et al., 2011; Kemp &
Mosqueda, 2004). This segment of the
disabled population with early-onset,
life-long disabilities is now
experiencing the benefits of increased
longevity as well as premature or
atypical aging related to their conditions
(Groah et al., 2012; IOM, 2007; Jensen et
al., 2011; Kemp & Mosqueda, 2004).
Aging with disability is now a
common experience of individuals with
significant physical disabilities (Kemp &
Mosqueda, 2004). We still lack national
statistics on the size of this emerging
population due to limitations in major
national surveys that track disability,
which do not collect information on age
of onset or duration of primary
disability (IOM, 2007; Washko et al.,
2012). However, the most recent
estimates available indicate that
approximately seven to nine percent of
adults had a disability with onset before
age 20, and approximately 20 to 30
percent experienced the onset of their
disability between ages 20 and 44
(Verbrugge & Yang, 2002).
Regardless of timing of onset, as
individuals with long-term disabilities
age, many face significant new
challenges to their health and
independence due to the onset of
secondary conditions associated with
changes in the underlying impairment
(Groah et al., 2012; IOM, 2007; Jensen et
al., 2011; Kemp & Mosqueda, 2004;
Kinny et al., 2004). The Institute of
Medicine has defined a ‘‘secondary
condition’’ as ‘‘any additional physical
or mental health condition that occurs
as a result of having a primary disabling
condition,’’ including pain, fatigue, and
muscle weakness (IOM, 2007).
Working-age individuals living with
long-term disabilities may also
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experience atypical or accelerated aging
due to earlier onset and higher rates of
age-related chronic conditions
compared to their same-age nondisabled counterparts (Groah et al.,
2012; IOM, 2007; Jensen et al., 2011).
These chronic health problems may
include, for example, osteoarthritis,
osteoporosis, falls, chronic respiratory
conditions, diabetes, and heart disease
(Freid et al., 2012; Iezzoni, 2010; Jensen
et al., 2011; Kemp & Mosqueda, 2004;
Kinny et al., 2004; Ravesloot et al.,
2007).
Addressing the rehabilitation and
health care needs of individuals aging
with disabilities involves challenges for
providing and coordinating a range of
appropriate health care services,
financing those services, and evaluating
their ongoing effectiveness (Iezzoni,
2010; Washko et al., 2012). Considerable
anecdotal evidence and numerous
small-scale studies indicate that the
negative effects of secondary conditions
can be managed and even prevented
through rehabilitation and healthpromotion activities (Groah et al., 2012;
Harrison, 2006; Jensen et al., 2011;
Ravesloot et al. 2007 & 2005; Rimmer et
al., 2000). However, there are few
evidence-based interventions to
promote healthy aging of individuals
with physical disabilities outside of the
post-acute setting (Groah et al., 2012;
Harrison, 2006; Jensen et al., 2011).
Only recently has the topic of secondary
conditions and aging with disability
begun to receive attention in the public
health and gerontology literatures
(Groah & Kehn, 2010; Iezzoni, 2010;
Ravesloot et al., 2007; Washko et al.,
2012).
The limitations in evidence-based
information available to guide the
treatment, management, and prevention
of secondary conditions and to promote
the overall health of individuals aging
with physical disability is of particular
concern given demographic trends
(Harrison, 2006; Jensen et al., 2011;
Ravesloot et al., 2007). For example, of
the 27 objectives identified for
improvement in the most recent Healthy
People 2020 initiative, under the topic
area of ‘‘Disability and Health’’ only
four evidence-based community
interventions are cited to guide
implementation of these objectives.
None of these objectives focus on
prevention of secondary conditions or
health promotion programs for
individuals with long-term disabilities
(Healthy People 2020, 2010).
To respond to the challenges and
opportunities at the intersection of aging
and disability, NIDRR proposes to fund
a Rehabilitation Research and Training
Center (RRTC) on Promoting Healthy
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Aging for Individuals with Long-Term
Physical Disabilities. The goal of this
proposed priority is to advance
knowledge and accelerate the
development, modification, and
evaluation of evidence-based
interventions and strategies that can be
applied in clinical and communitybased settings to promote healthy aging
and to reduce secondary conditions for
individuals with physical disabilities.
To achieve these goals, NIDRR
encourages collaborations among
rehabilitation and aging researchers and
between academic research centers and
community organizations serving
individuals aging with disabilities.
References
Brault, M.W. (2012). Americans with
Disabilities: 2010, Current Population
Reports, P70–131. U.S. Census Bureau, U.S.
Department of Commerce. Washington, DC.
Available from www.census.gov/prod/
2012pubs/p70–131.pdf. Accessed December
18, 2012.
Freid, V.M., Bernstein, A.B., & Bush, M.A.
(2012). Multiple Chronic Conditions among
Adults Aged 45 and Over: Trends Over the
Past 10 Years. NCHS Data Brief, no. 100.
Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health
Statistics. Available from: www.cdc.gov/
nchs/data/databriefs/db100.htm. Accessed
December 18, 2012.
Groah, S.L., Charlifue, S., Tate, D., Jensen,
M.P., Molton, I.R., Forchheimer, M., Krause,
J.S., Lammertse, D.P., & Campbell, M. (2012).
Spinal Cord Injury and Aging: Challenges
and Recommendations for Future Research.
American Journal of Physical Medicine &
Rehabilitation, 91(1): 80. doi: 10.1097/
PHM.0b013e31821f70bc. Available from:
https://journals.lww.com/ajpmr/Abstract/
2012/01000/Spinal_Cord_Injury_and_
Aging__Challenges_and.10.aspx. Accessed
December 18, 2012.
Groah S.L., & Kehn, M.E. (2010). The State
of Aging and Public Health for People with
Spinal Cord Injury: Lost in Transition?
Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation,
15(3): 10. doi: 10.1310/sci1503–1. Available
from: https://thomasland.metapress.com/
content/p6837l6448kp3211/fulltext.pdf.
Accessed December 18, 2012.
Harrison, T. (2006). Health Promotion for
Persons with Disabilities: What Does the
Literature Reveal? Family Community Health
Supplement, 29(1S): 12S. Available from:
www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/
journalarticle?Article_ID=622107. Accessed
December 18, 2012.
Healthy People 2020 (2010). U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services,
Office of Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion. Available from:
www.healthypeople.gov/2020/
topicsobjectives2020/objectiveslist.aspx?
topicId=9, and www.healthypeople.gov/2020/
topicsobjectives2020/ebr.aspx?topicId=9.
Accessed December 18, 2012.
Iezzoni, L.I. (2010). Multiple Chronic
Conditions and Disabilities: Implications for
Health Services Research and Data Demands.
Health Services Research, 45(5 Pt 2): 1523.
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14485
doi: 10.1111/j.1475–6773.2010.01145.x. Epub
2010 Aug 2. Available from:
www.freepatentsonline.com/article/HealthServices-Research/238476482.html. Accessed
December 18, 2012.
Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2007). The
Future of Disability in America. Field, M.J.,
& Jette, A.M., editors. Washington, DC:
National Academies Press.
Jensen, M.P., Molton, I.R., Groah, S.L.,
Campbell, M.L., Charlifue, S., Chiodo, A.,
Forchheimer, M., Krause, J.S., & Tate, D.
(2011). Secondary Health Conditions in
Individuals Aging with SCI: Terminology,
Concepts, and Analytic Approaches. Spinal
Cord, 50(5): 373–378.
Kemp, B.J., & Mosqueda, L. (Eds.) (2004).
Aging with a Disability: What the Clinician
Needs to Know. Baltimore, MD: Johns
Hopkins University Press.
Kinny, S., Patrick, D.L., & Doyle, D.L.
(2004). Prevalence of Secondary Conditions
among People with Disabilities. American
Journal of Public Health, 94(3): 443–445.
Ravesloot, C.H., Seekins, T., Cahill, T.,
Lindgren, S., Nary, D.E., & White, G. (2007).
Health Promotion for People with
Disabilities: Development and Evaluation of
the Living Well with a Disability Program.
Health Education Research 22(4): 522.
doi:10.1093/her/cyl114.
Ravesloot, C., Seekins, T., & White, G.
(2005). Living Well with a Disability Health
Promotion Intervention: Improved Health
Status for Consumers and Lower Costs for
Healthcare Policy Makers. Rehabilitation
Psychology, 50: 239–45.
Rimmer, J.H., Braunschweig, C., &
Silverman, K (2000). Effects of a Short-Term
Health Promotion Intervention for a
Predominantly African-American Group of
Stroke Survivors. American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 18: 332.
Verbrugge, L.M., & Yang, L.S. (2002). Aging
with Disability and Disability with Aging.
Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 12(4):
253–267.
Washko, M., Campbell, M.L., & Tilly, J.A.
(2012). Accelerating the Translation of
Research into Practice in Long-Term Services
and Supports: A Critical Need for Federal
Infrastructure at the Nexus of Aging and
Disability. Journal of Gerontological Social
Work, 55(2): 112–125.
Definitions
The research that is proposed under
this priority must be focused on one or
more stages of research. If the RRTC is
to conduct research that can be
categorized under more than one
research stage, or research that
progresses from one stage to another,
those research stages must be clearly
specified. For purposes of this priority,
the stages of research, which we
published for comment on January 25,
2013 (78 FR 5330), are:
(i) Exploration and Discovery means
the stage of research that generates
hypotheses or theories by conducting
new and refined analyses of data,
producing observational findings, and
creating other sources of research-based
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information. This research stage may
include identifying or describing the
barriers to and facilitators of improved
outcomes of individuals with
disabilities, as well as identifying or
describing existing practices, programs,
or policies that are associated with
important aspects of the lives of
individuals with disabilities. Results
achieved under this stage of research
may inform the development of
interventions or lead to evaluations of
interventions or policies. The results of
the exploration and discovery stage of
research may also be used to inform
decisions or priorities.
