SCIENCE EDUCATION DRUG ABUSE PARTNERSHIP AWARD

NIH GUIDE, Volume 22, Number 39, October 29, 1993



PA NUMBER:  PAR-94-008



P.T. 34



Keywords:

  Drugs/Drug Abuse 

  Drug Education 



National Institute on Drug Abuse



PURPOSE



The purpose of this program announcement is to support the

development of model programs and materials that engage working

scientists in enhancing public understanding of research related to

drug abuse and encourage young people to enter careers in science,

particularly drug abuse research.  The award provides support to

institutions to develop a program of activities designed to educate

elementary and secondary students and/or the general population about

science related to drug abuse and addiction.  The intended focus is

on topics not well addressed in existing efforts by educational,

community or media activities.



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, Science Education Drug Abuse Partnership Award, is

primarily related to the priority area of alcohol and other drugs.

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



Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, for-profit and

non-profit organizations, public and private such as universities,

colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State or local

governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government and

other organizations engaged in the conduct of, or concerned about,

science education.  Applications from educational institutions with

significant minority enrollment and from Principal Investigators who

are women or minority group members, are especially encouraged to

apply.



MECHANISM OF SUPPORT



The mechanism of support for this program announcement is the

education project grant (R25).  In fiscal year 1994, it is estimated

that $750,000 will be available to support three to five new grants

under this announcement.  Annual direct cost requests for the

proposed activities are expected to range from approximately $50,000

to $200,000.



RESEARCH OBJECTIVES



Historically, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has had

difficulties in attracting young people to the drug abuse research

field.  Furthermore, the general public has a poor understanding of

the necessity for and value of drug abuse research.  While these are

issues for many research areas, they are particularly evident in the

drug abuse research area.  It is anticipated that by the next century

there will be a shortage of scientists in many research areas and the

field of drug abuse research will be particularly hard hit by this

unless young people are attracted to this discipline now.  Without an

adequate supply of drug abuse researchers, it will be impossible to

continue to make advances in the ability to treat and eliminate drug

abuse and addiction.



It is also critical that the need for a scientifically literate

society that understands the role of science, biology, and

technology, particularly as it relates to drug abuse research, be

addressed.  There is a lack of public understanding of behaviors that

increase the risk for drug abuse, the use of animals in behavioral

and biomedical research, and the necessity for basic research to make

progress toward improving health.  Drug abuse research is poorly

understood and consequently, unlike other research disciplines, is

stigmatized.  Furthermore, there is substantial misunderstanding

about the nature of addiction as a biologically based brain disorder.

Although research indicates that drug addiction is a biological

illness, it is still frequently viewed as a moral failing.  Not only

is this true among the general public, but it is also common among

many scientists and professionals.  It is imperative that these

groups be educated on the biology of drug addiction.  The general

public and school children would receive accurate information through

materials developed through Science Education Drug Abuse Partnership

Awards (SEDAPA) grants, whereas scientists and professionals would be

educated through their participation in the grant program.



To help address these issues, the NIDA is initiating the Science

Education Drug Abuse Partnership Award (SEDAPA) Program.  To address

the goals of the SEDAPA Program, proposed science education projects

should be developed for students at the kindergarten through 12th

grade levels and/or for the general lay public.  Programs aimed at

school children should convey the scientific process in a way that

makes science fun and interesting for the students and that captures

their enthusiasm for science.  Programs aimed at the general

population should be directed to increasing their knowledge of

scientific terms, concepts, and reasoning and their ability to

understand scientific public policy issues.  To gain maximum benefit

from the program, priority will be given to projects that are

innovative, have the potential to be replicated for widespread use,

and build on existing science education programs whenever possible.

Because of the need of minorities and women for accurate,

science-based information on health promotion and disease prevention,

programs that support science education for the special needs of

underrepresented groups are encouraged.  Programs aimed at specific

ethnic or racial groups must be culturally appropriate to the group.



Description of the Program.  The SEDAPA is designed to involve

scientists in the development of science education programs for

students at the kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) level and for

the general population.  NIDA seeks the development of model

programs, therefore priority will be given to applications with the

potential for widespread use and replication and which do not

duplicate existing programs.



Much science education activity does not emphasize health; lack of

attention to the scientific knowledge needed for understanding drug

abuse is even more evident.  NIDA is especially interested in

programs that focus on the brain and its relation to addiction,

including the causes and the effects of abusing drugs.  Because of

this specific substantive focus, applicants are encouraged to build

upon existing programs and resources for science education rather

than to create wholly new programs.



