Recovery Assistance for Public Health Organizations

Table of Contents

Early Intervention – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C Formula Grants

Recovery Funds

  • $250 million nationwide

NYS Share

  • $26.4 million

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) appropriates significant new funding for programs under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Part C of the IDEA provides funds through the US Department of Education to the NYS Department of Health to implement statewide systems of coordinated, comprehensive, multidisciplinary interagency programs and make early intervention services available to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.

The Department of Education (Department) awarded 50 percent of the IDEA, Part C Grants for Infants and Families program ARRA funds to lead agencies on April 1, 2009. The other 50 percent, plus amounts reallocated, was awarded August 31, 2009.

The NYS Early Intervention (EI) Program provides speech, hearing, and other therapies to developmentally delayed children from birth to the age of 3. It is run by the Department of Health and local health departments. Services are provided by agencies and individuals in local communities who have been approved by the Department. Over 70,000 children and their families are served by the EI Program. New York City and counties across the State will have their Early Intervention administration funds increased by a total of $8 million. More information on how ARRA EI funds are being used is found in its expenditure plan (PDF, 93KB, 18pg.).

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WIC (Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children)

Recovery Funds

  • $ 500 million, nationwide
    • $400 million for cost due to increased caseload or food costs over budgeted levels
    • $100 million for competitive management information system improvement grants

NYS Share

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides coupons for nutritious food for lower-income pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age five. WIC is run by the NYS Department of Health in partnership with over 100 local agencies, such as county health departments, clinics, and hospitals. Recovery funds help cover the costs of food and administering the program for a larger number of people.

It's expected that more women and children will become eligible for WIC as more families face unemployment. The increase in federal funding through the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will help cover the costs of food and of administering the program for a larger number of people.

In October, 2009, statethe Department rececived $8.2 million in miscellaneous technology grants to upgrade and enchance the WIC management information system, resulting in more efficient processing of benefits.

NY Recovery Act Handbook

Health Research – National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Recovery Funds

  • $10.4 billion nationwide
    • $1.8 billion is targeted for infrastructure, both at NIH buildings and other research facilities, for construction projects and equipment purchases,
    • $400 million for comparative effectiveness research (to AHRQ),
    • $8.2 billion for research ($7.4 billion to common fund for percentage formula distribution, and $.8 billion to Director's discretion, for example, Challenge Grants).

New York State's Share

  • NIH lists the over 1,200 awards, totaling over $407 million, that have been made directly to research facilities in New York State on its web site. Specific details about the nature of the research and the amount of each award are also posted. In addition, NIH has granted New York State over $3 million in supplements to employ about 250 students and teachers in summer research projects.

The Recovery Act provides funds for health research to focus on specific knowledge gaps, scientific opportunities, new technologies, data generation, or research methods and to improve the facilities to accommodate accelerated research. Grant opportunities continue to be announced.

On September 18, 2009, NIH announced a new program: Building Sustainable Community-Linked Infrastructure to Enable Health Science Research, or the Infrastructure Grants program.

  • $30 million to be awarded to support the development, expansion, or reconfiguration of infrastructure needed to facilitate collaboration between academic health centers and community-based organizations for health science research, to accelerate the pace, productivity, dissemination and implementation of health research.
  • Eligible applicants include: institutions of higher education; independent school districts; state, county, municipal and tribal governments; both for profit and non-profit businesses; and regional organizations.
  • NIH expects to award 30 or more grants. Applications were due December 11, 2009.

On September 25, AHRQ two new limited competitive grants for comparative effectiveness:

  • Clinical and Health Outcomes Initiative in Comparative Effectiveness (CHOICE) Grants
    • $100 million expected to be awarded to 10 large projects aimed at generating new knowledge to help inform decision making in priority areas of clinical care; specifically, arthritis and non-traumatic joint disorders; cancer; cardiovascular disease, including stroke and hypertension; dementia, including Alzheimer's disease; depression and other mental health disorders; developmental delays, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism; diabetes mellitus; functional limitations and disability; infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS; obesity; peptic ulcer disease and dyspepsia; pregnancy including pre-term birth; pulmonary disease/asthma; and substance abuse.
    • Eligibles include State, local and tribal governments, institutions of higher education, and faith-based and community-based organizations.
    • Letters of intent were due November 18; applications, December 16, 2009
  • Innovative Adaption and Dissemination of AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Research Products (iADAPT) Grants
    • $29.5 million to be awarded, with a grant ceiling of $1.5 million for innovative customizations or adaptations to the content presentation and/or delivery mechanisms to increase their use, implementation and impact among difficult-to-reach populations, including the elderly, those with limited English proficiency, limited education or insurance coverage, minority or immigrant status, health literacy problems, or other underserved populations.
    • Eligibles include State, county and tribal governments, institutions of higher education, and faith-based and community-based organizations.
    • Applications were due December 16, 2009.

