Full Text PAR-95-046

NIMH COR HONORS HIGH SCHOOL RESEARCH EDUCATION GRANT

NIH GUIDE, Volume 24, Number 14, April 14, 1995

P.T. 44

Keywords: 
  Biomedical Research Training 
  Biomedical Research, Multidiscipl 
  Emotional/Mental Health 


PAR NUMBER:  PAR-95-046

National Institute of Mental Health

Application Receipt Date:  June 1

PURPOSE

As part of its efforts to stimulate interest among racial/ethnic
minority youth in research careers in biomedical and behavioral
sciences, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has
established the Career Opportunities in Research (COR) Education
Program for Honors High School Students.  The program is directed
specifically to racial/ethnic minority groups that are
underrepresented in biomedical and behavioral sciences, including
African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians and Alaska Natives,
and Asians or Pacific Islanders.  The program will provide hands-on
experiences in research or science education enrichment programs and
encourage minority individuals to make the choice of a research
career in a mental health-related field.  This program provides an
opportunity for institutions funded for an NIMH Career Opportunities
in Research Honors Undergraduate Research Training Grant to offer
mentoring and role modeling to up to six racial/ethnic minority high
school students per year through interactions with both undergraduate
college students who are COR Undergraduate Honors Students and
faculty of institutions that have existing NIMH COR Honors
Undergraduate Research Training grants.

HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000

The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"
a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  This Program
Announcement (PA), NIMH Career Opportunities in Research Honors
Undergraduate Research Training Grant, is related to the priority
areas of mental health and mental disorders. Potential applicants may
obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:  Stock No.
017-001-00474-0 or Summary Report:  Stock No. 017-001-00473-1)
through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone 202-783-3238).

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Institutions

Applicant institutions must have a currently funded NIMH Career
Opportunities in Research Honors Undergraduate Research Training
Grant (T34).  Such institutions are baccalaureate granting, 4-year
domestic, public or private, non-profit colleges, universities, or
health professional schools with at least 55 percent minority
students from one or more of the ethnically defined groups noted
above. Foreign organizations are not eligible to apply.

Students

Participating candidates must be outstanding high school students who
are in their junior or senior years and must have a 3.00 grade point
average (on a scale of 4.00 or comparable grading system).

Trainee candidates must be citizens or noncitizen nationals of the
United States, or have been admitted lawfully to the United States
for permanent residence and have in their possession an Alien
Registration Receipt Card (I-155 or some other legal evidence of
admission for permanent residence) at the time of appointment to the
training program.

MECHANISM OF SUPPORT

The mechanism of support for this Program Announcement is the
education projects grant (R25).  The mechanism of support for the
associated NIMH COR Honors Undergraduate Training Grant is the T34,
which is described under a separate program announcement, PAR-95-045.

Allowable Costs

Support will be provided for each high school student at a level up
to $2,000, plus reasonable costs for supplies.  Support should be for
a minimum of three months during any one year that may include a
mixture of full-time summer experience and part-time experience
during the school year.  Students are expected to devote sufficient
effort to the research project and related activities during the
period of support to gain insight into the process of scientific
discovery.  High school students are expected to devote at least two
years to this program (i.e., equivalent to two three-month, full-time
periods). Exceptions to the latter will be considered, depending on
the circumstances of the applicant and the specific request.
Research equipment may not be purchased using grant funds for high
school students' projects.

