Promising Strategies and Practices for Evidentiary Medical Examinations, Including the Use of Nurse Examiners and Special Settings.

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS

Discretionary Grant Program Awarded by the Office for Victims
of Crime for Fiscal Year 1996

AGENCY:  Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)

ACTION:  Public announcement of availability of the funds under
the Discretionary Grant Program authorized by the Victims of
Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984 codified at 42 U.S.C.  10601, et
seq.
SUMMARY:  OVC is publishing this notice to announce the
availability of discretionary funding for a training and
technical assistance project to improve services to child and
adult victims of sexual assault and abuse.

DATES:  The deadline for receipt of applications is March 22,
1996.

ADDRESSES:  Mail applications to OVC, 633 Indiana Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C., 20531.  Hand delivered applications must be
taken to OVC, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 200,
Washington, D.C. 20006. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Melanie Smith, Program
Specialist, (202) 616-1860.

I.  Introduction
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is a component of the
Office of Justice Programs within the U.S. Department of
Justice.  It serves as the chief advocate within the Department
for all crime victim issues.  In addition to ensuring that the
criminal justice system addresses the victim's legitimate
rights and interests, OVC's program activities include
providing victim assistance and compensation grants to the
states; training and technical assistance; and emergency
services to victims of federal crimes.  See 42 U.S.C.A. 
10601-10605.

II.  Program Description

Promising Strategies and Practices for Evidentiary Medical
Examinations, Including the Use of Nurse Examiners and Special
Settings  (Cooperative Agreement)

Award Amount:  $50,000

Purpose:  To encourage the participation of child and adult 
victims of sexual assault and abuse in the criminal justice
process by promoting victim-sensitive practices and settings
for the collection of medical evidence.

Background:  In many places, adult and child victims of sexual
assault and abuse who arrive at hospital emergency rooms often
have to contend with a lack of privacy, long waits for doctors
who are busy attending to other medical emergencies, a lack of
emotional support throughout the forensic examination process,
and an impersonal, chaotic environment.  These conditions not
only compound the trauma experienced by victims, but discourage
many victims from coming forward to report the crime or to
obtain necessary assistance and medical services.  In addition,
evidence that is poorly collected and improperly preserved
undermines efforts to successfully prosecute and convict sex
offenders.

To address these issues, some jurisdictions have developed
sexual assault nurse examiner programs, in which nurses who are
specially trained to address the medical and emotional needs
of victims perform the examinations in a setting especially
designed for victims.  The intent of these programs is to free
doctors to attend to other medical emergencies; to use
consistent forensic examination practices to ensure that
appropriate steps are followed in collecting, handling, and
storing evidence; and, most importantly, to assist child and
adult victims in a compassionate and sensitive manner.  Various
communities have also found that examination rooms designed for
victims seem to increase their willingness to participate in
the criminal justice process.  In addition, they have found
that the use of trained nurse examiners can reduce costs and
enhance the provision of services.  These innovative measures
not only reduce trauma to victims; they also result in credible
evidence, the basis for successfully prosecuting and convicting
sex offenders.

Goals:
    To promote the use of sexual assault nurse examiner
     programs and special settings for evidentiary medical
     examinations of child and adult victim of sexual assault
     and abuse.
    To define standards for consistent, compassionate and
     quality practices in conducting evidentiary medical
     examinations of child and adult victims of sexual assault
     and abuse.

Objectives:
    To conduct a national scope survey and assessment of
     promising policies, procedures, and training materials
     used by sexual assault nurse examiner and other non-
     emergency room programs serving victims of sexual assault
     and abuse;
    To identify and assess the components of special medical
     settings for evidentiary exams, including clinics or
     examining rooms, to include a focus area on their utility
     in meeting the unique needs of child victims;
    To identify competent, experienced sexual assault nurse
     examiners for training and program replication purposes;
     and
    To produce a complete guidebook on the implementation and
     operation of sexual assault nurse examiner programs and
     special settings for evidentiary medical examinations.