(ii) Intervention Development means
the stage of research that focuses on
generating and testing interventions that
have the potential to improve outcomes
for individuals with disabilities.
Intervention development involves
determining the active components of
possible interventions, developing
measures that would be required to
illustrate outcomes, specifying target
populations, conducting field tests, and
assessing the feasibility of conducting a
well-designed intervention study.
Results from this stage of research may
be used to inform the design of a study
to test the efficacy of an intervention.
(iii) Intervention Efficacy means the
stage of research during which a project
evaluates and tests whether an
intervention is feasible, practical, and
has the potential to yield positive
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities. Efficacy research may assess
the strength of the relationships
between an intervention and outcomes,
and may identify factors or individual
characteristics that affect the
relationship between the intervention
and outcomes. Efficacy research can
inform decisions about whether there is
sufficient evidence to support ‘‘scalingup’’ an intervention to other sites and
contexts. This stage of research can
include assessing the training needed
for wide-scale implementation of the
intervention, and approaches to
evaluation of the intervention in real
world applications.
(iv) Scale-Up Evaluation means the
stage of research during which a project
analyzes whether an intervention is
effective in producing improved
outcomes for individuals with
disabilities when implemented in a realworld setting. During this stage of
research, a project tests the outcomes of
an evidence-based intervention in
different settings. The project examines
the challenges to successful replication
of the intervention, and the
circumstances and activities that
contribute to successful adoption of the
intervention in real-world settings. This
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stage of research may also include welldesigned studies of an intervention that
has been widely adopted in practice, but
that lacks a sufficient evidence-base to
demonstrate its effectiveness.
Proposed Priority:
The Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services
proposes a priority for an RRTC on
Promoting Healthy Aging for
Individuals with Long-Term Physical
Disabilities. The RRTC must contribute
to the development of new knowledge
and accelerate the development,
modification, and evaluation of
evidence-based interventions and
strategies that can be applied in clinical
and community-based settings to
promote healthy aging, including
reducing secondary conditions, of
individuals with long-term physical
disabilities.
To contribute to this outcome the
RRTC must—
(a) Conduct research activities in one
or more of the following priority areas,
focusing on individuals aging with longterm physical disabilities as a group or
on individuals in specific disability or
demographic subpopulations of
individuals with long-term physical
disabilities:
(i) Individual and environmental
factors associated with improved access
to rehabilitation and health care
resulting in improved health and
function outcomes for individuals aging
with long-term physical disabilities.
(ii) Interventions that contribute to
improved health and function outcomes
for individuals aging with long-term
physical disabilities. Interventions
include any strategy, practice, program,
policy, or tool that, when implemented
as intended, contributes to
improvements in outcomes for the
specified population.
(iii) Effects of government practices,
policies, and programs on health care
access and on health and function
outcomes for individuals aging with
long-term physical disabilities.
(iv) Technology to improve health and
function outcomes for individuals aging
with long-term physical disabilities;
(b) Focus its research on one or more
specific stages of research. If the RRTC
is to conduct research that can be
categorized under more than one of the
research stages, or research that
progresses from one stage to another,
those stages must be clearly specified.
These stages and their definitions are
provided in the ‘‘Definitions’’ section of
this notice;
(c) Serve as a national resource center
related to health and function for
individuals aging with long-term
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physical disabilities, their families, and
other stakeholders by:
(i) Providing information and
technical assistance to service
providers, individuals aging with longterm physical disabilities and their
representatives, and other key
stakeholders;
(ii) Providing training, including
graduate, pre-service, and in-service
training, to rehabilitation providers and
other disability service providers, to
facilitate more effective delivery of
services to individuals aging with longterm physical disabilities. This training
may be provided through conferences,
workshops, public education programs,
in-service training programs, and
similar activities;
(iii) Disseminating research-based
information and materials related to
health and function for individuals
aging with long-term physical
disabilities; and
(d) Involve key stakeholder groups in
the activities conducted under
paragraph (a) in order to maximize the
relevance and usability of the new
knowledge generated by the RRTC.
Types of Priorities:
When inviting applications for a
competition using one or more
priorities, we designate the type of each
priority as absolute, competitive
preference, or invitational through a
notice in the Federal Register. 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 (1) awarding additional
points, depending on the extent to
which the application meets the priority
(34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting
an application that meets the priority
over an application of comparable merit
that does not meet the priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational priority: Under an
invitational priority, we are particularly
interested in applications that meet the
priority. However, we do not give an
application that meets the priority a
preference over other applications (34
CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Final Priority:
We will announce the final priority in
a notice in the Federal Register. We will
determine the final priority after
considering responses to this notice and
other information available to the
Department. This notice does not
preclude us from proposing additional
priorities, requirements, definitions, or
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 44 / Wednesday, March 6, 2013 / Proposed Rules
selection criteria, subject to meeting
applicable rulemaking requirements.