Salary and fringe benefit support for the following budget items may
be requested, but each item must be related to the proposed research
education program and justified:

o  Personnel

Salary and fringe benefit support may be requested for present and
additional faculty, to the extent that they reflect the time or
effort devoted to this specific program.

o  Consultants

Support may be requested to cover expenses such as seminar and
colloquium speakers, etc.

o  Supplies

Support may be requested for necessary supplies, e.g., glassware,
chemicals, or animals for conducting student research.  Other
supplies may include general office and instructional supplies needed
to conduct the education and research program.

o  Travel

Staff travel to off-campus training sites for purposes of
consultation with participating off-campus staff/preceptors and
evaluation of student progress is allowed.

o  Other Expenses

The applicant may request other items necessary to the educational
program, such as computer time, reference materials not available in
the library, duplication costs, telephone, and costs related to
publishing student research papers, etc.

o  Students

Support may be requested for student salaries in accordance with the
institution's guidelines on hourly wages for part time help.

o  Indirect Costs

The applicant may request actual indirect costs, or eight percent of
allowable direct costs, whichever is less.  This rate applies to both
T34 (COR Undergraduate Program) and R25 (High School Program)
components.

FUNDS AVAILABLE

Awards to support two to six high school students range from $4,000
per year to $35,000 per year, with an average award being $15,000 per
year.  The maximum period of grant support that an institution may
request is five years or the length of time remaining in the
associated T34 grant.  The maximum period of support a student may
receive is two years.  Funds to support this program are provided by
NIMH. Availability and amount of funds are contingent upon annual
appropriations to NIMH.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The principal objective of the COR Honors High School Research
Education Grants program is to stimulate interest and motivation
among high school students from racial/ethnic minority groups to
pursue research careers in science disciplines related to mental
health.

Applications must provide information on the following:

Institution Characteristics

o  A brief overview of the applicant institution (i.e., when it was
founded, its status as a private or State-supported institution, and
other pertinent information)

o  A description of the research infrastructure (i.e., facilities,
laboratories, participating departments, computer services, and any
other resources to be used in the conduct of the proposed program)

o  Evidence of institutional commitment and support for the proposed
program

o  Where applicable, a description of plans for collaborating with
nearby institutions and laboratories for purposes of exchange,
consolidation, and sharing of resources, including faculty,
equipment, and facilities.

Letters of agreement or memoranda indicating intended cooperation
with participating high schools must be included with the
application.

Research Education Program

o  A plan for summer and year-round research experiences with COR
faculty or scientists conducting research at the COR-grantee
institution for up to six minority high school students who are
juniors or seniors

o  Evidence of involvement of a wide variety of research departments
from the biomedical and behavioral sciences, emphasizing mental
health

o  A plan for career counseling in science and research, mentorships,
and opportunities for high school students to interact with COR
Honors undergraduates and faculty

o  A recruitment and retention plan

o  Evidence of support/cooperation from local high school
administrators and science teachers

o  Evidence of COR institution's commitment to the goals and
objectives of the high school training component (providing access to
facilities, libraries, laboratories, computers, equipment)

o  Detailed budget justification for all project expenditures related
to this component of research education program.

Program Director

o  Evidence that Program Director is actively engaged in research
and/or scholarship in an area related to mental health

o  Evidence that Program Director can organize and administer the
research education program

o  Advisory Committee with a role in selecting and supervising
students, and in evaluating the research program (This committee
should be representative of faculty and departments participating in
the program and be chaired by the Program Director.)

o  The Program Director is responsible for serving as liaison between
participating high schools and the applicant institution, recruiting
and selecting high school students, and assigning each to an
appropriate mentor.

Faculty/Preceptors

o  Evidence that a high percentage of the participating faculty hold
a Ph.D. or other doctoral- level degree

o  Evidence that participating faculty and preceptors are actively
engaged in research or other scholarly activities related to mental
health

o  Evidence that faculty and preceptors publish in research areas
related to mental health

o  Evidence that sufficient time is committed by preceptors and
faculty to conduct a high-quality program (A staffing chart that
details percent-of-time allotted for each staff member is
recommended.)

