LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM FOR HEALTH DISPARITIES RESEARCH RELEASE DATE: October 16, 2003 NOTICE: NOT-MD-04-001 National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) (http://www.ncmhd.nih.gov) APPLICATION PERIOD: September 1, 2003, through 5 PM EST, December 31, 2003 THIS NOTICE CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: o Purpose of this Notice o Program Objectives o Funds Available o Award Criteria o Eligible Applicants o Eligible Institutions o Where to Send Inquiries o Submitting a New Application o Receipt and Peer Review Process o Application Materials o Submitting a Renewal Application o Receipt, Review and Award Schedule o Citations of Federal Authority PURPOSE OF THIS NOTICE The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) announce the 2004 Loan Repayment Program for Health Disparities Research (HDR-LRP or Program). The HDR-LRP provides for the repayment of educational loan debt of up to $35,000 annually for qualified health professionals conducting minority health or other health disparities research for domestic non-profit or government entities. In addition, the program will cover up to 39 percent of the federal tax liability resulting from loan repayments, and may provide reimbursement for state and local tax liabilities. Participants must conduct research for 50 percent of their time, or not less than 20 hours per week based upon a 40-hour work week, for a two- year period. HDR-LRP applications will be accepted from September 1 through December 31, 2003. They must be submitted via the NIH Loan Repayment Website, http://www.lrp.nih.gov. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES The objective of the HDR-LRP is the recruitment and retention of highly qualified health professionals to research careers that focus on minority health or other health disparities issues. The Program serves as an avenue for NIH and the NCMHD to engage and promote the development of research programs that reflect the variety of issues and problems associated with disparities in health status. In addition, the statutory requirement that the Director, NCMHD, ensure that not fewer than 50 percent of the contracts are awarded to qualified health professionals that are members of health disparities populations highlights the need for the involvement of a cadre of culturally competent health professionals in minority health and other health disparities research. Health disparities population as determined by the Director of NCMHD, after consultation with the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, is defined as a population where there is significant disparity in the overall rate of disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality, or survival rates in the population as compared to the health status of the general population. For purposes of this announcement, the following populations are determined to be health disparity populations: Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders and the medically underserved such as individuals from the Appalachian region. Health disparities research is defined as basic, clinical, or behavioral research on a health disparities population (including individual members and communities of such populations) including the causes of such health disparities and methods to prevent, diagnose and treat such disparities. Medically underserved refers to individuals that lack access to primary and specialty care either because they are socioeconomically disadvantaged and may or may not live in areas with high poverty rates or because they reside in rural areas. The term also refers to individuals that reside in geographic areas where the Index of Medical Underservice (IMU) is 62 or less. The Health Resource Services Administration (HRSA) criteria designates a service area with an IMU of 62 or less as a medically underserved area (MUA) . The IMU is a weighted score derived from four variables: the ratio of primary medical care physicians per 1,000 population, infant mortality rate, percentage of population below the federal poverty level, and percentage of the population age 65 years or over. Minority health conditions refers to all diseases, disorders, and other conditions (including mental health and substance abuse) that are unique to, more serious, or more prevalent in racial and ethnic minorities, for which the medical risk factors or types of medical interventions may be different, or research involving such populations as subjects or data on such individuals is insufficient. Minority health disparities research is defined as basic, clinical, or behavioral research on minority health conditions, including research to prevent, diagnose, and treat such conditions. FUNDS AVAILABLE The NCMHD intends to commit $6.6 million in fiscal year 2004 to fund approximately 150 HDR-LRP participants. AWARD CRITERIA For both new and renewal applications, awards will be based upon merit scoring by peer review committees and the availability of funds. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS Specific eligibility criteria for the HDR-LRP include the following: Applicants must be United States citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. Applicants must have a Ph.D., M.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.M.D., D.P.M., Pharm.D., D.C., N.D., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited institution. Applicants must be supported by a domestic non-profit institution (tax exempt under 26 USC 501) or a Federal or domestic state or local government entity and devote at least 50 percent of their time (not less than 20 hours per week based upon a 40 hour work week) to minority health or other health disparities research. Applicants must have total qualifying educational debt equal to at least 20 percent of their institutional base salary at the time of award (projected to be between June 1 and August 1, 2004). Institutional base salary is the annual compensation that the applicant’s organization pays for the individual’s appointment, whether the time is spent on research, teaching, patient care, or other activities. Base salary excludes any income that an individual may be permitted to earn outside of the duties to the applicant organization. It cannot include any income earned as a Federal employee. The applicant’s sponsoring entity must certify that the applicant will receive minority health or other health disparities research support for two years; the applicant will engage in qualified minority health or other health disparities research for 50 percent or more of his/her working hours (not less than 20 hours per week based upon a 40 hour work week), and its non-profit status. The institution must also provide the applicant’s base salary. Applicants must agree to conduct research for which funding is not prohibited by Federal law, regulations, or DHHS/NIH policy. Recipients who receive HDR-LRP awards must conduct their research in accordance with applicable Federal, state and local law (e.g., applicable human subject protection regulations). No individual may submit more than one LRP application to the NIH in any fiscal year. Unsuccessful HDR-LRP applicants may reapply in subsequent fiscal years. Any individual with a Federal judgment lien arising from a Federal debt cannot receive program funds