Proposed Changes to the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program, 53740-53742 [2019-21903]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 195 / Tuesday, October 8, 2019 / Notices
found in brackets in the heading of this
document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amber Sanford, Office of Operations,
Food and Drug Administration, Three
White Flint North, 10A–12M, 11601
Landsdown St., North Bethesda, MD
20852, 301–796–8867, PRAStaff@
fda.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
compliance with 44 U.S.C. 3507, FDA
has submitted the following proposed
collection of information to OMB for
review and clearance.
Collection of Conflict of Interest
Information for Participation in Food
and Drug Administration NonEmployee Fellowship and Traineeship
Programs
OMB Control Number 0910–NEW
In compliance with 44 U.S.C. 3507,
FDA will submit to the Office of
Management and Budget a request to
review and approve a new collection of
information: ‘‘Collection of Conflict of
Interest Information for Participation in
FDA Non-Employee Fellowship and
Traineeship Programs.’’ Section 742 (b)
of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21
U.S.C. 379l) allows FDA to conduct and
support intramural training programs
through fellowship and traineeship
programs. These new forms provide the
FDA with information about financial
investments and relationships from nonemployee scientists who participate in
FDA fellowship and traineeship
programs. Participants in FDA
fellowship and traineeship programs
will be asked for certain information
about financial interests and current
relationships: (1) Description of the
financial interest; (2) the type of
financial interest (e.g. stocks, bonds,
stock options); (3) if the financial
interest is an employee benefit from
prior employment; (4) value of financial
interest; (5) who owns the financial
interest (e.g. self, spouse, minor
children); (6) employment relationship
with an FDA significantly regulated
organization (SRO); (7) and service as a
consultant to an FDA SRO, and/or
proprietary interest(s) in one of more
product(s) regulated by FDA, including
patent, trademark, copyright, or
licensing agreement. The purpose of the
financial information is for FDA to
determine if there is a conflict of
interest between the Fellow’s or
Trainee’s financial and relationship
interests and their activities at FDA. The
collection of information is mandatory
to participate in FDA’s fellowship and
traineeship programs.
In the Federal Register of October 22,
2018 (83 FR 53257), FDA published a
60-day notice requesting public
comment on the proposed collection of
information. Although two comments
were received, they were not responsive
to the four collection of information
topics solicited.
FDA estimates the burden of this
collection of information as follows:
TABLE 1—ESTIMATED ANNUAL REPORTING BURDEN 1
No. of
respondents
Activity
No. of
responses per
respondent
Total annual
responses
Average
burden per
response
Total hours
Collection Form—Report of Financial Interests and Other Relationships for Non-Employee Scientists at FDA
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Fellowship
Traineeship Program ...........................................................
Reagan-Udall Fellowship at FDA ........................................
500
500
50
1
1
1
500
500
50
1
1
1
500
500
50
Total ..............................................................................
........................
........................
........................
........................
1050
1 There
are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection of information
Dated: October 2, 2019.
Lowell J. Schiller,
Principal Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2019–21839 Filed 10–7–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services
Administration
Proposed Changes to the Scholarships
for Disadvantaged Students Program
Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA), Department of
Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY:
On May 22, 2019, HRSA
published a 30-day notice in the Federal
Register soliciting feedback on a range
of issues pertaining to the Scholarships
for Disadvantaged Students (SDS)
Program to assist the agency in updating
certain SDS policies. HRSA requested
SUMMARY:
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21:50 Oct 07, 2019
Jkt 250001
feedback on adjusting funding
allocations to respond to projected
workforce shortages, transitioning data
collection from 1 year of data to a 3-year
average to demonstrate eligibility, and
increasing the maximum scholarship
award from $30,000 to $40,000. As a
result of HRSA’s comprehensive review
of existing policies, and taking into
consideration the comments received,
HRSA is issuing this final notice.
ADDRESSES: Further information on SDS
Program is available at https://
bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/
schoolbasedloans/sds.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Denise Sorrell, SDS Project Officer,
Division of Health Careers and Financial
Support, Bureau of Health Workforce,
HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15N78,
Rockville, Maryland 20857, phone (301)
443–2909, or email SDSProgram@
HRSA.gov.