AHRQ announced another two new comparative effectiveness research (CER) grant limited competition opportunities on December 8, 2009.

  • Prospective Outcome Systems using Patient-specific Electronic data to Compare Tests and Therapies (PROSPECT) projects to advance the quality, depth and scale of electronic data collection infrastructure and to enhance the nation's ability and capacity to systematically collect prospective data to inform CER on diagnostics, therapeutics, devices, behavioral interventions, and procedures used in clinical care, especially in populations who are typically under-represented in randomized control clinical trials or who have limited access to healthcare.
    • Eligible institutions include units of local, tribal, State and Federal government; institutions of higher education; and faith-based or community-based organizations.
    • $44 million is available over three years to be awarded to an estimated five recipients in amounts between $1.5 million and $3 million per year.
    • Letters of intent are due January 27 and final applications February 17, 2010.
  • Electronic Data Methods (EDM) Forum for Comparative Effectiveness Research to engage large conference support to advance methods related to the development of the infrastructure and methodology for collecting and analyzing prospective data from electronic clinical databases. The planned EDM Forum will convene a series of meetings and workshops for the investigators from PROSPECT studies in order to identify the challenges and to propose realistic solutions to their resolution.
    • $4 million is expected to be awarded to one recipient over a maximum of three years.
    • Applications were due January 20, 2010.

On December 11, 2009, AHRQ announced two additional limited competitions, both with applications due January 20, 2010 to provide supervised study and research to cohorts of clinical and research doctorates:

On December 17, 2009, AHRQ announced a limited competitive opportunity, Comparative Effectiveness Research to Optimize Prevention and Healthcare Management for the Complex Patient, with $6 million available nationwide to be awarded to between 12 to 18 recipients.

  • Eligible applicants include Federal agencies and local, tribal and State units of government; institutions of higher education; and public or non-profit institutions such as faith-based or community-based organizations.
  • Letters of intent were due January 8, 2010 and full applications on January 20, 2010.
  • Applications must fall into one of three categories, with differing project budget limits and varying durations:
    • Epidemiologic descriptions based on secondary analysis of large data sets of specific chronic illnesses.
    • Analytic epidemiologic studies to assess benefits and harms of preventive and therapeutic interventions for patients who have multiple chronic co-morbid conditions.
    • Modeling studies.

A related limited competition grant opportunity was announced on December 22, 2009: Expansion of Research Capability to Study Comparative Effectiveness in Complex Patients. AHRQ expects to make twelve awards, totaling $12 million, for two year projects that will build or enhance partnerships, datasets and methodologies to improve the capacity to study, and the quality of studies, of patients with multiple chronic illnesses. Competition is open to the same eligible entities as above with the same application deadline of January 20, 2010.

On November 2, 2009, NIH announced a limited competitive grant opportunity: Administrative Supplements to Support Core Consolidation.

  • Approximately $15 million available nationwide to encourage such activities as:
    • Merging two core facilities from different departments or campuses into a single core;
    • Moving equipment to make it accessible to a much larger group of investigators;
    • Consolidating two different technologies; or
    • Combining core facilities at different institutions into a single facility.
  • Applications were due January 13, 2010 and may contain requests for no more than $500,000 for equipment, no more than $500,000 for alteration and renovation, and no more than $200,000 for direct costs such as personnel and supplies.