Because of their under-representation among scientists and the

special needs of many minority group members, NIDA will give priority

to programs that seek to reach female and minority populations.



Programmatic activities described must increase science literacy and

understanding among school age children (K-12), or in the general

population.  The activities may include, but are not limited to, the

following types:



o  Provide training, resources, and support for scientists in

speaking to student, general adult, teacher, or organization

audiences.



o  Preparation and/or presentation of media programs on science.

These may include television, radio, motion pictures (including

videotape and videodisc), newspaper articles, magazine articles,

books aimed at the general student or general adult population,

experiments, computer software, or other written, electronic, or

audio-visual presentations designed to educate about science.



o  Preparation of programs in settings designed to educate the public

about science.  These may be in museums, shopping centers, public

buildings, schools, science fairs, or any other suitable place that

is open to the public or to a segment of it.



o  Organizing and conducting programs to provide for mentorships for

students (at any level(s) from the middle elementary through the high

school years) wishing to learn more about science.  This activity may

be in formal school settings or may be in community settings.  The

activity may provide for qualified persons who serve as teachers, as

resource persons, or as consultants.  Such activities might include

working with gifted and talented programs or setting up

university-based programs for high school students with local school

systems.



o  Providing scientific and/or educational consulting to groups or

organizations in activities consistent with the purposes of this

award in areas where there is a demonstrated lack of suitable

materials.  Documentation of the need for such curriculum development

must be included in the application.



The description of the program must contain the following elements:



o  Specific goals to be achieved.



o  Specific description of the activities to be completed, with

discussion of how these activities can accomplish the stated goals.



o  A description of steps to be taken to (l) document the activities

pursued and (2) assess whether or not the activities followed were

successful in achieving their stated objectives.



o  A description of the applicant institution's commitment to the

SEDAPA program including (l) a discussion of the incentives that

would be offered to individuals who elect to participate and (2) a

discussion of institutional resources that would be devoted to the

program.  Such incentives might include:  the awarding of

sabbaticals, time released from other duties, or special recognition

to individuals to permit them to participate in the program.

Institutional resources might include:  office and workshop space,

computer facilities, and administrative and technical services.



o  A statement of the applicant institution's capabilities, and

experiences that are relevant to the stated goals.



o  The name of a Program Director with a discussion of the person's

qualifications for the position; a resume should be included.



o  Identification of particular scientists and educational experts

who would participate in the development or delivery of the program,

or a discussion of how suitable people for these tasks will be

located and recruited for the program.  Types of scientists might

include, neuroscientists, pharmacologists, physiologists,

psychologists, chemists, biologists, and epidemiologists.



o  A focus on conveying the importance of the responsible use of

animals in research.



o  A focus on topics not well addressed through existing efforts by

educational, community or media activities in the geographic areas(s)

that the program is to reach.



o  Letters stating their commitment to the project from agencies,

groups, or persons whose cooperation is important to the achievement

of the stated purpose, such as school officials, museum boards,

television station directors, newspaper or magazine editors, or

community group leaders.



STUDY POPULATIONS



SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF NIH

POLICIES CONCERNING INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN CLINICAL

RESEARCH STUDY POPULATIONS



NIH policy is that applicants for NIH clinical research grants and

cooperative agreements will be required to include minorities and

women in study populations so that research findings can be of

benefit to all persons at risk of the disease, disorder or condition

under study; special emphasis should be placed on the need for

inclusion of minorities and women in studies of diseases, disorders

and conditions which disproportionately affect them.  This policy is

intended to apply to males and females of all ages.  If women or

minorities are excluded or inadequately represented in clinical

research, particularly in proposed population-based studies, a clear

compelling rationale should be provided.



The composition of the proposed study population must be described in

terms of gender and racial/ethnic group.  In addition, gender and

racial/ethnic issues should be addressed in developing a research

design and sample size appropriate for the scientific objectives of

the study.  This information should be included in the form PHS 398

in Sections 1-4 of the Research Plan AND summarized in Section 5,

Human Subjects.



Applicants are urged to assess carefully the feasibility of including

the broadest possible representation of minority groups.  However,

NIH recognizes that it may not be feasible or appropriate in all

research projects to include representation of the full array of

United States racial/ethnic minority populations (i.e., Native

Americans (including American Indians or Alaskan Natives),

Asian/Pacific Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics).



The rationale for studies on single minority population groups should

be provided.



For the purpose of this policy, clinical research includes human

biomedical and behavioral studies of etiology, epidemiology,

prevention (and preventive strategies), diagnosis, or treatment of

diseases, disorders or conditions, including but not limited to

clinical trials.