SDS
Program is authorized by Public Health
Service Act (PHS Act) section 737 and
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
administered by HRSA. On May 22,
2019, through a Federal Register Notice
(Volume 84, Number 99, pp. 23571–
23572), HRSA solicited input on
proposed SDS policy changes. HRSA
received comments on the proposed
funding allocation and 3-year data
requirement in response to the
solicitation for feedback.
Comments on the Proposed Changes to
the SDS Program
HRSA received four comments from
two nursing associations, one physician
assistant association, and one primary
care physician assistant program.
Funding Allocation
Summary of Comments
Commenters provided a variety of
input on funding allocations among
health profession disciplines. One
commenter suggested that funding
allocated to schools of nursing should
be reduced or eliminated. Others
expressed concerns that reductions in
E:\FR\FM\08OCN1.SGM
08OCN1
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 195 / Tuesday, October 8, 2019 / Notices
funding to schools of nursing would
reduce opportunities for associate and
bachelor’s degree nurses, reduce
funding to registered nurses (RNs) to
Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree
programs, and negatively affect nursing
shortages. Additionally, one commenter
expressed concern that awarding
funding based on projected shortages
could be less effective in placing SDS
graduates in underserved communities.
underserved communities. SDS
applicants with a record of placing
students in medically underserved
communities are still eligible to receive
a funding priority, and the policy
changes outlined in this notice related
to funding allocations will not impact
the funding priority.
Response
Section 740(a) of the PHS Act requires
that schools of nursing receive at least
16 percent of SDS funding. The SDS
program may fund students pursuing a
broad range of health professions
careers under its statutory eligibility
provisions. HRSA’s National Center for
Workforce Analysis (NCHWA) which
provides HRSA with national health
workforce projections, highlights that
the inequitable distribution of RNs
causing some states to experience an
oversupply and others a shortage.1
Although most states have enough or an
oversupply of RNs, seven states will
have a shortage of RNs.2 To address the
maldistribution of nurses, HRSA
continues to provide funding to
academic institutions, community-based
organizations, nursing students, and
clinicians and faculty through other
workforce programs, such as the Nurse
Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment
Programs; Nurse Education, Practice,
Quality and Retention Program; and the
Nursing Workforce Diversity Program.
These programs also provide
educational opportunities to RNs with
associate and bachelor’s degrees in
nursing. Specifically, the Nurse Corps
Scholarship program provides financial
assistance to RNs seeking to obtain an
associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree
in nursing. Since the SDS statute
authorizes funding a wide range of
health professions programs, the SDS
program must balance the workforce
needs of the nursing professions with
those of other health professions.
Consequently, allocating funding based
on projected health professional
shortage data allows SDS to support all
health professions as equitably as
possible, as demand for certain
professions changes over time.
HRSA also remains committed to
supporting clinicians in rural and
HRSA received one comment
regarding allowing an exception to the
3-year data requirement for new health
professions programs that have fewer
than 3 years of enrollment data but that
are otherwise able to demonstrate
success in recruiting disadvantaged
students.
1 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Health Resources and Services Administration,
National Center for Health Workforce Analysis.
2017. National and Regional Supply and Demand
Projections of the Nursing Workforce: 2014–2030.
Rockville, Maryland. Available at: https://
bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bhw/nchwa/
projections/NCHWA_HRSA_Nursing_Report.pdf.
2 Ibid.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
21:50 Oct 07, 2019
Jkt 250001
3-Year Data Exception
Summary of Comment
Response
HRSA has considered this comment
and agrees that it could give an unfair
advantage to established programs to
require 3 years of data from all
applicants. To address this concern, as
outlined below, the SDS program will
allow an exception to this requirement
for newly established schools with less
than 3 years of data.
SDS Policy Update
The following final policy describes
the updates HRSA will be making to the
SDS program in order to increase the
impact of the program.