Students

o  Evidence that students will be selected for their potential to
pursue careers successfully in mental health-relevant sciences,
including behavioral, biomedical, epidemiological, neurosciences,
prevention, treatment, and related fields

o  Evidence that trainees will be selected for their expressed
interests in pursuing programs related to mental health

o  Documentation of number of high schools and number of students
eligible to participate in high school program

Evaluation

o  Evaluation plan for determining success of the program in
achieving goals and objectives, including: (1) entry and completion
dates for each student; (2) departments of students' experiences;
(3) summer internships (locations and research areas); (4) colleges,
universities, and other institutions where students pursue post-high
school studies; (5) areas of students' career choices; (6) research
accomplishments; and (7) awards

o  Plan for tracking students after completion of COR high school
program and provisions for followup support and consultations for
pursuing mental health science careers, including assistance in
locating financial support

o  Statistics on numbers of students entering college programs and
the areas of specialization

For Competing Continuation Applicants Only

The following information about the previous research education grant
period must be provided for renewal
applications:

o  Number of high school students who participated in the research
education program

o  Research activities of all students subsequent to COR research
education program

o  Present employment of former COR high school students (i.e.,
whether in biomedical and behavioral research areas related to goals
of the program)

o  Attrition rate of student participants

INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN
SUBJECTS

It is the policy of the NIH that women and members of minority groups
and their subpopulations must be included in all NIH supported
biomedical and behavioral research projects involving human subjects,
unless a clear and compelling rationale and justification is provided
that inclusion is inappropriate with respect to the health of the
subjects or the purpose of the research.  This new policy results
from the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (Section 492B of Public Law
103-43) and supersedes and strengthens the previous policies
(Concerning the Inclusion of Women in Study Populations, and
Concerning the Inclusion of Minorities in Study Populations), which
have been in effect since 1990. The new policy contains some
provisions that are substantially different from the 1990 policies.

All investigators proposing research involving human subjects should
read the "NIH Guidelines for Inclusion of Women and Minorities as
Subjects in Clinical Research," which have been published in the
Federal Register of March 28, 1994 (FR 59 14508-14513) and reprinted
in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Volume 23, Number 11,
March 18, 1994.

Investigators also may obtain copies of the policy from the program
staff listed under INQUIRIES. Program staff may also provide
additional relevant information on concerning the policy.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS
398 (rev. 9/91).  Application kits are available at most
institutional offices of sponsored research and may be obtained from
the Office of Grants Information,
Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, Westwood
Building, Room 449, Bethesda, MD 20892, telephone 301/710-0267.  The
title and number of this program announcement,
"NIMH COR Honors High School Research Education," PAR-95-046, must be
typed in Section 2a on the face page of
the application.  The completed original application and five legible
copies must be sent or delivered to:

DIVISION OF RESEARCH GRANTS
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
6701 ROCKLEDGE DRIVE  ROOM 1040  MSC 7710
BETHESDA  MD  20892-7710

BETHESDA  MD  20817 (for courier service)

The entire address should appear in UPPER CASE letters without
punctuation to allow optical scanners to read and sort mail.

Receipt and Review Schedule

Applications for the COR Honors High School Education Program are
submitted on the single receipt date of June 1 and reviewed on the
following schedule:

Receipt       Initial Review    Council      Earliest
Date           Group Meeting    Meeting      Start Date
Date
Jun 1         Oct/Nov           Jan/Feb     Apr 1

REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

Applications that are complete and responsive to the program
announcement will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by
an appropriate peer review group convened by the NIMH in accordance
with the standard NIH peer review procedures.  As part of the initial
merit review, all applications will receive a written critique and
undergo a process in which only those applications deemed to have the
highest scientific merit, generally the top half of applications
under review, will be discussed, assigned a priority score, and
receive a second-level review by Senior NIMH staff.

