March 18, 2022

VUMC Limited Submission Opportunity: CDC National Partnerships to Address Prenatal Alcohol and Other Substance Use and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; deadline is March 31

These instructions are for VUMC investigators. VU investigators should apply through InfoReady and address any questions to VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu.

VUMC may submit one application to the CDC National Partnerships to Address Prenatal Alcohol and Other Substance Use and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. VUMC may only apply for Component A, Component B, OR Component C.

This NOFO is intended to build a collaborative framework of national partner organizations that contribute to 1) reducing prenatal alcohol and other substance use, 2) improving support services and access to care, and 3) improving identification and health of children/families with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). This NOFO has three components, each designed to serve a different population. Applicants will apply to one of the three components:

  • Component A will fund entities that engage with healthcare and/or allied health professionals serving people who are or might be pregnant and/or children and families with FASDs.
    • Applications must identify and target only one professional specialty—e.g., emergency medicine, family medicine, medical assisting, behavioral health, nursing, obstetrics and gynecology, social work, or medical or nursing students. Applications should target the specialty on a national level with the capacity for extensive partnership and widespread dissemination of resources nationally and regionally.
  • Component B will fund entities with a national and/or regional reach that engage with non-clinical professionals serving maternal and child health populations with limited access to health care. Applications may focus on prioritizing access to care, mental health services, and other resources for underserved populations.
  • Component C will fund an entity with national reach that engages individuals, families, and communities affected by prenatal alcohol and other substance use and/or individuals with FASDs.

Each recipient will conduct some or all activities tailored to their population and are also expected to work together across NOFO recipients as part of a multidisciplinary collaborative. Recipient responsibilities may include:

  • Develop/foster/expand a multidisciplinary FASD champions network;
  • Disseminate evidence-based recommendations/messaging;
  • Build capacity to link clinical/public health partners;
  • Use innovative strategies to educate organizations’ membership; coordinate efforts across/between organizations;
  • Integrate lived experiences of families to inform messaging; and evaluate the effectiveness of program strategies.

Desired period of performance outcomes include:

  • Demonstrate collaboration between clinical/public health partners;
  • Increase use of accurate, innovative, and evidence-based information/resources;
  • Increase identification of organizations’ members’ knowledge, current practices, and organizational needs;
  • Improve capacity of state/local networks to reach affected populations with evidence-based messaging/services;
  • Increase knowledge of the risks of prenatal alcohol and other substance use; increase integration of evidence-based strategies into clinical practice and non-clinical settings;
  • Increase incorporation of prenatal alcohol and substance use content into organizational policies/requirements;
  • Increase linkage of people/families to services.

Important Note: This announcement is only for non-research activities supported by CDC. If research is proposed, the application will not be considered. For this purpose, research is defined at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2007-title42-vol1/pdf/CFR-2007-title42-vol1-sec52- 2.pdf. Guidance on how CDC interprets the definition of research in the context of public health can be found at https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/regulations/45-cfr46/index.html (See section 45 CFR 46.102(d)).

Anticipated Awards: The period of performance is 4 years. The average award for Year 1 for recipients within each component is as follows: Component A = $325,000, Component B = $325,000, Component C = $400,000.

See the full announcement for more information.

Internal Application Process:

Anyone interested in being considered as VUMC’s sole applicant must submit the following (in a single PDF) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 5 p.m. on March 31, 2022:

  1. Brief (2 page maximum) project description including summary budget
    1. Indicate whether you will apply to Component A, B, or C
  2. Brief statement of support from department chair/center director
  3. NIH Biosketch or Brief CV (5 page max)

Any questions about this opportunity may be directed to LSO@vanderbilt.edu.