U.S. Federal Infant Adoption Awareness Training Program

Program

93.254 Infant Adoption Awareness Training

Federal Agency

ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Authorization

Public Health Service Act; Children's Health Act of 2000, Title XII, Subtitle A, Section 330F and Section 330G Public Law 106-310.

Program Number

93.254

Objectives

To develop and implement programs to train designated staff of eligible health centers in providing adoption information and referrals to pregnant women on an equal basis with all other courses of action included in non-directive counseling to pregnant women.

Types of Assistance

Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements).

Uses and Use Restrictions

Grant funds may be used to plan and implement: (1) approved programs directly or through grants or cooperative agreements with other adoption organizations; (2)training curriculum, consistent with best practice guidelines; (3) reimbursement to eligible health centers for all costs in obtaining the training. Project funds may not be used for construction.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Nonprofit private national, regional, or local organizations among whose primary purposes are adoption and are knowledgeable in all elements of the adoption process, e.g., types of adoptions, relevant State and local laws regarding relinquishment procedures and putative father involvement and medical and financial resources for birth mothers, and on providing adoption information and referrals to pregnant women.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Private nonprofit organizations, health professionals, birth parents, infants, adoptive parents, health staff of Federally funded voluntary family planning projects supported under Section 1001 of the Public Health Service Act, staff of community health centers, migrant health centers, and centers providing services to homeless individuals and centers providing services to residents of public housing supported under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act. PHS-funded school health centers, and public health clinics.

Credentials/Documentation

Demonstration of 501(c)(3) status or status pending with the IRS.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

Application procedure can be obtained via the World Wide Web at http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/adopt.

Award Procedure

Notification is made in writing. Notice of Grant Award will be issued by the headquarters office.

Deadlines

Application deadlines can be obtained via the World Wide Web at http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/adopt.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approximately 3 months.

Appeals

Not applicable.

Renewals

Not applicable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula or matching requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

One to 3 years.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Recipients will be required to submit both financial and programmatic performance reports annually.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in OMB Circular No. A-133.

Records

Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to an award shall be retained for a period of 3 years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report.

Program Accomplishments

Four continuations were funded in fiscal year 2002 and four non-competing continuations are expected to be awarded in fiscal year 2003. There are four grants-one is national in scope; two regional efforts - Southeast and Upper Midwest; and one that is state specific-Arizona. For all four grants there has been approximately 110 training sessions that included about 2200 individuals who provided a wide range of services to pregnant women. The training modules developed by all four grantees are designed for one to four days of instruction, depending on the time availability of the staff to be trained. All grantees have a curriculum; a web-site that provides referrral in the respective communites; a power point presentation; videos that serve as learning tools and newsletters. The trainees have consistently assigned high satisfaction scores (90% or above) for training. Training also show a marked improvement in their understanding of adoption issues from their pre-to post-test.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-1536-0-1-506.

Obligations

(Grants) Part A: FY 02 $9,9841,611; FY 03 est $9,906,000; and FY 4 est $9,906,000. Part B: FY 02 $2,980,500; FY 03 est $3,000,000; and FY 4 est $3,000,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$400,000 to $6,000,000; $600,000.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

None.

Related Programs

None.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

Not applicable.

Headquarters Office

Contact: Patricia Campiglia, Administration on Children Youth, and Families, Children's Bureau, 330 C Street SW., Room 2428, Washington, DC 20447. Telephone: (202) 205-8060 FAX (202) 401-5917.

Web Site Address

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/adopt

Examples of Funded Projects

None.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Approval of any application will be based on an analysis of the following factors: (1) The administrative and management capability of the applicant to carry out the proposed project in a cost-effective manner: (2) the extent of responsibleness to the project requirements, guidelines, and application requirements; and (3) the potential effectiveness of the proposed project in carrying out the training purposes of Section 330F of the Children's Health Act of 2000. In making awards of grants under this Section, preference will be given to any qualified applicant that is nationally recognized as a leader in adoption advocacy and (1) Has a broad based membership of adoptive parents, adopted persons, voluntary licensed adoption agencies (sectarian and non-sectarian) and independent adoption intermediaries; (2) is knowledgeable in all current and historic elements of the adoption process, and on providing adoption information and referrals to pregnant women; (3) has the ability to subcontract with other nonprofit regional and local adoption organizations for providing training to those counseling pregnant women; (4) experience in developing best-practice guidelines on the provision of adoption information with a variety of adoption organizations; (5) experience in developing and disseminating training materials and counseling curricula to diverse providers including federally funded family planning programs; and (6) has experience in arranging for the provision of training on non-directive counseling of pregnant women to staff working in Title X family planning clinics, federally funded Community Health Centers and Migrant Health Centers, centers for the homeless, residents of public housing and PHS funded school health centers.