Review Criteria

Applications will be assessed for:

Quality of Research Education Program for COR High School Students

o  Scientific and educational merit of the proposed research training
plans

o  Quality of the applicant institution's training record and
training potential

o  Strength of institution's commitment to the goals and objectives
of attracting talented minority high school youth to careers in
mental health science fields

o  Comprehensiveness of the proposed plan to offer opportunities in a
broad range of disciplinary areas related to mental health, methods
for fostering interest, and feasibility of plans for short-term
(summer) and long-term (summer and part-time during school year)
participation

o  Adequacy and appropriateness of recruitment, selection, retention,
and mentoring/counseling plan components

o  Appropriateness of educational program, including decision
criteria for pairing each student with only one mentor for the
research experience, choice of participating COR faculty for this
component of the program, provisions for student career counseling,
and overall plan for supervising the students' research and research
experiences

o  Appropriateness of timetable for completing planned activities

o  Design of proposed ancillary activities: science day activities
convened on campus or at high schools; visits to research
institutions or plans for adopt-a- high school programs (These
elements should emphasize ways in which the program extends beyond
the participating students and reaches a broader number of students).

Methods of Selection, Monitoring, and Followup of Students

o  Availability of student candidates of high potential

o  Adequacy of plans for selecting students

o  Methods for monitoring student progress, early identification and
remedy of student problems, and provision of support and supervision

o  Provision of enrichment experiences, professional socialization,
and interaction beyond those in the local setting

o  Knowledge of available post-high school training programs and a
plan for career advising and choice- assistance of students

o  Adequacy of plans for tracking students after graduation.

Program Leadership

o  Qualifications and experience of Program Director

o  Relevant research experience of COR faculty and mentors

o  Plans for effective program administration and coordination among
faculty and advisory committee by Program Director.

Institutional Commitment and Resources

It is the intent of this program to foster interactions across
disciplines and departments within institutions.  There should be
evidence of institutional commitment to the goals and objectives of
the COR High School Program as it has an impact on students' academic
preparation, research education, and interactions with faculty and
undergraduate students, as evidenced by the following:

o  Access to research facilities and related resources, including
laboratory space, computer time, equipment, research samples for use
by students

o  Plans for linkages with collaborating institutions where necessary

o  Plans for evaluating the effectiveness of the program

o  Evidence of involvement of a wide variety of research areas in
disciplines such as biology,
chemistry, and behavioral sciences.

Budget

o  Appropriateness of budget in relation to scope of proposed
educational program.

Program Evaluation

o  Adequacy of plans for evaluating the COR High School Program on an
annual basis, including methods for assessing the extent to which the
COR High School Program increases recruitment, science education, and
placement of minority students in careers in mental health fields.

AWARD CRITERIA

Applications will compete for available funds with all other approved
applications assigned to NIMH.  The following will be considered in
making funding decisions:  quality of the proposed project as
determined by peer review, availability of funds, and program
priority.

INQUIRIES

Inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to clarify any issues or
questions from potential applicants is welcome.
Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:

Rodney R. Cocking, Ph.D.
Career Opportunities in Research Education and Training
National Institute of Mental Health
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 17C-14
Rockville, MD   20857-8030
Telephone:  (301) 443-3641
FAX:  (301) 443-8552
Email:  RC4@CU.nih.gov

Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:

Diana S. Trunnell
Grants Management Branch
National Institute of Mental Health
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7C-08
Rockville, MD  20857
Telephone:  (301) 443-3065
Email:  DT21A@nih.gov

AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS

This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance No. 93.242.  Awards are made under authorization of the
Public Health Service Act, Title IV, Part A (Public Law 78-410) as
amended by Public Law 99-158, 42 USC 241 and 285) and administered
under PHS grants policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR 52. This
program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements
of Executive Order 12372 or Health Systems Agency review.

PHS strongly encourages all grant and contract recipients to provide
a smoke-free workplace and to promote the nonuse of all tobacco
products.  In addition, Public Law 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of
1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any
portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education,
library, day care, health care or early childhood development
services are provided to children.

.

Return to PA Index

Return to NIH Guide Main Index


Office of Extramural Research (OER) - Home Page Office of Extramural
Research (OER)
  National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Home Page National Institutes of Health (NIH)
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
  Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Home Page Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
  USA.gov - Government Made Easy


Note: For help accessing PDF, RTF, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Audio or Video files, see Help Downloading Files.