Note: This notice does not solicit
applications. In any year in which we choose
to use this priority, we invite applications
through a notice in the Federal Register.
TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
Regulatory Impact Analysis
Under Executive Order 12866, the
Secretary must determine whether this
regulatory action is ‘‘significant’’ and,
therefore, subject to the requirements of
the Executive order and subject to
review by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive
Order 12866 defines a ‘‘significant
regulatory action’’ as an action likely to
result in a rule that may—
(1) Have an annual effect on the
economy of $100 million or more, or
adversely affect a sector of the economy,
productivity, competition, jobs, the
environment, public health or safety, or
State, local, or tribal governments or
communities in a material way (also
referred to as an ‘‘economically
significant’’ rule);
(2) Create serious inconsistency or
otherwise interfere with an action taken
or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary
impacts of entitlement grants, user fees,
or loan programs or the rights and
obligations of recipients thereof; or
(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues
arising out of legal mandates, the
President’s priorities, or the principles
stated in the Executive order.
This proposed regulatory action is not
a significant regulatory action subject to
review by OMB under section 3(f) of
Executive Order 12866.
We have also reviewed this regulatory
action under Executive Order 13563,
which supplements and explicitly
reaffirms the principles, structures, and
definitions governing regulatory review
established in Executive Order 12866.
To the extent permitted by law,
Executive Order 13563 requires that an
agency—
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only
upon a reasoned determination that
their benefits justify their costs
(recognizing that some benefits and
costs are difficult to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the
least burden on society, consistent with
obtaining regulatory objectives and
taking into account—among other things
and to the extent practicable—the costs
of cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative
regulatory approaches, select those
approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety,
VerDate Mar<15>2010
20:21 Mar 05, 2013
Jkt 229001
and other advantages; distributive
impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify
performance objectives, rather than the
behavior or manner of compliance a
regulated entity must adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available
alternatives to direct regulation,
including economic incentives—such as
user fees or marketable permits—to
encourage the desired behavior, or
provide information that enables the
public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires
an agency ‘‘to use the best available
techniques to quantify anticipated
present and future benefits and costs as
accurately as possible.’’ The Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of
OMB has emphasized that these
techniques may include ‘‘identifying
changing future compliance costs that
might result from technological
innovation or anticipated behavioral
changes.’’
We are issuing this proposed priority
only upon a reasoned determination
that its benefits would justify its costs.
In choosing among alternative
regulatory approaches, we selected
those approaches that would maximize
net benefits. Based on the analysis that
follows, the Department believes that
this regulatory action is consistent with
the principles in Executive Order 13563.
We also have determined that this
regulatory action would not unduly
interfere with State, local, and tribal
governments in the exercise of their
governmental functions.
In accordance with both Executive
orders, the Department has assessed the
potential costs and benefits, both
quantitative and qualitative, of this
regulatory action. The potential costs
are those resulting from statutory
requirements and those we have
determined as necessary for
administering the Department’s
programs and activities.
The benefits of the Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and
Centers Program have been well
established over the years. Projects
similar to the RRTC have been
completed successfully, and the
proposed priority will generate new
knowledge through research. The new
RRTC will generate, disseminate, and
promote the use of new information that
would improve outcomes for
individuals with disabilities in the areas
of community living and participation,
employment, and health and function.
Intergovernmental Review: This
program is not subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79.
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 4702
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14487
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document in
an accessible format (e.g., braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc) by
contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC
20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245–
7363. If you use a TDD or TTY, call the
FRS, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339.
Electronic Access to This Document:
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 via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you
can view this document, as well as all
other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Dated: March 1, 2013.
Michael Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2013–05227 Filed 3–5–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 180
[EPA–HQ–OPP–2011–0360; FRL–9380–8]
Tetrachlorvinphos; Proposed
Extension of Time-Limited Interim
Pesticide Tolerances
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This regulation proposes the
extension of the time-limited interim
tolerances for the combined residues of
the insecticide tetrachlorvinphos,
including its metabolites, in or on
multiple commodities which are
identified in Unit III of this document,
under the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before March 11, 2013.
E:\FR\FM\06MRP1.SGM
06MRP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 6, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 14483-14487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-05227]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
34 CFR Chapter III
[CFDA Number: 84.133B-10.]
Proposed Priority--National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research--Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Proposed priority.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services proposes a priority under the Rehabilitation
Research and Training Center (RRTC) Program administered by the
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
Specifically, this notice proposes a priority for an RRTC on Promoting
Healthy Aging for Individuals with Long-Term Physical Disabilities. The
Assistant Secretary may use this priority for competitions in fiscal
year (FY) 2013 and later years. We take this action to focus research
attention on an area of national need. We intend the priority to
contribute to improved health and function outcomes for individuals
aging with long-term physical disabilities.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before April 5, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments about this notice to Marlene Spencer,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5133,
Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2700.