On December 28, 2009, NIH announced five new limited competition grant opportunities. Three of them, for a total of $30 million, target advancing comparative effectiveness research, generally, through clinical trials, pilot research and methodology development; one CER opportunity for $15 million is specifically for gastro-esophageal reflux disease, for eradication of MRSA and for dementia detection and management strategies. The fifth opportunity valued at $80 million is for Directors awards in five thematic areas, including genomics, global health and using science to advance health care reform. Eligible entities includes, State local and tribal units of government; institutions of higher education and independent school districts; for profit and small businesses and non-profit organizations; community-based and faith-based organizations and public housing authorities. Applications vary for each opportunity with due dates between February 26 and April 7, 2010.

On January 4, 2010, NIH announced that $3 million is available nationwide for a limited competitive grant opportunity: Research on Biosamples from Selected Diabetes Clinical Studies. Funds may be used to access and/or perform validated laboratory assays on non-renewable (non- DNA) samples generated by six specific NIDDK-funded clinical trials and studies. Between five and ten awards are expected to be made, with a maximum grant of $400,000 each for two year projects. Eligible entities includes, State local and tribal units of government; institutions of higher education and independent school districts; for profit and small businesses and non-profit organizations; community-based and faith-based organizations and public housing authorities. Applications are due March 11, 2010.

Also on January 4th, NIH advised current grant recipients with comparative effectiveness research projects that they are eligible to submit an application for administrative supplements, not to exceed $500,000, to develop, expand and/or increase CER training, education, and career development. Up to sixteen awards will be made with applications due March 1, 2010.

On January 5, 2010, NIH announced that current grant recipients may apply for supplemental administrative funds to provide an opportunity to introduce basic behavioral and social science research (b-BSSR) into their NIH-funded research projects. Between ten and twenty awards will be made, totaling $2 million nationwide. Applications are due February 18, 2010.

On January 11, 2010, NIH announced that $14 million would be available nationwide to support approximately five to ten grants of between $300,000 and $3 million per award for Accelerating the Adoption of Comparative Effectiveness Research Results by Providers and Patients. Applications are due March 11, 2010 and the following types of organizations are eligible:

  • Integrated health care systems
  • Integrated provider systems
  • Academic medical centers
  • Provider consortia
  • Community health center networks
  • Private payers
  • Other non-governmental organizations that administer or directly provide health care services
  • Organizations that serve health care consumers
  • University-based school (e.g. School of Public Policy or Public Health)
  • Private research institutes

On January 13, 2010, NIH announced a limited competitive grant opportunity of $25 million, the Institutional Comparative Effectiveness Research Mentored Career Development Award. Research-intensive institutions, including State and tribal governments, non-profit and for profit organizations (except small businesses) and colleges and universities can submit applications to support mentored career development in support of CER in an interdisciplinary environment catering to the needs of diverse populations of scholars including those with backgrounds in biostatistics, epidemiology, health economics, pharmacology, medicine, and dentistry. Between eight and ten awards are expected, each limited to no more than $2.5 million for a project that lasts up to three years. Applications are due March 25, 2010.

On January 21, 2010, AHRQ announced two limited competitive grant opportunities for:

  • Enhanced Registries for Quality Improvement and Comparative Effectiveness Research.
    • Grants must be used to develop the infrastructure and improve the methodology for collecting prospective data from electronic clinical databases in order to generate new evidence on the comparative effectiveness of healthcare interventions.
    • City, county, State and tribal governments and institutions of higher education, along with eligible Federal agencies, can submit applications which are due March 29, 2010.
    • AHRQ expects to make two awards for projects not to exceed three years and annual budgets below $4 million.
  • Scalable Distributed Research Networks for Comparative Effectiveness Research.
    • Funds must be used to enhance the capability and capacity of electronic health networks designed for distributed research to conduct prospective, CER on outcomes of clinical interventions, including but not limited to diagnostics, therapeutics (drugs and biologics), medical devices, behavioral interventions and surgical procedures used in clinical care.
    • State, local and tribal governments, certain Federal agencies and public or non-profit institutions such as colleges and universities and community-based and faith-based organizations can submit applications which are due March 10, 2010.
    • AHRQ expects to make three awards for projects not to exceed three years and annual budgets below $2.77 million.

