Steps to a HealthierUS: Request for Applications (RFA) Summary
Steps to a HealthierUS is a bold new initiative from the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS) that advances President George W. Bush’s
HealthierUS goal of helping Americans live longer, better, and healthier
lives. Realizing that small changes over time can yield dramatic results, the
Steps initiative is committed to identifying and promoting programs that
reduce the burden of disease and address the associated risk factors. The
centerpiece of Steps to a HealthierUS is a five-year cooperative
agreement program sponsored by HHS, acting through the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), and combining the strengths and resources of all
relevant HHS agencies and programs, to improve the lives of Americans through
innovative and effective community-based chronic disease prevention and control
programs.
Purpose
The purpose of Steps is to enable communities to reduce the burden of
chronic disease, including:
Preventing diabetes among populations with pre-diabetes
Increasing the likelihood that persons with undiagnosed diabetes are
diagnosed
Reducing complications of diabetes
Preventing overweight and obesity
Reducing overweight and obesity
Reducing the complications of asthma
Steps will achieve these outcomes by:
Improving nutrition
Increasing physical activity
Preventing tobacco use and exposure, targeting adults who are diabetic or
who live with persons with asthma
Increasing tobacco cessation, targeting adults who are diabetic or who
live with persons with asthma
Increasing access to and use of appropriate health care services by
educating health care providers and consumers on quality health care
standards, strategies, services, and resources
Increasing effective self-management of chronic diseases and associated
risk factors
Funding and Eligibility
In FY 2003, $15 million was allocated to Steps; approximately
$13,650,000 is available to begin to fund Steps projects. The
following three entities are eligible and will be awarded accordingly:
Local Health Departments, in collaboration with Local Education Agencies:
$9,000,000; 9 to 12 Large City and Urban Community applications
State Health Departments in collaboration with State Education Agencies:
$4,400,000; up to 4 State-Coordinated Small City and Rural Community
applications
Tribes: $250,000; one Tribal application
Tribes, large cities and urban communities may apply directly for Steps
funds or may be included in a state-coordinated application; however, they may
not do both.
Requirements
Steps communities will be required to:
Address all three priority conditions: diabetes, obesity, and asthma, as
well as their risk factors through community and school based-interventions
Reach all community members in the intervention area, with special efforts
to address health disparities
Build on current and prior HHS, state, and local programs, without
duplicating existing programs
Assess capacity and burden
Establish an active community consortium and a Steps leadership
program
Develop a community action plan
Monitor and evaluate the project
Share information with other communities and programs
Optimize resources and sustainability through partnerships and
public-private collaboration
Community Interventions
Steps grantees will engage community members in assessments, planning,
delivery and evaluation to implement community interventions, including
evidence-based public health strategies to:
Improve strategic communication through media and information technology
Develop supportive environments to sustain individual change efforts
Provide social support and reinforcements to make healthy choices
Improve access to and utilization of quality health care services
School Interventions
School interventions will include evidence-based public health strategies to:
Establish a full-time school health coordinator or council
Provide adequate physical education for all students
Implement professional development and staff wellness programs
Ensure healthy choices wherever food and drinks are provided in schools
Establish tobacco-free school environments
Limitations
Funds cannot be used for direct patient care, diagnostic medical testing,
patient rehabilitation, pharmaceutical purchases, facilities construction,
research, or transportation.
Timeline
May 9: RFA posted to the Federal Register, www.HealthierUS.gov
May 22: Pre-application workshop by satellite broadcast and Web cast, 1-3
pm EST www.phppo.cdc.gov/phtn
June 1: Letters of Intent due
July 15: Applications due
September 22: Awards made
