HRSA’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau posted two funding announcements involving health IT. The first announcement posted February 29th seeks applications for the “National Coordinating Center for the Regional Genetic Services Collaboratives” (HRSA-12-139). The program was established to help provide screening, counseling, and healthcare services to newborns and children having/or at risk for heritable disorders.
One of the primary goals for the solicitation is to develop EMR specifications with the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and various EMR vendors to provide the EMR systems needed to provide the clinical guidelines needed when newborns and children require information for genetic conditions. The specifications must detail requirements and options for the system and the awardee must research the clinical guidelines thoroughly in order to create the most up to date specifications.
The funding will be provided during FY 2012 to 2014. Approximately $1,300,000 is expected to be available annually to fund one awardee with a $200,000 set-aside for further development of data sets to use for follow-up of newborn screenings and to develop data dictionaries for use with EMRs. About $500,000 is budgeted specifically for the National Genetics Education and Consumer Network.
The application due date is March 30, 2012. For more details, go to www.grants.gov or email Jill Shuger at jshuger@hrsa.gov.
The second HRSA announcement (HRSA-12-147) posted March 1, 2012 solicits applications for the Funding Opportunity “Developing Integrated Maternal and Child Health Information Systems Promoting the Use of Health Information Technology”.
One of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s Office of Epidemiology, Policy, and Evaluation (OEPE) primary goals is to build and enhance maternal and child health data capacity at the local, state, and national levels. OEPE is placing emphasis on electronic health information exchange and wants to increase the use of electronic health information technology and exchange as a means to control costs and reduce medical errors.
There are two projects within this funding announcement:
• Project 1 will entail developing requirements for an HIE with an Immunization Information System and HIE entities. This project will have funding during FY 2012 with approximately $300,00 to be available to fund one awardee
• Project 2 involves developing Electronic Vital Records. The purpose is to help states that have not yet implemented a web-based electronic birth records system and also help the states that are in the process of implementing a web-based electronic birth records system. The funding for this project is approximately $150,000 and is expected to be available to fund one awardee
Eligibility requirements are the same for the two funding announcements. State and local governments, nonprofits, for-profits, small businesses are eligible to submit applications.
For more information on HRSA-12-147 with applications due April 2, 2012, go to www.grants.gov or email Mary Kay Kenny at mkenney@hrsa.gov.