1. In an effort to combat workforce
shortages, HRSA will distribute SDS
funding to award recipients consistent
with promoting health professions
careers projected to experience the most
severe shortages as determined by the
NCHWA. Professions that have shortage
projections may receive an increased
share of SDS, while professions with an
oversupply may receive a reduced share
of funds. Precise distributions for each
competition will be announced in the
relevant Notice of Funding Opportunity,
which will allow HRSA to ensure
program funds are supporting the
professions most in need of these
awards. Section 740(a) of the PHS Act
requires HRSA to distribute at least 16
percent of SDS funding to nursing
schools. Section 737 permits the SDS
program to fund a broad range of health
professions programs. This adjustment
of funding will allow HRSA to support
the broad range of health professions
included in section 737 and to target
strategically SDS funding for the health
professions with a current or projected
workforce shortage. This new policy
allows the SDS program to be
responsive to changing workforce needs,
as well as support programs with a
PO 00000
Frm 00070
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
53741
strong record of placing graduates in
medically underserved communities.
2. To be eligible for SDS at least 20
percent of the school’s full-time
enrolled students and graduates must be
from a disadvantaged background.
Applicants are currently required to
provide 1 year of data to demonstrate
this eligibility requirement. Beginning
with the next grant funding cycle,
applicants must provide the average for
the most recent 3-year period to
demonstrate their eligibility. A 3-year
average is a more accurate portrayal of
school enrollment patterns than 1 year.
This change will allow SDS to support
the grantees who have demonstrated a
commitment over time to serving
students from disadvantaged
backgrounds. The SDS program will
allow an exception for newly
established schools, that is, schools that
have not been in existence long enough
to have 3 years of enrollment and
graduation data. However, these schools
will be required to demonstrate that at
least 20 percent of the school’s full-time
students are students from
disadvantaged backgrounds, through
providing data from 2 years of student
enrollment, and at least 1 year of
graduation data. Further details about
this exception will be provided in the
next Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Any future changes to the
disadvantaged student percentage or
data collection period will be
announced through the SDS Notice of
Funding Opportunity for the relevant
grant funding cycle.
3. HRSA has analyzed SDS award
data, compared it with performance
measures, and discovered that providing
amounts to students to cover a
substantial portion of their education
costs positively correlates with better
graduation rates, consistent with the
statutory aims. Data suggests the lack of
availability or low amounts of
scholarships, especially for
disadvantaged students, continues to
limit educational opportunities for
students 3. SDS last increased its
scholarship amount in 2016. Without
sufficient financial support,
disadvantaged students are much more
likely to be unable to complete
successfully their education. Based on
this understanding and the steady
increase in tuition rates nationally,
HRSA will increase the maximum
3 ‘‘Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the
United States.’’ The Pell Institute for the Study of
Opportunity in Higher Education, Penn AheadAlliance for Higher Education and Democracy
(2015): 1–60. https://www.pellinstitute.org/
downloads/publications-Indicators_of_Higher_
Education_Equity_in_the_US_45_Year_Trend_
Report.pdf.
E:\FR\FM\08OCN1.SGM
08OCN1
53742
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 195 / Tuesday, October 8, 2019 / Notices
scholarship award to $40,000 per
student, to ensure the SDS program will
continue to impact students who receive
the awards and ensure their success in
completing the program. HRSA also
reserves the right to adjust the
scholarship award amount as necessary
to reflect future increases in tuition rates
nationwide and will announce any such
changes in the Notice of Funding
Opportunity for the relevant funding
cycle.
HRSA will announce any future
administrative changes to the SDS
program through the relevant Notice of
Funding Opportunity.
Dated: September 30, 2019.
Thomas J. Engels,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019–21903 Filed 10–7–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services
Administration
Notice of Single Source Award to the
Telehealth Focused Rural Health
Research Center
Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA), Department of
Health and Human Services
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In FY 2019, HRSA provided
$788,000 in additional funding to The
University of Iowa for the Telehealth
Focused Rural Health Research Center
and extended the project period for 12
months.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sarah Heppner, Program Coordinator,
Telehealth Focused Rural Health
Research Center, (301) 443–5982,
SHeppner@hrsa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Intended Recipient of the Award: The
University of Iowa (U1CRH29074).
Amount of Award: $788,000.
