Grants to Support the Hispanic Health Sciences Research Grant Program

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing the availability of funds under its Hispanic Health Services Research Grant Program to inform researchers of funding opportunities to conduct health services research affecting Hispanic American communities for 2008. This announcement seeks competitive applications for small applied research projects that relate to identifying and evaluating solutions for eliminating health disparities among Hispanic Americans. Investigators should be associated with a university, college, community-based health organization, or a professional association that has a health services research component. Researchers are expected to become involved in the design, implementation, and operation of research projects that address health care issues such as financing, delivery, access, quality, and barriers affecting the Hispanic American community. CMS is seeking these types of research projects because of the importance in finding solutions to the many difficult health issues that have a significant impact on the health of Hispanic Americans. The President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans issued a directive to increase the participation of Hispanic Americans in federal education programs and services. This includes Hispanic-serving school districts, Hispanic Institutions, and other educational institutions for Hispanic Americans. The Commission advises the President and the Secretary of Education on these issues. President George Bush's Executive Order 13230, signed on October 12, 2001 directed an interagency approach to developing, monitoring, and coordinating federal efforts to promote high-quality education for Hispanic Americans. The Commission works to develop ways to maximize the effectiveness of Federal education initiatives within the Hispanic community. The commission is also charged with the development of a monitoring system that will measure and hold executive branch departments and agencies accountable for the coordination of federal efforts to ensure the participation of Hispanic Americans in federal education programs. It will examine available research and information on the effectiveness of current practices at the local, state and federal levels in closing the educational achievement gap for Hispanic Americans and attaining the goals established by the President's "No Child Left Behind" educational blueprint. The Executive Order calls for a series of actions covering a broad scope of issues including health services research, conferences, service delivery, data collection, and customer service capability for Hispanics. CMS's Hispanic Health Services Research Grant Program is in accordance with the Executive Order. This program is one strategy to increase the participation, promotion, and professional development of investigators interested in Hispanic health disparities research.

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