[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51088-51091]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20425]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Health Resources and Services Administration
Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority
This notice amends Part R of the Statement of Organization,
Functions and Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) (60 FR 56605, as amended November 6, 1995; as last amended at 75
FR 48980-48983 dated August 12, 2010).
This notice reflects organizational changes in the Health Resources
and Services Administration. Specifically, this notice updates the
Bureau of Health Professions (RP) functional statement as a result of
the Affordable Care Act, to better align functional responsibility to
improve coordination and functional management; establishing clear
lines of authority, responsibility, and accountability for resources
and effectiveness; improving programmatic and administrative
efficiencies; and optimizing use of available staff resources.
[[Page 51089]]
Chapter RP--Bureau of Health Professions
Section RP-10, Organization
Delete in its entirety and replace with the following:
The Bureau of Health Professions (RP) is headed by the Associate
Administrator, who reports directly to the Administrator, Health
Resources and Services Administration. BHPr includes the following
components:
(1) Office of the Associate Administrator (RP);
(2) Office of Administrative Management Services (RP1);
(3) Office of Shortage Designation (RP2);
(4) Office of Policy Coordination (RP3);
(5) Division of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Education
(RPF);
(6) Division of Medicine and Dentistry (RPC);
(7) Division of Nursing (RPB);
(8) Division of Practitioner Data Banks (RPG);
(9) Division of Student Loans and Scholarships (RPD);
(10) Division of Workforce and Performance Management (RPV); and
(11) National Center for Analysis (RPW).
Section RP-20, Functions
(1) Delete the functional statement for the Bureau of Health
Professions (RP) and replace in its entirety.
Bureau of Health Professions (RP)
The Bureau of Health Professions' (BHPr) programs are designed to
improve the health of the Nation's underserved communities and
vulnerable populations by assuring a diverse, culturally competent
workforce is ready to provide access to quality health care services.
BHPr program components provide workforce studies, identification of
shortage designations, training grants for health professions,
financial support to students, protection to the public from unsafe
health care practitioners and support for the Nation's freestanding
children's hospitals by providing funding for graduate medical
education to these institutions. The Health Professions Training
programs award grants to health professions schools and training
programs in every State, which use the funds to develop, expand, and
enhance their efforts to train the workforce America needs.
Office of the Associate Administrator (RP)
The Office of the Associate Administrator (OAA) provides overall
leadership, direction, coordination, and planning in support of the
BHPr programs to ensure alignment and support of the Agency mission and
strategic objectives. Specifically, the OAA: (1) Directs and provides
policy guidance for workforce recruitment, student assistance,
training, and placement of health professionals to serve in underserved
areas; (2) establishes program goals, priorities and provides oversight
of program quality and integrity in execution; (3) maintains effective
relationships within HRSA and with other Federal and non-Federal
agencies, State and local governments, and other public and private
organizations concerned with health personnel development and improving
access to health care for the Nation's underserved; (4) plans, directs,
and coordinates Bureau-wide management and administrative activities;
(5) leads and guides Bureau programs in recruiting and retaining a
diverse workforce; and (6) coordinates, reviews, and provides clearance
of correspondence and official documents entering and leaving the
Bureau.
Office of Administrative Management Services (RP1)
Collaborates with BHPr leadership to plan, coordinate, and direct
Bureau-wide administrative management activities. Specifically: (1)
Plans and directs financial management activities including budget
formulation, presentation, and execution functions and supports linking
of the budget and planning processes; (2) provides human resource
services regarding all aspects of personnel management, workforce
planning as well as the allocation and utilization of personnel
resources; (3) conducts all business management aspects of the review,
negotiation, award, and administration of grants, cooperative
agreements and contracts; (4) coordinates, reviews, and provides
clearance of correspondence and official documents entering and leaving
the Bureau as needed; and (5) provides other support services including
the acquisition, management, and maintenance of supplies, equipment and
space, training, and travel.
Office of Shortage Designation (RP2)
Directly supports national efforts to address equitable
distribution of health professionals for access to health care to
underserved populations. Specifically: (1) Recommends health
professional shortage areas and medically-underserved populations; (2)
proactively collaborates with other Federal, State, and private sector
partners regarding health professional shortage areas and medically-
underserved populations; (3) approves designation requests and
finalizes designation policies and procedures for both current and
proposed designation criteria; (4) negotiates and approves State
designation agreements, and (5) oversees grants to State primary care
offices.