until the judgment is satisfied. Similarly, individuals with existing service obligations to Federal, state, or other government entities remain ineligible until the service is discharged or deferred during the LRP contract period. Recipients of postdoctoral Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) support from an individual postdoctoral fellowship (F32) or an institutional research training grant (T32) will be eligible for loan repayment during the second year of NRSA support if a formal extension of the NRSA service payback is granted (see http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-109.html). Concurrent repayment of LRP and NRSA service obligations is prohibited. Full-time employees of Federal government agencies are ineligible to apply for NIH loan repayment. Part-time Federal employees employed by a Federal agency 20 hours or less per week - are eligible to apply if they meet all other eligibility requirements, including commitment of at least 20 hours per week based upon a 40 hour work week in qualifying research for which they are not compensated as a Federal employee. Applicants will not be excluded from consideration on the basis of age, race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other non-merit factors. WHERE TO SEND INQUIRIES For questions on the HDR-LRP program, please see the LRP website at http://www.lrp.nih.gov, send an email to lrp@nih.gov, call the LRP helpline at (866) 849-4047 or contact the NCMHD Loan Repayment Coordinator, Kenya McRae, at (301) 402-1366 or via email: mcraek@ncmhd.nih.gov. SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION All applications must be submitted via the LRP Website at http://www.lrp.nih.gov from September 1, 2003, through December 31, 2003 at 5 P.M. EST. All applicants and renewal applicants are encouraged to review the eligibility requirements and application procedures for the Program located at the LRP website at http://www.lrp.nih.gov. RECEIPT AND PEER REVIEW PROCESS (New and Renewal Applicants) Upon receipt, applications for both initial awards and renewals will be reviewed for eligibility and completeness by the NIH Office of Loan Repayment. Incomplete or ineligible applications will not be considered. Applications that are complete and eligible will be forwarded to the NCMHD for peer review. In evaluating the application, reviewers will be directed to consider the following criteria: a. Potential of the applicant to pursue a career in minority health or other health disparities research: o Appropriateness of the applicant’s previous training and experience to prepare him/her for a minority health or other health disparities research career. o Suitability of the applicant’s proposed minority health or other health disparities research activities in the two-year loan repayment period. o The applicant’s stated commitment to a research career. o Recommendations attesting to the applicant’s potential for a research career. b. Quality of the applicant’s overall research environment: o Availability of appropriate scientific colleagues to achieve and enhance the applicant’s research independence. o Quality and appropriateness of institutional resources and facilities. APPLICATION MATERIALS (New and Renewal Applicants) The following information is furnished by applicants or others on behalf of applicants (forms are to be completed electronically at the NIH LRP Website, http://www.lrp.nih.gov): Applicants electronically transmit the following to the NIH Office of Loan Repayment: o Applicant information statement. o Biosketch. o Personal statement, which includes a discussion of career goals and academic objectives. o Description of research activities, which describes the current or proposed research project including the specific responsibilities and role of the applicant in conducting the research. The research supervisor or mentor will be asked to concur. o Identification of three recommenders (including research supervisor or mentor). o Identification of institutional contact. o On-line certification. o Loan information, including current account statement(s), and promissory note(s) or disclosure statement(s), obtained from lending institution(s), submitted via facsimile to 866-849-4046. o If applying based on NIH support, Notice of Grant/Award (or PHS Form 2271 for Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA training fellowships). Research supervisors or mentors electronically transmit the following to the NIH Office of Loan Repayment: o Recommendation. o Biosketch. o Assessment of the research activities statement submitted by the applicant. o Description of the research environment, which provides detailed information about the lab where the applicant is or will be conducting research, including funding, lab space, and major areas under investigation. o Training or mentoring plan, which includes a detailed discussion of the training or mentoring plan, including a discussion of the research methods and scientific techniques to be taught. Recommenders electronically transmit recommendation forms to the NIH Office of Loan Repayment. Institutional contacts electronically transmit a certification to the NIH Office of Loan Repayment that: o Assures that the applicant will be provided the necessary time and resources to engage in the research project for two years from the date o Loan Repayment Program Contract is executed; o Assures that the applicant is or will be engaged in qualifying research for 50 percent of their work effort or not less than 20 hours per week based upon a 40 hour work week; o Certifies that the sponsoring entity is a domestic non-profit institution (exempt from tax liability under 26 U.S.C. 501); and o Identifies the applicant’s institutional base salary. SUBMITTING A RENEWAL APPLICATION Recipients of NIH loan repayments who wish to extend their NIH loan repayment should reapply during the 2004 application cycle if their initial LRP contract began in 2002. LRP renewal contracts are available for one- and two-year periods and are based upon the same criteria as the initial contract. An explanation of research accomplishments during the initial award period is required. Progress toward development as an independent investigator is a major factor in awarding renewal of loan repayment support. Submission of a renewal application does not assure the award of loan repayment. RECEIPT AND REVIEW SCHEDULE Application Receipt Date: December 31, 2003, 5 P.M. EST Peer Review Date: March-May, 2004 Anticipated Award Date: June-August, 2004 CITATIONS OF FEDERAL AUTHORITY Awards are made pursuant to the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-525) that added Section 485G of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC 287c-33). The Federal Debt Collections Procedures Act of 1990, contained in Public Law 101-647, requires that an individual that has a judgment lien against his/her property for a debt to the United States shall not be eligible to receive funds directly from the Federal government in any program, except funds to which the debtor is entitled as a beneficiary, until the judgment is paid in full or otherwise satisfied (28 U.S.C. 3201). The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for the Health Disparities Research LRP is 93.307.


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