Project Period: September 1, 2019–
August 31, 2020.
CFDA Number: 93.155.
Authority: Title VII, § 711 of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 912), as
amended.
Justification: The primary goal of the
Telehealth Focused Rural Health
Research Center (Research Center)
Program is to increase the amount of
publically available, high quality,
impartial, clinically informed, and
policy-relevant research related to
telehealth. This research assists rural
health providers and decision-makers at
the federal, state, and local levels by
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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21:50 Oct 07, 2019
Jkt 250001
contributing to the policy-relevant
evidence base of telehealth services.
This program was competed under
announcement HRSA–15–149 and
awarded to the University of Iowa for a
four-year period of performance
(September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2019).
In FY 2019 HRSA extended the
current project period for 12 months
and provided $788,000 to the awardee.
The new period of performance started
on September 1, 2019, and will end on
August 31, 2020. Under its current
scope, the Research Center supports
several cohorts of HRSA’s Telehealth
Network Grant Program (TNGP)
recipients. HRSA extended the current
project period for 12 months and
provided supplemental funding to allow
additional time to analyze outcomes
from the TNGPs and align efforts
between the Research Center and the
design of the next TNGP cohort. The
$788,000 of supplemental funding for
this awardee aligned with the historical
funding levels for this program.
Further information on the Telehealth
Focused Rural Health Research Center is
available at: https://www.hrsa.gov/
ruralhealth/programopportunities/
fundingopportunities/
default.aspx?id=482de32c-8b8d-4960bb86-caad8c9d6905.
Dated: September 30, 2019.
Thomas J. Engels,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019–21904 Filed 10–7–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
National Human Genome Research
Institute; Notice of Closed Meetings
Pursuant to section 10(d) of the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, as
amended, notice is hereby given of the
following meetings.
The meetings will be closed to the
public in accordance with the
provisions set forth in sections
552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C.,
as amended. The grant applications and
the discussions could disclose
confidential trade secrets or commercial
property such as patentable material,
and personal information concerning
individuals associated with the grant
applications, the disclosure of which
would constitute a clearly unwarranted
invasion of personal privacy.
Name of Committee: National Human
Genome Research Institute Special Emphasis
Panel Training Program.
Date: October 28, 2019.
PO 00000
Frm 00071
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Agenda: To review and evaluate grant
applications.
Place: National Human Genome Research
Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6700B
Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892
(Telephone Conference Call).
Contact Person: Keith McKenney, Ph.D.,
Scientific Review Officer, National Human
Genome Research Institute, National
Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane, Suite
4076, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301–594–4280,
mckenneyk@mail.nih.gov.
Name of Committee: National Human
Genome Research Institute Special Emphasis
Panel Sequencing Technology.
Date: November 13–14, 2019.
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Agenda: To review and evaluate grant
applications.
Place: Marriott Courtyard Gaithersburg
Washingtonian Center, 204 Boardwalk Place,
Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
Contact Person: Ken D. Nakamura, Ph.D.,
Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review
Branch, National Human Genome Research,
Institute National Institutes of Health, 5635
Fishers Lane, Suite 4076, MSC 9306
Rockville, MD 20852, 301–402–0838,
nakamurk@mail.nih.gov.
Name of Committee: National Human
Genome Research Institute Special Emphasis
Panel ELSI CEER.
Date: November 14, 2019.
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Agenda: To review and evaluate grant
applications.
Place: National Human Genome Research
Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6700B
Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817
(Telephone Conference Call).
Contact Person: Rudy O. Pozzatti, Ph.D.,
Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review
Branch, National Human Genome Research
Institute, National Institutes of Health, 5635
Fishers Lane, Suite 4076, MSC 9306,
Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 402–0838,
pozzattr@mail.nih.gov.
Name of Committee: National Human
Genome Research Institute Special Emphasis
Panel Genomic Community Resource.
Date: November 18, 2019.
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Agenda: To review and evaluate grant
applications.
Place: National Human Genome Research
Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6700
B Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817
(Telephone Conference Call).