Program Strategy:  This solicitation invites applicants to
develop a guidebook on how to implement and operate nurse
examiners programs for child and adult victims of sexual
assault and abuse, and how to establish special settings
designed for evidentiary examinations.  The program will
comprise three phases:

1.   Assessment:

This phase entails the identification and assessment of
materials describing or being used by sexual assault nurse
examiner programs.  As part of the assessment phase, the
grantee will convene an advisory committee with national-scope
representation from the following fields: a practitioner and
administrator of a nurse examiner program; victim
assistance/advocacy; child protective services; medicine;
mental health; law enforcement; and prosecution; and the
judiciary; and other appropriate representatives.  The advisory
board will assist in developing criteria for assessing 
promising practices, reviewing and rating collected materials,
and creating a dissemination plan for getting the materials to
practitioners, medical facilities, national organizations,
colleges and universities and other entities that can use the
information to improve evidence collection and victim
assistance practices and procedures.  The activities to be
completed during this phase are:

    Establishment of the advisory committee with OVC review
     and approval;
    Development and submission, for OVC review and approval,
     of a plan and criteria for surveying and assessing sexual
     assault nurse examiner programs and the use of victim-
     sensitive settings for the collection of medical evidence;
    A national-scope survey and review of literature,
     policies, procedures and practices for sexual assault
     nurse examiner programs and the use of special settings;
    Identification and description of model programs
     nationwide; and
    Preparation of an assessment report of findings.

2.   Development of Prototype:

Upon completion of the first phase, the grantee will, in
collaboration with its advisory committee, develop a model
program brief for implementing and operating a sexual assault
nurse examiner program and for establishing special settings
for expert medical examinations.  The brief will highlight
essential components of nurse examiner programs, as well as
optional or adaptable elements from model programs around the
nation.  Particular attention shall be given to issues such as
training and credentialing of nurse examiners, as well as
qualifying nurses to testify in court.  The brief will also
describe examples of special settings used for evidentiary
medical examinations of child and adult sexual assault and
abuse victims.  The activities for this phase are:

    Development and drafting of model program elements; 
    Highlighting of model programs identified by the survey;
     and
    Review and refinement of draft product by project staff
     and advisory committee for OVC review and approval.

3.   Finalization of Products:

Upon completion of the second phase, the grantee will produce
the guidebook and other project products.  The activities for
this phase are:

    Development and draft of guidebook incorporating the model
     program brief, accompanying instructions on implementing
     and operating a sexual assault nurse examiner program, and
     discussions of special settings and unique concerns of
     child victims;
    Review and refinement of draft;
    A dissemination strategy identifying potential and
     appropriate recipients of the guidebook;
    Identification, in list form with supporting vitae, of
     training and technical assistance staff;
    Preparation of a final report on the project; and
    Preparation of an OVC Bulletin summarizing the project's
     findings.

Eligibility Requirements:  In addition to the requirements of
Sections VI-XI, applicants must demonstrate:

    Expert knowledge of trauma experienced by child and adult
     victims of sexual assault and abuse;
    Active liaison with national scope nursing and/or victim
     advocacy associations;
    Capability to conduct a national scope information search;
    Knowledge of issues associated with the criminal justice
     system's handling of crime victims and, more specifically,
     service provision to child and adult victims of sexual
     assault and abuse; and
    Management and financial capability to oversee a project
     of this size and scope.

Award Period:  12 months.

Contact:  Melanie Smith, (202) 616-3575.

VI.     Eligibility Requirements

In addition to special eligibility requirement listed within
the individual program descriptions above, the following will
apply.  Applications are invited from public and private non-
profit agencies and organizations.  Applicants must demonstrate
that they have ample expertise and/or prior experience in the
design and conduct of projects of a nature similar to that for
which they are applying.

Applicants must also demonstrate that they have the management
capability, fiscal integrity, and financial responsibility,
including, but not limited to, an acceptable accounting system
and internal controls, and compliance with grant fiscal
requirements.  Applicants who fail to demonstrate that they
have the capability to manage the program will be ineligible
for funding consideration.

VII.     Application Requirements

All applicants must submit a completed Application for Federal
Assistance (Standard Form 424 and OJP Form 4000/3 (1/93)
Attachment to SF-424), including a program narrative.  All
applications must include the information outlined in this
section of the solicitation (Section VI, Application
Requirements) in Part IV, Program Narrative of the application
(SF-424).  The program narrative of the application must not
exceed 35 double-spaced pages in length.  Applicants that fail
to adhere to this program requirement will be automatically
disqualified from competition.

In accordance with Executive Order No. 12549, 28 C.F.R. 67.510,
applications must also provide Certifications Regarding
Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension, and other Responsibility
Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (OJP Form
4061/6), which will be supplied with the application package,
and must be submitted with the application.

