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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 05-953

NOTICES

Availability of Title V Funds through Mini-Grants to Support Elimination of Barriers to Community Inclusion for Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs

[35 Pa.B. 2961]

   The Bureau of Family Health (Bureau) is accepting mini-grant applications up to $3,000 related to eliminating barriers to inclusion of children and youth with special health care needs in communities of this Commonwealth. Mini-grants are available to support activities which directly address physical, environmental and informational barriers allowing community organizations, businesses, places of worship and schools to be more inclusive of children with special health care needs. This project is an extension of the Bureau's Building Inclusive Communities for Children/Youth With Special Health Care Needs Mini-grant Initiative (BIC) which offers financial support for educational endeavors addressing community inclusion. Barrier Elimination Project (BE) funds will be used to advance this work by financially supporting the elimination of tangible barriers to inclusion.

   For purposes of this funding opportunity, ''children with special health care needs'' are defined as those aged birth to 21 years of age who have or are at risk of developing a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral or emotional condition requiring services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally.

   The degree to which communities are healthy can be partly gauged by the degree to which children/youth with special health care needs are provided a full complement of services, civic engagement and social interaction. The BE Project is designed to empower communities by providing financial support for activities that either remove or significantly reduce obstacles that children and youth with special health care needs and their families confront as they seek to participate fully and productively in their communities. These include barriers to self-care, activities of daily living, receptive/expressive communication, learning, mobility, access to service, recreation, academics, spiritual practice, volunteerism, hobby exploration, employment, voting and economic self-sufficiency. The ultimate goal of the project is to build social capital by assisting communities to be fully accessible and inclusive and, consequently, allow for the full integration of children of this Commonwealth with special health care needs in all aspects of community life. Project funds must be used to reimburse purchases and activities occurring prior to June 30, 2006.

   Eligible applicants are public and private organizations, foundations or community-based agencies in this Commonwealth as recognized by a Federal Tax ID number. Individuals may not apply. Informal groups without Federal Tax ID numbers are encouraged to partner with a sponsor organization that may apply on behalf of the group. For-profit organizations may apply. However, no applicant may take a profit from these funds.

   Applicants may include:

   *  Day care centers and child care providers

   *  Educational providers

   *  Community planners

   *  Community groups/civic clubs

   *  Potential employers/businesses

   *  Libraries

   *  Travel/tourism providers

   *  Bankers/lenders

   *  Minority groups

   *  Medical/dental providers

   *  Youth groups

   *  Places of worship/congregations

   *  Entertainment/recreation/play providers

   *  Professional associations/organizations

   *  Voting/polling providers

   *  Park/forest/camp ground staff

   *  Retailers

   Applicants may apply for funding for reimbursement of multiple purchases or activities. However, the maximum cumulative award to any one applicant (as identified by Federal Tax ID number) is $3,000 per fiscal year when combined with any other funding received through the BIC. In all cases, Department of Health (Department) funds should be used as payer of last resort. Grant funds may not supplant existing funds. Grant funds may be used for reimbursement of one time purchases only, after which time the grantee becomes sole owner of the purchased property. Eligible expenses fall within the following categories: equipment, assistive technology/communication devices, site/facility improvements, environment/curriculum and technology, as described in the application materials.

   It is anticipated that 33 to 36 awards of $3,000 or less will be made for this fiscal year period. Three deadlines have been set: August 2, 2005, with awards made known by October 1, 2005; November 1, 2005, with awards made known by January 1, 2006; and January 15, 2006, with awards made known by March 1, 2006, but only if funds have not been fully awarded for the fiscal year. Before applying, check the Department's website: www.health.state.pa.us.

   To apply for funding, seven copies of a complete application must be received by the Department by 4:30 p.m. on the dates identified previously. Applications may be mailed or hand delivered. Applications may not be faxed. Late applications will not be accepted regardless of the reason. This is a reimbursement program. Grantees must spend their own funds first and then be reimbursed by the Department.

   Funding decisions are contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2005--2006 funds and Department approval by means of a proposal review panel. The approval will be based upon a common set of preestablished criteria, including:

   1.  The justifiable need for elimination of the proposed barriers to advance the inclusion of young people with disabilities, as justified by the applicant.

   2.  The number of young people with special needs who will ultimately benefit from elimination of the barrier.

   3.  The likelihood that the activities proposed will be of ongoing, systemic benefit to the community.

   4.  The reasonableness of proposed expenditures/purchases.

   To meet the purposes of this program, applicants that propose activities with the potential to serve a large number of young people with special health care needs in environments that include many typically developing children generally receive higher scores.

   Application materials can be downloaded from the Department's website: www.health.state.pa.us (Search: Inclusion). Individuals can also request application materials or additional information related to this initiative by contacting Wanda Godar, Bureau of Family Health, Division of Community Systems Development and Outreach, P. O. Box 90, 7th Floor East, Health and Welfare Building, Harrisburg, PA 17108, (717) 783-6536, wgodar@state.pa.us, for speech and/or hearing impaired persons V/TT (717) 783-6154 or the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service, (800) 634-5984 (TT). Persons with a disability requiring an application in alternative formats should contact Wanda Godar.

CALVIN B. JOHNSON, M.D., M.P.H.,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 05-953. Filed for public inspection May 13, 2005, 9:00 a.m.]


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