[[Page 14484]]
If you prefer to send your comments by email, use the following
address: marlene.spencer@ed.gov. You must include the phrase ``Proposed
Priority for Promoting Healthy Aging for Individuals with Long-Term
Physical Disabilities'' in the subject line of your electronic message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marlene Spencer. Telephone: (202) 245-
7532 or by email: marlene.spencer@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This proposed priority is in concert with
NIDRR's Long-Range Plan (Plan). The Plan, which was published in the
Federal Register on February 15, 2006 (71 FR 8165), can be accessed on
the Internet at the following site: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/policy.html.
Through the implementation of 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 methods 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 for integrating research and practice; and (6) disseminate
findings.
This notice proposes one priority that NIDRR intends to use for one
or more competitions in FY 2013 and possibly later years. However,
nothing precludes NIDRR from publishing additional priorities, if
needed. Furthermore, NIDRR is under no obligation to make an award
using this priority. The decision to make an award will be based on the
quality of applications received and available funding.
Invitation To Comment: We invite you to submit comments regarding
this notice. To ensure that your comments have maximum effect in
developing the notice of final priority, we urge you to identify
clearly the specific topic that each comment addresses.
We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific
requirements of Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 and their overall
requirement of reducing regulatory burden that might result from this
proposed priority. Please let us know of any further ways we could
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 this proposed priority in room 5133, 550 12th Street
SW., PCP, Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, Monday through Friday of each week except Federal
holidays.
Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities in Reviewing the
Rulemaking Record: On request we will provide an appropriate
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability who
needs assistance to review the comments or other documents in the
public rulemaking record for this notice. If you want to schedule an
appointment for this type of accommodation or auxiliary aid, please
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program is to plan and
conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related
activities, including international activities, to develop methods,
procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full
inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living,
family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals
with disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe
disabilities, and to improve the effectiveness of services authorized
under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act).
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers
The purpose of the RRTCs, which are funded through the Disability
and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is to achieve
the goals of, and improve the effectiveness of, services authorized
under the Rehabilitation Act through advanced research, training,
technical assistance, and dissemination activities in general problem
areas, as specified by NIDRR. These activities are designed to benefit
rehabilitation service providers, individuals with disabilities, and
the family members or other authorized representatives of individuals
with disabilities. Additional information on the RRTC program can be
found at: www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/res-program.html#RRTC.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(2).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.
Proposed Priority
This notice contains one proposed priority.
RRTC on Promoting Healthy Aging for Individuals with Long-Term
Physical Disabilities.
Background
Of the 51.5 million adults with a disability, 41.5 million have
disabilities in the physical domain (Brault, 2012). These numbers will
likely grow significantly in the next 25 to 30 years as the baby boom
generation continues to enter later life, when the risk of disability
is the highest (IOM, 2007).
In 2010, 29.5 million Americans aged 21 to 64, or 16.6 percent of
the working-age population, reported disabilities (Brault, 2012). This
large working-age group includes people who are aging with life-long
and early-onset disabilities that were once associated with shortened
life expectancy (IOM, 2007; Jensen et al., 2011; Kemp & Mosqueda,
2004). This segment of the disabled population with early-onset, life-
long disabilities is now experiencing the benefits of increased
longevity as well as premature or atypical aging related to their
conditions (Groah et al., 2012; IOM, 2007; Jensen et al., 2011; Kemp &
Mosqueda, 2004).
Aging with disability is now a common experience of individuals
with significant physical disabilities (Kemp & Mosqueda, 2004). We
still lack national statistics on the size of this emerging population
due to limitations in major national surveys that track disability,
which do not collect information on age of onset or duration of primary
disability (IOM, 2007; Washko et al., 2012). However, the most recent
estimates available indicate that approximately seven to nine percent
of adults had a disability with onset before age 20, and approximately
20 to 30 percent experienced the onset of their disability between ages
20 and 44 (Verbrugge & Yang, 2002).
Regardless of timing of onset, as individuals with long-term
disabilities age, many face significant new challenges to their health
and independence due to the onset of secondary conditions associated
with changes in the underlying impairment (Groah et al., 2012; IOM,
2007; Jensen et al., 2011; Kemp & Mosqueda, 2004; Kinny et al., 2004).
The Institute of Medicine has defined a ``secondary condition'' as
``any additional physical or mental health condition that occurs as a
result of having a primary disabling condition,'' including pain,
fatigue, and muscle weakness (IOM, 2007).
Working-age individuals living with long-term disabilities may also
[[Page 14485]]
experience atypical or accelerated aging due to earlier onset and
higher rates of age-related chronic conditions compared to their same-
age non-disabled counterparts (Groah et al., 2012; IOM, 2007; Jensen et
al., 2011). These chronic health problems may include, for example,
osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, falls, chronic respiratory conditions,
diabetes, and heart disease (Freid et al., 2012; Iezzoni, 2010; Jensen
et al., 2011; Kemp & Mosqueda, 2004; Kinny et al., 2004; Ravesloot et
al., 2007).