Applications that include non-competitive contracts for the
provision of specific services must include a sole source
justification for any procurement in excess of $100,000. 
Financial questionnaires must be completed by new non-
governmental (except public colleges, universities, and
hospitals) applicants.  This includes a review of the
accounting system and a determination that periodic audits are
performed to ensure fiscal integrity.  New or supplemental
awards may not be made to applicants with delinquent financial
or progress reports, delinquent or unresolved audit reports,
delinquent federal debts, other unresolved issues of fiscal
integrity, or to applicants who have been debarred or suspended
from federal financial and non-financial assistance and
benefits under federal programs and activities.

Where indicated, cooperative agreements are awarded to states,
units of local government, or public or private non-profit
organizations at the discretion of OVC.  Cooperative agreements
are used when substantial involvement is anticipated between
OVC and the recipient during performance of the contemplated
activity.  Interagency agreements between OVC and other
governmental units or agencies are negotiated by the entities
involved.

The following information must be included in the application
(SF-424) Part IV Program Narrative:

A.   Organizational Capability

Applicants must demonstrate that they are eligible to compete
for a grant on the basis of the eligibility criteria
established in Section VI of this solicitation.  Applicants
must concisely describe their organizational experience with
respect to the eligibility criteria specified in each program
description listed above.  Applicants must demonstrate how
their organizational experience and capabilities will enable
them to achieve the goals and objectives of the initiative for
which they are applying.  Applicants are invited to append
examples of prior work products of a similar nature to their
application.

Applicants must demonstrate that their organization has or can
establish fiscal controls and accounting procedures that assure
that federal funds available under this agreement are disbursed
and accounted for properly.  Non-profit applicants who have not
previously received federal funds will be asked to submit a
copy of the Office of Justice Programs Accounting System and
Financial Capability Questionnaire (OJP Form 7120/1).  Copies
of the form will be provided in the application kit and must
be prepared and submitted along with the application.  The CPA
certification (Section H) is required only of those non-profit
applicants who have not previously received federal funding.

B.   Program Goals and Objectives.

A brief statement of the applicant's understanding of the goals
and objectives of the program should be included.  The
application should also include a problem statement and a
discussion of the potential contribution of this program to the
field.

C.   Program Strategy.

Applicants should describe the proposed approach for achieving
the goals and objectives of each program.  A detailed
description of how the activities and projects of each program
would be accomplished should be included.

D.   Program Implementation Plan.

Applicants should prepare a plan that outlines the major
activities involved in implementing the program, describe how
they will allocate available resources to implement the
project, and also describe how the program will be managed.

The plan must also include an organizational chart depicting
the roles and describing the responsibilities of key
organizational and functional components and a list of key
personnel responsible for managing and implementing the major
stages of the project.  Applicants must present detailed
position descriptions, qualifications, and selection criteria
for each position.  This documentation and individual resumes
may be submitted as appendices to the application.

E.   Time-Task Plan.

Applicants must develop a time-task plan for the duration of
the project periods, clearly identifying major milestones and
products.  This must include designation of organizational
responsibility and a schedule for the completion of the
activities and products.  Applicants should also indicate the
anticipated cost schedule per month for the entire project
period.

F.   Products.

Applicants must describe concisely the interim and final
products of each stage of the program.

G.   Program Budget.

Budgets must be accompanied by a detailed justification for all
costs, including the basis for computation of these costs. 
Applications containing contract(s) must include detailed
budgets for each organization's expenses.

H.   Assessment. 

Each grant recipient will be required to submit formal findings
from an assessment, within 60 days of the completion of each
year's activities and within 90 days of project completion. 
Each application must provide a plan for assessing the project.


VIII.     Procedures for Selection

All applications will be evaluated and rated based on the
extent to which they meet the established weighted criteria. 
In general, all applications received will be reviewed in terms
of their responsiveness to the minimum program application
requirements set forth in Section VII.  Applications will be
evaluated by a peer review panel according to the OVC
Competition and Peer Review Guidance.

Applications submitted in response to the competitive
announcements will be evaluated by a peer review panel.  The
results of the peer review will be a relative aggregate ranking
of applications in the form of "Summary of Ratings."  These
ordinarily will be based on numerical values assigned by
individual peer reviewers.  Peer review recommendations, in
conjunction with the results of internal review and any
necessary supplementary reviews, will assist OVC in considering
competing applications and in selection of the application for
funding.  The final award decision will be made by the OVC
Director.

Applications for each program description, except where other
point values or categories have been specifically identified,
will be evaluated and rated by the peer review panels based on
the extent to which they meet the following criteria:

A.   Utility of the project  (10 points):

This refers to the applicant's response to the stated project
purpose, goals, and objectives, and the applicant's explanation
of the usefulness of the project to the field.

