Project requirements; review criteria.

(1) Closing the Gap grant proposals shall be submitted to the Department of Health for review.

(2) A proposal must include each of the following elements:

(a) The purpose and objectives of the proposal, including identification of the particular racial or ethnic disparity the project will address. The proposal must address one or more of the following priority areas:

1. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and infant mortality rates.

2. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity rates and other maternal health outcomes.

3. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to cancer.

4. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to HIV/AIDS.

5. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to cardiovascular disease.

6. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to diabetes.

7. Increasing adult and child immunization rates in certain racial and ethnic populations.

8. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in oral health care.

9. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to sickle cell disease.

10. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to Lupus.

11. Decreasing racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality rates relating to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

12. Improving neighborhood social determinants of health, such as transportation, safety, and food access, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Tools for Putting Social Determinants of Health into Action.”

(b) Identification and relevance of the target population.

(c) Methods for obtaining baseline health status data and assessment of community health needs.

(d) Mechanisms for mobilizing community resources and gaining local commitment.

(e) Development and implementation of health promotion and disease prevention interventions.

(f) Mechanisms and strategies for evaluating the project’s objectives, procedures, and outcomes.

(g) A proposed work plan, including a timeline for implementing the project.

(h) Likelihood that project activities will occur and continue in the absence of funding.

(3) Priority shall be given to proposals that:

(a) Represent areas with the greatest documented racial and ethnic health status disparities.

(b) Exceed the minimum local contribution requirements specified in s. 381.7356.

(c) Demonstrate broad-based local support and commitment from entities representing racial and ethnic populations, including non-Hispanic whites. Indicators of support and commitment may include agreements to participate in the program, letters of endorsement, letters of commitment, interagency agreements, or other forms of support.

(d) Demonstrate a high degree of participation by the health care community in clinical preventive service activities and community-based health promotion and disease prevention interventions.

(e) Have been submitted from counties with a high proportion of residents living in poverty and with poor health status indicators.

(f) Demonstrate a coordinated community approach to addressing racial and ethnic health issues within existing publicly financed health care programs.

(g) Incorporate intervention mechanisms which have a high probability of improving the targeted population’s health status.

(h) Demonstrate a commitment to quality management in all aspects of project administration and implementation.

(i) Incorporate policy approaches to achieve sustainable long-term improvement.