Addressing the rehabilitation and health care needs of individuals
aging with disabilities involves challenges for providing and
coordinating a range of appropriate health care services, financing
those services, and evaluating their ongoing effectiveness (Iezzoni,
2010; Washko et al., 2012). Considerable anecdotal evidence and
numerous small-scale studies indicate that the negative effects of
secondary conditions can be managed and even prevented through
rehabilitation and health-promotion activities (Groah et al., 2012;
Harrison, 2006; Jensen et al., 2011; Ravesloot et al. 2007 & 2005;
Rimmer et al., 2000). However, there are few evidence-based
interventions to promote healthy aging of individuals with physical
disabilities outside of the post-acute setting (Groah et al., 2012;
Harrison, 2006; Jensen et al., 2011). Only recently has the topic of
secondary conditions and aging with disability begun to receive
attention in the public health and gerontology literatures (Groah &
Kehn, 2010; Iezzoni, 2010; Ravesloot et al., 2007; Washko et al.,
2012).
The limitations in evidence-based information available to guide
the treatment, management, and prevention of secondary conditions and
to promote the overall health of individuals aging with physical
disability is of particular concern given demographic trends (Harrison,
2006; Jensen et al., 2011; Ravesloot et al., 2007). For example, of the
27 objectives identified for improvement in the most recent Healthy
People 2020 initiative, under the topic area of ``Disability and
Health'' only four evidence-based community interventions are cited to
guide implementation of these objectives. None of these objectives
focus on prevention of secondary conditions or health promotion
programs for individuals with long-term disabilities (Healthy People
2020, 2010).
To respond to the challenges and opportunities at the intersection
of aging and disability, NIDRR proposes to fund a Rehabilitation
Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Promoting Healthy Aging for
Individuals with Long-Term Physical Disabilities. The goal of this
proposed priority is to advance knowledge and accelerate the
development, modification, and evaluation of evidence-based
interventions and strategies that can be applied in clinical and
community-based settings to promote healthy aging and to reduce
secondary conditions for individuals with physical disabilities. To
achieve these goals, NIDRR encourages collaborations among
rehabilitation and aging researchers and between academic research
centers and community organizations serving individuals aging with
disabilities.
References
Brault, M.W. (2012). Americans with Disabilities: 2010, Current
Population Reports, P70-131. U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of
Commerce. Washington, DC. Available from www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/p70-131.pdf. Accessed December 18, 2012.
Freid, V.M., Bernstein, A.B., & Bush, M.A. (2012). Multiple
Chronic Conditions among Adults Aged 45 and Over: Trends Over the
Past 10 Years. NCHS Data Brief, no. 100. Hyattsville, MD: National
Center for Health Statistics. Available from: www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db100.htm. Accessed December 18, 2012.
Groah, S.L., Charlifue, S., Tate, D., Jensen, M.P., Molton,
I.R., Forchheimer, M., Krause, J.S., Lammertse, D.P., & Campbell, M.
(2012). Spinal Cord Injury and Aging: Challenges and Recommendations
for Future Research. American Journal of Physical Medicine &
Rehabilitation, 91(1): 80. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0b013e31821f70bc.
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ajpmr/Abstract/2012/01000/Spinal_Cord_Injury_and_Aging__Challenges_and.10.aspx.
Accessed December 18, 2012.
Groah S.L., & Kehn, M.E. (2010). The State of Aging and Public
Health for People with Spinal Cord Injury: Lost in Transition?
Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, 15(3): 10. doi:
10.1310/sci1503-1. Available from: https://thomasland.metapress.com/content/p6837l6448kp3211/fulltext.pdf. Accessed December 18, 2012.
Harrison, T. (2006). Health Promotion for Persons with
Disabilities: What Does the Literature Reveal? Family Community
Health Supplement, 29(1S): 12S. Available from:
www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/journalarticle?Article_ID=622107.
Accessed December 18, 2012.
Healthy People 2020 (2010). U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Available from: www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/objectiveslist.aspx?topicId=9, and www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/ebr.aspx?topicId=9. Accessed December 18, 2012.
Iezzoni, L.I. (2010). Multiple Chronic Conditions and
Disabilities: Implications for Health Services Research and Data
Demands. Health Services Research, 45(5 Pt 2): 1523. doi: 10.1111/
j.1475-6773.2010.01145.x. Epub 2010 Aug 2. Available from:
www.freepatentsonline.com/article/Health-Services-Research/238476482.html. Accessed December 18, 2012.
Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2007). The Future of Disability in
America. Field, M.J., & Jette, A.M., editors. Washington, DC:
National Academies Press.
Jensen, M.P., Molton, I.R., Groah, S.L., Campbell, M.L.,
Charlifue, S., Chiodo, A., Forchheimer, M., Krause, J.S., & Tate, D.
(2011). Secondary Health Conditions in Individuals Aging with SCI:
Terminology, Concepts, and Analytic Approaches. Spinal Cord, 50(5):
373-378.