B.   Project Strategy/Design  (30 points):

This provides a description of project components and
activities; a specific plan for how the grant applicant intends
to achieve the purpose, goals and objectives of the funded
program.  The strategy or design must include clear
descriptions of interim deliverables and final products.

C.   Implementation Plan  (10 points):

This plan will be judged on the realistic identification of
tasks according to increments in the project period, and the
assignment of specific staff to tasks on the time-task line.

D.   Organizational Capability  (30 points):

Points will be awarded based on the applicant's statement of
the organization's capability to successfully undertake this
federally funded project.  This will consist of two parts: (1)
a specific description of the applicant's management structure,
previous experience with similar or related efforts, and
financial capability (15 points); and (2) a project management
plan and documentation of the professional staff membersū
unique qualifications to perform their assigned tasks (15
points). 

E.   Budget  (15 points):

Points will be awarded based on the enumeration and
accompanying narrative of grant costs, to be evaluated for
clarity, reasonableness, allowability, and cost effectiveness.

F.   A Plan to Assess the Project's Accomplishments  (5
points):

This assigns points based on the grant applicant's plan for
assessing the impact of the project in accomplishing its
goal(s).

IX.     Submission Requirements

All applicants responding to this solicitation are subjected
to the following requirements:

(1)  Upon request to OVC, the necessary forms for application
will be provided, along with Department of Justice
certification information.

(2)  Applicants must submit the original signed application
(Standard Form 424) and two copies to OVC.  Applications should
not be bound.  Applicants should also include Certifications
Regarding Lobbying; Debarment; Suspension and other
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements
(Form 4061/6), in order to meet the requirements of the Drug-
Free Workplace Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-690, Title V, Subtitle
D) and the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Form (SF LLL) in
accordance with 31 U.S.C. 1352.

(3)  All applications must be received by mail or hand
delivered to OVC by 5 p.m. Eastern Time by March 22, 1996. 
Those applications sent by mail should be addressed to:  Office
for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice, 633 Indiana
Avenue, N.W., Washington D.C., 20531, ATTN:  Administrative
Officer.  Hand-delivered applications must be taken to OVC,
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Suite 200, Washington, D.C.,
20006, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. except weekends
or federal holidays.  Applications must be received by 5 p.m.
on the established deadline date.  Postmarks WILL NOT be
accepted.

OVC will notify applicants in writing of the receipt of their
application.  Applicants also will be notified by letters as
to the decision made regarding whether or not their submission
will be recommended for funding.  Applications will be reviewed
as Peer Review Panels can be convened.  Every effort will be
made to review applications in a timely manner.

X.     Civil Rights Compliance

A.   All recipients of Crime Victims Fund assistance, including
contractors, must provide Certified Assurances that they are
in compliance with the non-discrimination requirements of the
Victims of Crime Act of 1984, as amended, which states:

     No person shall on the ground of race, color,
     religion, national origin, [disability], or sex be
     excluded from participation in, be denied the
     benefits of, be subjected to discrimination under, or
     denied employment in connection with any undertaking
     funded in whole or in part with sums made available
     under this chapter.

42 U.S.C.  10604.

     Recipients also must assure compliance with the following
additional statutes and regulations:  Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C.  2000d; Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C.  794;
Subtitle A, Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of
1990, codified at 42 U.S.C.  12101, et seq.; Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972, as amended, 20 U.S.C.  1681-
1683; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, 42 U.S.C.
 6101, et seq.; and Department of Justice Non-Discrimination
Regulations, 28 C.F.R. Part 42, subparts C, D, E, and G.

B.   In the event a federal or state court or federal or state
administrative agency makes a finding of discrimination after
a due process hearing on the grounds of race, color, religion,
national origin, sex, or disability against a recipient of
funds, the recipient will forward a copy of the finding to the
Office for Civil Rights, Office of Justice Programs.

XI.     Audit Requirements

An audit is required for agencies receiving federal funds, with
some exceptions.  The purpose of an audit is to determine
whether federal funds are being used properly and effectively. 
Each funded agency must provide the name of the federal
cognizant agency where their audit report is submitted.  In
most cases, the agency that receives an applicant's audit is
the agency that provides the most direct funds to applicant
during the current fiscal year.  If you do not know the name
of the cognizant agency, please check with your budget office. 
More detailed information on audit requirements are listed in
the Office of Justice Programs Guideline Manual, Financial and
Administrative Guide for Grants, May 15, 1990.

XII.     Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers

16.582    Crime victim assistance/discretionary grants
16.583    Children's Justice Act for Native American Indian
          Tribes



Aileen Adams
Director