On January 26, 2010, NIH announced that institutions of higher education could compete for one-year grants to enhance their infrastructure and opportunities for training post-doctoral investigators to carry out innovative, multidisciplinary research in Global Health. Between six and ten awards are expected, capped at $250,000 for single institutions and $400,000 for consortia. Applications are due March 22, 2010. A second small grant for Global Health Research Involving Human Subjects in low- and middle-income countries was announced January 28, 2010. National funds total $650,000 with 12 - 13 grants expected to be awarded. In addition to institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations are eligible with applications due March 22.

On February 2, NIH announced a new $7 million grant opportunity to Support Comparative Effectiveness Research for Eliminating Disparities (CERED). Eligibles are limited to only those institutions/organizations with active National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) grants for Exploratory Centers of Excellence and Comprehensive Centers of Excellence. NIH expects to make five awards for projects not to exceed two years with budgets capped at $1.4 million. Applications are due April 6, 2010.

National Institute of Health(NIH) / National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) make awards directly to successful applicants, including public or private institutions of higher education.

New York Recovery Act Handbook

Prevention and Wellness Fund

Recovery Funds

  • $1 billion nationwide

New York State's Share

  • To be determined; $47.75 million, estimated - based on per capita allotment

The Recovery Act provides funding for public health programs through the Prevention and Wellness Fund. Of this amount,

  • $300 million will be transferred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the immunization program,
  • $50 million for healthcare-associated infection reduction, and
  • $650 million will be used for evidence based clinical and community-based prevention and wellness strategies with measurable outcomes that address chronic disease rates.

Immunization Program

  • $50 million for noncompetitive operational grants and vaccine distribution.
  • $18 million for competitive grants for innovative approaches increasing the number of Americans who receive childhood vaccines and for improving reimbursement practices,
  • $200 million to purchase vaccines.
    • NYS grant for vaccines is $12.1 million, which includes $4.6 million for New York City. Over 83,000 dosages of seasonal flu vaccine were requested by counties across the State; over the next few months, vaccines for other illnesses will be distributed.
    • NYS received $3.8 million to administer the immunization program, both at the State and local health department levels. Excluding New York City, the other 57 counties received $1.7 million of this award as additional funds for operational costs. More information on how ARRA these funds are being used is found in its expenditure plan.
    • NYS also received $800,000 for innovative projects to improve reimbursement in local public health departments. More information about this grant is found in its expenditure plan.
  • $32 million retained by CDC for internal use - CDC announced a competitive grant opportunity, open to public and private nonprofit organizations, for immunization cooperative agreement partnerships, total of $2.5 million, with applications due July 6, 2009, for three different purposes:
    • Provide Technical Assistance and Training for Immunization Coalitions and Health Departments
    • Develop and Implement Materials and Programs to Educate Nurses about Immunization Issues
    • Develop Vaccine Safety Communication Materials and Curriculum for Medical Residents.

Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) Reduction

  • CDC will award funding ($40 million) to eligible state health departments to support efforts to prevent HAIs. Existing Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC) and the Emerging Infections Programs (EIP) competitive cooperative agreement programs will be utilized to make competitive supplemental awards to eligible state health departments to carry out HAI activities.
  • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will provide funding ($10 million) to significantly expand the awareness of proper infection control technique among Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) and State Survey Agency (SA), increase the extent to which infection control deficiencies are both identified and remedied, and prevent future serious infections in ASCs
  • Payments will be made to States separate from but in the same manner as operation of the Survey and Certification program using Federal Hospital and Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Funds.

Prevention and Wellness Strategies

  • On September 17, 2009, CDC announced a new ARRA-funded public health initiative, Communities Putting Prevention to Work. $373 million, or over 57% of the $650 million contained in the Recovery Act for this purpose, will be awarded competitively to local communities to address to risk factors:
    • Obesity/Physical Activity/Nutrition: Category A Grants
    • Tobacco Prevention and Control: Category B Grants
    • Between 30-40 grants will be awarded; applications are due December 1, 2009.
  • The balance, $277 million will be awarded as grants to states; so far the following opportunities have been announced:
    • As an expansion of the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative, $27 million for State Aging and Health Departments, that will identify communities and local organizations to deliver a Chronic Disease Self-Management Program targeting older individuals, including frail seniors, with multiple chronic conditions, in order to reduce health care costs. Applications are due February 12, 2010.

NY Recovery Act Handbook