Kemp, B.J., & Mosqueda, L. (Eds.) (2004). Aging with a
Disability: What the Clinician Needs to Know. Baltimore, MD: Johns
Hopkins University Press.
Kinny, S., Patrick, D.L., & Doyle, D.L. (2004). Prevalence of
Secondary Conditions among People with Disabilities. American
Journal of Public Health, 94(3): 443-445.
Ravesloot, C.H., Seekins, T., Cahill, T., Lindgren, S., Nary,
D.E., & White, G. (2007). Health Promotion for People with
Disabilities: Development and Evaluation of the Living Well with a
Disability Program. Health Education Research 22(4): 522.
doi:10.1093/her/cyl114.
Ravesloot, C., Seekins, T., & White, G. (2005). Living Well with
a Disability Health Promotion Intervention: Improved Health Status
for Consumers and Lower Costs for Healthcare Policy Makers.
Rehabilitation Psychology, 50: 239-45.
Rimmer, J.H., Braunschweig, C., & Silverman, K (2000). Effects
of a Short-Term Health Promotion Intervention for a Predominantly
African-American Group of Stroke Survivors. American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 18: 332.
Verbrugge, L.M., & Yang, L.S. (2002). Aging with Disability and
Disability with Aging. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 12(4):
253-267.
Washko, M., Campbell, M.L., & Tilly, J.A. (2012). Accelerating
the Translation of Research into Practice in Long-Term Services and
Supports: A Critical Need for Federal Infrastructure at the Nexus of
Aging and Disability. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 55(2):
112-125.
Definitions
The research that is proposed under this priority must be focused
on one or more stages of research. If the RRTC is to conduct research
that can be categorized under more than one research stage, or research
that progresses from one stage to another, those research stages must
be clearly specified. For purposes of this priority, the stages of
research, which we published for comment on January 25, 2013 (78 FR
5330), are:
(i) Exploration and Discovery means the stage of research that
generates hypotheses or theories by conducting new and refined analyses
of data, producing observational findings, and creating other sources
of research-based
[[Page 14486]]
information. This research stage may include identifying or describing
the barriers to and facilitators of improved outcomes of individuals
with disabilities, as well as identifying or describing existing
practices, programs, or policies that are associated with important
aspects of the lives of individuals with disabilities. Results achieved
under this stage of research may inform the development of
interventions or lead to evaluations of interventions or policies. The
results of the exploration and discovery stage of research may also be
used to inform decisions or priorities.
(ii) Intervention Development means the stage of research that
focuses on generating and testing interventions that have the potential
to improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Intervention
development involves determining the active components of possible
interventions, developing measures that would be required to illustrate
outcomes, specifying target populations, conducting field tests, and
assessing the feasibility of conducting a well-designed intervention
study. Results from this stage of research may be used to inform the
design of a study to test the efficacy of an intervention.
(iii) Intervention Efficacy means the stage of research during
which a project evaluates and tests whether an intervention is
feasible, practical, and has the potential to yield positive outcomes
for individuals with disabilities. Efficacy research may assess the
strength of the relationships between an intervention and outcomes, and
may identify factors or individual characteristics that affect the
relationship between the intervention and outcomes. Efficacy research
can inform decisions about whether there is sufficient evidence to
support ``scaling-up'' an intervention to other sites and contexts.
This stage of research can include assessing the training needed for
wide-scale implementation of the intervention, and approaches to
evaluation of the intervention in real world applications.
(iv) Scale-Up Evaluation means the stage of research during which a
project analyzes whether an intervention is effective in producing
improved outcomes for individuals with disabilities when implemented in
a real-world setting. During this stage of research, a project tests
the outcomes of an evidence-based intervention in different settings.
The project examines the challenges to successful replication of the
intervention, and the circumstances and activities that contribute to
successful adoption of the intervention in real-world settings. This
stage of research may also include well-designed studies of an
intervention that has been widely adopted in practice, but that lacks a
sufficient evidence-base to demonstrate its effectiveness.
Proposed Priority:
The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services proposes a priority for an RRTC on Promoting Healthy Aging for
Individuals with Long-Term Physical Disabilities. The RRTC must
contribute to the development of new knowledge and accelerate the
development, modification, and evaluation of evidence-based
interventions and strategies that can be applied in clinical and
community-based settings to promote healthy aging, including reducing
secondary conditions, of individuals with long-term physical
disabilities.
To contribute to this outcome the RRTC must--
(a) Conduct research activities in one or more of the following
priority areas, focusing on individuals aging with long-term physical
disabilities as a group or on individuals in specific disability or
demographic subpopulations of individuals with long-term physical
disabilities:
(i) Individual and environmental factors associated with improved
access to rehabilitation and health care resulting in improved health
and function outcomes for individuals aging with long-term physical
disabilities.
(ii) Interventions that contribute to improved health and function
outcomes for individuals aging with long-term physical disabilities.