The usual NIH policies concerning research on human subjects also

apply.  Basic research or clinical studies in which human tissues

cannot be identified or linked to individuals are excluded.  However,

every effort should be made to include human tissues from women and

racial/ethnic minorities when it is important to apply the results of

the study broadly, and this should be addressed by applicants.



For foreign awards, the policy on inclusion of women applies fully;

since the definition of minority differs in other countries, the

applicant must discuss the relevance of research involving foreign

population groups to the United States' populations, including

minorities.



If the required information is not contained within the application,

the application will be returned.



Peer reviewers will address specifically whether the research plan in

the application conforms to these policies.  If the representation of

women or minorities in a study design is inadequate to answer the

scientific question(s) addressed AND the justification for the

selected study population is inadequate, it will be considered a

scientific weakness or deficiency in the study design and will be

reflected in assigning the priority score to the application.



All applications for clinical research submitted to NIH are required

to address these policies.  NIH funding components will not award

grants or cooperative agreements that do not comply with these

policies.



APPLICATION PROCEDURES



Applications are to be submitted on the grant application form PHS

398 (rev. 9/91) and will be accepted at the standard application

deadlines as indicated in the application kit.



Application kits are available at most institutional offices of

sponsored research and 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 the announcement must be typed in Item 2a of face

page of the application.



The completed original application and five legible copies must be

sent or delivered to:



Division of Research Grants

Westwood Building, Room 240

5333 Westbard Avenue

Bethesda, MD  20892**



REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS



Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by a

review group convened by the NIDA in accordance with standard peer

review procedures.  The following review criteria apply:



1.  Merit of the approach:



o  The originality of the proposed model program.



o  The educational and scientific merit of the proposed program

design.



o  Relevance to improvement of scientific literacy in the

behavioral/biomedical sciences.



2.  Significance:



o  The importance of the specific educational goals to be achieved

for the identified target population.



o  The degree to which the proposed program is likely to serve as a

model for other organizations engaged in similar science education

activities.



o  Evidence that the proposed program will fill a current void or

unmet need.



o  Adequacy of the applicant's plans to document, evaluate, and

disseminate the model developed under the SEDAPA.



3.  Feasibility:



o  Feasibility of the proposed model program.



o  Adequacy of the documentation presented that demonstrates that the

program will be effective in accomplishing the stated goals.



o  The degree of evidenced involvement of and cooperation among the

scientific, educational, and other partners who will plan and conduct

the project.



4.  Personnel and resources:



o  Appropriateness and adequacy of the proposed budget.



o  Qualifications of the proposed project personnel, including the

Principal Investigator, and scientists, educators, and others, to

design and carry out the specific program proposed.



o  Suitability of the proposed applicant and cooperating

organizations' facilities, resources, experience in similar

activities, and commitment to achieve the specific goals of the

proposed program.



Notification of the review recommendations will be sent to the

applicant after the initial review.  Applications will receive a

second-level review by an appropriate National Advisory Council,

whose review may be based on policy considerations as well as

scientific merit.  Only applications recommended for further

consideration by the Council may be considered for funding.



AWARD CRITERIA



The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

quality of the proposed project as determined by peer review;

availability of funds; and program balance among various types of

projects and/or geographic distribution in the United States and its

territories.  Consideration will also be given to focus on reaching

minority and/or female populations.



INQUIRIES



Written and telephone inquiries are encouraged.  The opportunity to

clarify any issues or questions from potential applicants is welcome.



Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to:



Cathrine A. Sasek, Ph.D.

Office of Science Policy, Education and Legislation

National Institute on Drug Abuse

5600 Fishers Lane, Room 10A-55

Rockville, MD  20857

Telephone:  (301) 443-6071



Direct inquiries regarding fiscal issues to:



Gary Fleming, J.D., M.A.

Grants Management Branch

National Institute on Drug Abuse

5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8A-54

Rockville, MD  20857

Telephone:  (301) 443-6710



AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS



This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance No. 93.279.  Awards are made under authorization of

Section 301 of the Public Health Service Act (42 USC 241) and

administered under PHS policies and Federal Regulations at Title 42

CFR 52 "Grants for Research Projects," Title 45 CFR Part 74 and 92,

"Administration of Grants" and 45 CFR Part 46, "Protection of Human

Subjects."  This program is not subject to the intergovernmental

review requirements of Executive Order 12372 or the Health Systems

Agency review.  Sections of the Code of Federal Regulations are

available in booklet form from the U.S. Government Printing Office.

Grants must be administered in accordance with the PHS Grants Policy

Statement (revised 10/90), which may be available from your office of

sponsored research.



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