Contact Person: Ken D. Nakamura, Ph.D.,
Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review
Branch, National Human Genome Research
Institute, National Institutes of Health, 5635
Fishers Lane, Suite 4076, MSC 9306
Rockville, MD 20852, 301–402–0838
nakamurk@mail.nih.gov.
(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance
Program Nos. 93.172, Human Genome
Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS)
Dated: October 2, 2019.
Melanie J. Pantoja,
Program Analyst, Office of Federal Advisory
Committee Policy.
[FR Doc. 2019–21853 Filed 10–7–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140–01–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53740-53742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-21903]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Proposed Changes to the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students
Program
AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On May 22, 2019, HRSA published a 30-day notice in the Federal
Register soliciting feedback on a range of issues pertaining to the
Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) Program to assist the
agency in updating certain SDS policies. HRSA requested feedback on
adjusting funding allocations to respond to projected workforce
shortages, transitioning data collection from 1 year of data to a 3-
year average to demonstrate eligibility, and increasing the maximum
scholarship award from $30,000 to $40,000. As a result of HRSA's
comprehensive review of existing policies, and taking into
consideration the comments received, HRSA is issuing this final notice.
ADDRESSES: Further information on SDS Program is available at https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/schoolbasedloans/sds.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Sorrell, SDS Project Officer,
Division of Health Careers and Financial Support, Bureau of Health
Workforce, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15N78, Rockville, Maryland
20857, phone (301) 443-2909, or email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SDS Program is authorized by Public Health
Service Act (PHS Act) section 737 and administered by HRSA. On May 22,
2019, through a Federal Register Notice (Volume 84, Number 99, pp.
23571-23572), HRSA solicited input on proposed SDS policy changes. HRSA
received comments on the proposed funding allocation and 3-year data
requirement in response to the solicitation for feedback.
Comments on the Proposed Changes to the SDS Program
HRSA received four comments from two nursing associations, one
physician assistant association, and one primary care physician
assistant program.
Funding Allocation
Summary of Comments
Commenters provided a variety of input on funding allocations among
health profession disciplines. One commenter suggested that funding
allocated to schools of nursing should be reduced or eliminated. Others
expressed concerns that reductions in
[[Page 53741]]
funding to schools of nursing would reduce opportunities for associate
and bachelor's degree nurses, reduce funding to registered nurses (RNs)
to Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree programs, and negatively
affect nursing shortages. Additionally, one commenter expressed concern
that awarding funding based on projected shortages could be less
effective in placing SDS graduates in underserved communities.
Response
Section 740(a) of the PHS Act requires that schools of nursing
receive at least 16 percent of SDS funding. The SDS program may fund
students pursuing a broad range of health professions careers under its
statutory eligibility provisions. HRSA's National Center for Workforce
Analysis (NCHWA) which provides HRSA with national health workforce
projections, highlights that the inequitable distribution of RNs
causing some states to experience an oversupply and others a
shortage.\1\ Although most states have enough or an oversupply of RNs,
seven states will have a shortage of RNs.\2\ To address the
maldistribution of nurses, HRSA continues to provide funding to
academic institutions, community-based organizations, nursing students,
and clinicians and faculty through other workforce programs, such as
the Nurse Corps Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs; Nurse
Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Program; and the Nursing
Workforce Diversity Program. These programs also provide educational
opportunities to RNs with associate and bachelor's degrees in nursing.
Specifically, the Nurse Corps Scholarship program provides financial
assistance to RNs seeking to obtain an associate, bachelor's, or
master's degree in nursing. Since the SDS statute authorizes funding a
wide range of health professions programs, the SDS program must balance
the workforce needs of the nursing professions with those of other
health professions. Consequently, allocating funding based on projected
health professional shortage data allows SDS to support all health
professions as equitably as possible, as demand for certain professions
changes over time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health
Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health
Workforce Analysis. 2017. National and Regional Supply and Demand
Projections of the Nursing Workforce: 2014-2030. Rockville,
Maryland. Available at: https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bhw/nchwa/projections/NCHWA_HRSA_Nursing_Report.pdf.
\2\ Ibid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
HRSA also remains committed to supporting clinicians in rural and
underserved communities. SDS applicants with a record of placing
students in medically underserved communities are still eligible to
receive a funding priority, and the policy changes outlined in this
notice related to funding allocations will not impact the funding
priority.