Interventions include any strategy, practice, program, policy, or tool
that, when implemented as intended, contributes to improvements in
outcomes for the specified population.
(iii) Effects of government practices, policies, and programs on
health care access and on health and function outcomes for individuals
aging with long-term physical disabilities.
(iv) Technology to improve health and function outcomes for
individuals aging with long-term physical disabilities;
(b) Focus its research on one or more specific stages of research.
If the RRTC is to conduct research that can be categorized under more
than one of the research stages, or research that progresses from one
stage to another, those stages must be clearly specified. These stages
and their definitions are provided in the ``Definitions'' section of
this notice;
(c) Serve as a national resource center related to health and
function for individuals aging with long-term physical disabilities,
their families, and other stakeholders by:
(i) Providing information and technical assistance to service
providers, individuals aging with long-term physical disabilities and
their representatives, and other key stakeholders;
(ii) Providing training, including graduate, pre-service, and in-
service training, to rehabilitation providers and other disability
service providers, to facilitate more effective delivery of services to
individuals aging with long-term physical disabilities. This training
may be provided through conferences, workshops, public education
programs, in-service training programs, and similar activities;
(iii) Disseminating research-based information and materials
related to health and function for individuals aging with long-term
physical disabilities; and
(d) Involve key stakeholder groups in the activities conducted
under paragraph (a) in order to maximize the relevance and usability of
the new knowledge generated by the RRTC.
Types of Priorities:
When inviting applications for a competition using one or more
priorities, we designate the type of each priority as absolute,
competitive preference, or invitational through a notice in the Federal
Register. 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 (1)
awarding additional points, depending on the extent to which the
application meets the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2)
selecting an application that meets the priority over an application of
comparable merit that does not meet the priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are
particularly interested in applications that meet the priority.
However, we do not give an application that meets the priority a
preference over other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Final Priority:
We will announce the final priority in a notice in the Federal
Register. We will determine the final priority after considering
responses to this notice and other information available to the
Department. This notice does not preclude us from proposing additional
priorities, requirements, definitions, or
[[Page 14487]]
selection criteria, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking
requirements.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in
which we choose to use this priority, we invite applications through
a notice in the Federal Register.
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
Regulatory Impact Analysis
Under Executive Order 12866, the Secretary must determine whether
this regulatory action is ``significant'' and, therefore, subject to
the requirements of the Executive order and subject to review by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive Order
12866 defines a ``significant regulatory action'' as an action likely
to result in a rule that may--
(1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more,
or adversely affect a sector of the economy, productivity, competition,
jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or
tribal governments or communities in a material way (also referred to
as an ``economically significant'' rule);
(2) Create serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an
action taken or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary impacts of entitlement grants,
user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients
thereof; or
(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles stated in the
Executive order.
This proposed regulatory action is not a significant regulatory
action subject to review by OMB under section 3(f) of Executive Order
12866.
We have also reviewed this regulatory action under Executive Order
13563, which supplements and explicitly reaffirms the principles,
structures, and definitions governing regulatory review established in
Executive Order 12866. To the extent permitted by law, Executive Order
13563 requires that an agency--
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only upon a reasoned determination
that their benefits justify their costs (recognizing that some benefits
and costs are difficult to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the least burden on society,
consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives and taking into
account--among other things and to the extent practicable--the costs of
cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, select
those approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential
economic, environmental, public health and safety, and other
advantages; distributive impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify performance objectives, rather
than the behavior or manner of compliance a regulated entity must
adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available alternatives to direct
regulation, including economic incentives--such as user fees or
marketable permits--to encourage the desired behavior, or provide
information that enables the public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires an agency ``to use the best
available techniques to quantify anticipated present and future
benefits and costs as accurately as possible.'' The Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB has emphasized that these
techniques may include ``identifying changing future compliance costs
that might result from technological innovation or anticipated
behavioral changes.''
We are issuing this proposed priority only upon a reasoned
determination that its benefits would justify its costs. In choosing
among alternative regulatory approaches, we selected those approaches
that would maximize net benefits. Based on the analysis that follows,
the Department believes that this regulatory action is consistent with
the principles in Executive Order 13563.
We also have determined that this regulatory action would not
unduly interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the
exercise of their governmental functions.
In accordance with both Executive orders, the Department has
assessed the potential costs and benefits, both quantitative and
qualitative, of this regulatory action. The potential costs are those
resulting from statutory requirements and those we have determined as
necessary for administering the Department's programs and activities.
The benefits of the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects
and Centers Program have been well established over the years. Projects
similar to the RRTC have been completed successfully, and the proposed
priority will generate new knowledge through research. The new RRTC
will generate, disseminate, and promote the use of new information that
would improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities in the areas
of community living and participation, employment, and health and
function.
Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363.
If you use a TDD or TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: March 1, 2013.
Michael Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 2013-05227 Filed 3-5-13; 8:45 am]
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