Office of Policy Coordination (RP3)
Serves as the focal point for coordination and integration of
Bureau policy development, analyses, and evaluation. Specifically: (1)
Coordinates Bureau-wide, cross-cutting initiatives; (2) links Bureau
policy activities to HRSA-wide policy development, analyses, and
evaluation; (3) serves as a key point of contact to coordinate public
relations and media communications as well as activities related to
congressional inquiries, and other stakeholder groups in conjunction
with the Agency and Department; (4) prepares policy analysis papers and
other planning documents as required, (5) analyzes issues arising from
legislation, budget proposals, regulatory actions and other program or
policy actions; and (6) assumes special projects or takes the lead on
certain issues as tasked by the Bureau Associate or Deputy Associate
Administrator.
Division of Public Health and Interdisciplinary Education (RPF)
Serves as the Bureau lead for increasing the public health
workforce, interdisciplinary health professions issues and programs,
including geriatric training, and activities to increase the diversity
of the health professional workforce. Specifically: (1) Provides grants
and technical assistance for programs of public health in the
development and improvement of education for public health or
specialized training in public health to expand and enhance training
opportunities and competencies, critical to the current and future
public health workforce; (2) plans, promotes, supports, and evaluates
academic-community partnerships in development of interdisciplinary,
community-based programs designed to improve the quality of health
professions inter-professional education and training, continuing
education for health care professionals, and/or provides health career
recruitment programs for K-12 students; (3) develops, supports,
recommends, coordinates and evaluates health resources and health
career opportunities for diverse and disadvantaged populations; (4)
provides support and guidance for career
[[Page 51090]]
development in geriatric specialists through faculty development,
fellowships, and interdisciplinary education focused on older
Americans; (5) promotes the dissemination and application of findings
arising from supported programs; (6) provides leadership and staff
support for the Advisory Committee on Interdisciplinary, Community-
Based Linkages; and (7) maintains effective relationships within HRSA
and with other Federal and non-Federal agencies, State and local
governments, and other public and private organizations concerned with
health personnel development and improving access to health care for
the Nation's underserved.
Division of Medicine and Dentistry (RPC)
Serves as the Bureau lead in support and evaluation of medical and
dental personnel development and utilization including, primary care
physicians, dentists, dental hygienists, physician assistants, and
other primary care specialties to provide health care in underserved
areas. Specifically: (1) Administers grants to educational institutions
for the development, improvement, and operation of educational programs
for primary care physicians (pre-doctoral, residency), physician
assistants; including support for community-based training and funding
for faculty development to teach in primary care specialties training;
(2) provides technical assistance and consultation to grantee
institutions and other governmental and private organizations on the
operation of these educational programs, which includes funding for the
Nation's free standing children's hospitals to meet the costs of
providing graduate medical education; (3) evaluates programmatic data
and promotes the dissemination and application of findings arising from
supported programs; (4) collaborates within the Bureau to conduct,
support, or obtain analytical studies to determine the present and
future supply and requirements of physicians, dentists, dental
hygienists, physician assistants, and other health professionals by
specialty, geographic location, and for State planning efforts; (5)
supports and conducts programs with respect to activities associated
with the international migration, domestic training, and utilization of
foreign medical graduates and U.S. citizens studying abroad; (6)
supports joint degree programs to provide interdisciplinary and inter-
professional graduate training in public health and other health
professions; (7) provides leadership and staff support for the Advisory
Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry and for
the Council on Graduate Medical Education; and (8) represents the
Bureau, Agency, and Federal Government, as designated, on national
committees and maintains effective relationships within HRSA and with
other Federal and non-Federal agencies, State and local governments,
and other public and private organizations concerned with health
personnel development and improving access to health care for the
Nation's underserved.
Division of Nursing (RPB)
Serves as a principal Agency source of leadership for nursing
education and practice, including increasing the diversity of the
nursing workforce to improve access to health care in underserved
areas. Specifically: (1) Provides grants and technical assistance for
schools of nursing in the development, improvement of education for
nursing or specialized training in primary care to enhance training
opportunities and competencies critical to the current and future
nursing workforce; (2) addresses nursing workforce shortages through
projects that focus on expanding enrollment in baccalaureate programs,
developing internship and residency programs, or providing education in
new technologies, including distance learning, nurse practice projects
that focus on establishing/expanding practice arrangements in non-
institutional settings, providing care for underserved populations and
other high-risk groups, skill-building in managed care, quality
improvement and other skills needed in existing and emerging organized
health care systems, or developing cultural competencies; (3) develops,
supports, recommends, coordinates and evaluates health resources and
health career opportunities for diverse and disadvantaged populations;
(4) promotes the involvement of States and communities in developing
and administering nursing programs and assists States and communities
in improving access to nursing services and educational programs; (5)
facilitates coordination of nursing-related issues with other
governmental agencies and consults with them on national or
international nursing workforce planning and development issues; (6)
promotes the dissemination and application of findings arising from
supported programs; (7) leads initiatives in the area of international
nursing information exchange and nursing workforce planning and
development; (8) the Director, on behalf of the Secretary, serves as
the Chair of the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and
Practice, and provides staff support; and (9) maintains effective
relationships within HRSA with external health professional groups,
with other Federal and non-Federal agencies, State and local
governments, and other public and private organizations with a common
interest in the Nation's capacity to deliver nursing services.
