Cooperative Agreements to Support Comprehensive Medical Care for Thalassemia

This announcement solicits applications for HRSA¿s Maternal and Child Health Bureau¿s (MCHB¿s) National Hereditary Blood Disorders Program¿s Cooperative Agreements to Support Comprehensive Medical Care for Thalassemia (Thalassemia Program) as authorized by § 501(a) (2) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 701(a)(2)).  The goal of the Thalassemia Program is to support a demonstration project that will improve the identification of individuals with thalassemia and improve access to quality medical services for individuals requiring treatment for thalassemia.  Achieving these goals will require that the regional awardees and a national-level partner/awardee work collaboratively to: 1) create a national effort to develop, implement, and maintain a national strategy to identify and assess the needs of individuals with thalassemia in order to assure access to comprehensive care; 2) work with other stakeholders to propose a model protocol for improving the delivery of thalassemia care, including recommendations on the use of transfusions therapy in thalassemia, disease specific screenings, and monitoring and treatment of therapeutic side effects, such as iron overload; 3) implement strategies for increasing access to specialty providers for the thalassemia population, including expansion of specialty provider networks using thalassemia treatment centers, telehealth and other network strategies; and 4) implement strategies for ensuring that thalassemia patients have access to primary care providers who can address non-disease specific issues (general health issues). The Thalassemia Program will consist of two (2) projects: Project 1- Thalassemia Regionalized Collaborative Approach and Project 2 ¿ National-Level Partner.  Applicants must indicate whether the submission is for Project 1 or Project 2 and may only apply for one project.  Both project awards will be awarded as cooperative agreements. Project 1: Thalassemia Regionalized Collaborative Approach.  Approximately $540,000 is expected to be available yearly to fund up to three (3) entities that will lead a regionalized collaborative approach to improving thalassemia care.  Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $180,000 per year.  The project period is two (2) years.  Project 2: National-Level Partner.   Approximately $75,000 is expected to be available yearly to fund one (1) national-level partner.  Applicants may apply for a ceiling amount of up to $75,000 per year.  The project period is two (2) years.

Application Instructions

Please submit:

1. a one-page letter of intent with a description of proposed aims and approach
2. Biosketch or CV of the PI
3. A letter of support from the Dean or Chair. This letter of support signifies that the Dean or Chair have ensured that the nominee and application are likely to be of sufficient quality to be competitive nationally

to research@uw.edu by 5:00 PM Thursday, February 5, 2015. Full proposals are due to the sponsor 2/23/15, so you will need to have your materials in to the Office of Sponsored Programs by 2/16/15 for processing, if given the go ahead by the Proposal Review Committee.