3-Year Data Exception
Summary of Comment
HRSA received one comment regarding allowing an exception to the 3-
year data requirement for new health professions programs that have
fewer than 3 years of enrollment data but that are otherwise able to
demonstrate success in recruiting disadvantaged students.
Response
HRSA has considered this comment and agrees that it could give an
unfair advantage to established programs to require 3 years of data
from all applicants. To address this concern, as outlined below, the
SDS program will allow an exception to this requirement for newly
established schools with less than 3 years of data.
SDS Policy Update
The following final policy describes the updates HRSA will be
making to the SDS program in order to increase the impact of the
program.
1. In an effort to combat workforce shortages, HRSA will distribute
SDS funding to award recipients consistent with promoting health
professions careers projected to experience the most severe shortages
as determined by the NCHWA. Professions that have shortage projections
may receive an increased share of SDS, while professions with an
oversupply may receive a reduced share of funds. Precise distributions
for each competition will be announced in the relevant Notice of
Funding Opportunity, which will allow HRSA to ensure program funds are
supporting the professions most in need of these awards. Section 740(a)
of the PHS Act requires HRSA to distribute at least 16 percent of SDS
funding to nursing schools. Section 737 permits the SDS program to fund
a broad range of health professions programs. This adjustment of
funding will allow HRSA to support the broad range of health
professions included in section 737 and to target strategically SDS
funding for the health professions with a current or projected
workforce shortage. This new policy allows the SDS program to be
responsive to changing workforce needs, as well as support programs
with a strong record of placing graduates in medically underserved
communities.
2. To be eligible for SDS at least 20 percent of the school's full-
time enrolled students and graduates must be from a disadvantaged
background. Applicants are currently required to provide 1 year of data
to demonstrate this eligibility requirement. Beginning with the next
grant funding cycle, applicants must provide the average for the most
recent 3-year period to demonstrate their eligibility. A 3-year average
is a more accurate portrayal of school enrollment patterns than 1 year.
This change will allow SDS to support the grantees who have
demonstrated a commitment over time to serving students from
disadvantaged backgrounds. The SDS program will allow an exception for
newly established schools, that is, schools that have not been in
existence long enough to have 3 years of enrollment and graduation
data. However, these schools will be required to demonstrate that at
least 20 percent of the school's full-time students are students from
disadvantaged backgrounds, through providing data from 2 years of
student enrollment, and at least 1 year of graduation data. Further
details about this exception will be provided in the next Notice of
Funding Opportunity. Any future changes to the disadvantaged student
percentage or data collection period will be announced through the SDS
Notice of Funding Opportunity for the relevant grant funding cycle.
3. HRSA has analyzed SDS award data, compared it with performance
measures, and discovered that providing amounts to students to cover a
substantial portion of their education costs positively correlates with
better graduation rates, consistent with the statutory aims. Data
suggests the lack of availability or low amounts of scholarships,
especially for disadvantaged students, continues to limit educational
opportunities for students \3\. SDS last increased its scholarship
amount in 2016. Without sufficient financial support, disadvantaged
students are much more likely to be unable to complete successfully
their education. Based on this understanding and the steady increase in
tuition rates nationally, HRSA will increase the maximum
[[Page 53742]]
scholarship award to $40,000 per student, to ensure the SDS program
will continue to impact students who receive the awards and ensure
their success in completing the program. HRSA also reserves the right
to adjust the scholarship award amount as necessary to reflect future
increases in tuition rates nationwide and will announce any such
changes in the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the relevant funding
cycle.
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\3\ ``Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United
States.'' The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher
Education, Penn Ahead-Alliance for Higher Education and Democracy
(2015): 1-60. https://www.pellinstitute.org/downloads/publications-Indicators_of_Higher_Education_Equity_in_the_US_45_Year_Trend_Report.pdf.
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HRSA will announce any future administrative changes to the SDS
program through the relevant Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Dated: September 30, 2019.
Thomas J. Engels,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-21903 Filed 10-7-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P