Division of Practitioner Data Banks (RPG)
Coordinates with the Department and other Federal entities, State
licensing boards, and national, State, and local professional
organizations, to promote quality assurance efforts and deter fraud and
abuse by administering the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and
the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB).
Specifically: (1) Monitors adverse licensure information on all
licensed health care practitioners and health care entities; (2)
develops, proposes, and monitors efforts for (a) credentials
assessment, granting of privileges, and monitoring and evaluating
programs for physicians, dentists, and other health care professionals
including quality assurance, (b) professional review of specified
medical events in the health care system including quality assurance,
and (c) risk management and utilization reviews; (3) encourages and
supports evaluation and demonstration projects and research concerning
quality assurance, medical liability and malpractice; (4) ensures
integrity of data collection and follows all disclosure procedures
without fail; (5) conducts and supports research based on NPDB and
HIPDB information; (6) maintains active consultative relations with
professional organizations, societies, and Federal agencies involved in
the NPDB and HIPDB; (7) works with the Secretary's office to provide
technical assistance to States undertaking malpractice reform; and (8)
maintains effective relations with the Office of the General Counsel,
the Office of Inspector General, and HHS concerning practitioner
licensing and data bank issues.
Division of Student Loans and Scholarships (RPD)
Serves as the focal point for overseeing Federal loan and
scholarship programs supporting health professionals. Specifically: (1)
Monitors and assesses educational and financial institutions with
respect to capabilities
[[Page 51091]]
and management of Federal support for students and the tracking of
obligatory service requirements; (2) develops and conducts training
activities for staff of educational and financial institutions; (3)
coordinates financial aspects of programs with educational
institutions; (4) develops program data needs and reporting
requirements; and (5) maintains effective relationships within HRSA and
with other Federal and non-Federal agencies, State and local
governments, and other public and private organizations concerning
student assistance.
Division of Workforce and Performance Management (RPV)
Serves as the Bureau focal point for internal program planning,
coordination, reporting, evaluation, and analysis. Specifically: (1)
Leads, guides and coordinates program planning, reporting, and
evaluation activities of the Bureau Divisions and Offices; (2) provides
staff services to the Associate Administrator for program and strategic
planning and to the budgetary and regulatory processes; (3) assumes
special projects or takes the lead on certain issues as tasked by the
Bureau Associate or Deputy Associate Administrator; and (4) maintains
effective relationships within HRSA and with other Federal and non-
Federal agencies, State and local governments, and other public and
private organizations concerning health personnel development and
improving access to health care for the Nation's underserved; and (5)
works collaboratively with the National Center for Workforce Analysis.
National Center for Workforce Analysis (RPW)
Provides leadership in the development and dissemination of
accurate and timely data for analysis and research regarding the
Nation's health workforce in order to inform decisionmaking for
policymakers and to support goals related to the Nation's health
professionals' workforce. Specifically: (1) Develops the capacity to
directly collect health professions workforce data to quantify and
measure supply, demand, distribution, shortages and surpluses at the
national level, for selected disciplines and selected States and
regions; (2) collaborates and conducts studies to assess and monitor
factors, such as policy actions likely to impact future supply, demand,
distribution and/or use of health professionals; (3) develops and
coordinates the Bureau data collection and modeling on health
professions' workforce in conjunction with other entities involved in
data collection and analysis; (4) maintains effective relationships and
conducts data collection and assesses quality within HRSA staff, other
Federal and non-Federal agencies, and organizations on the health
professions workforce; (5) produces reports and disseminates data on
the health professions workforce within HRSA, to other Federal and non-
Federal agencies, State and local governments, other public and private
organizations, and the public concerned with health personnel
development and improving access to health care for the Nation's
underserved; and (6) works collaboratively with the Division of
Workforce and Performance Management.
Section RP-30, Delegations of Authority
All delegations of authority and re-delegations of authority made
to HRSA officials that were in effect immediately prior to this
reorganization, and that are consistent with this reorganization, shall
continue in effect pending further re-delegation.
This reorganization is effective upon date of signature.
Dated: August 11, 2010.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-20425 Filed 8-17-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P