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FAQ: Teaching Health Center Planning and Development (THCPD) Program

Funding Opportunity Number:  HRSA-23-015 

Eligibility

  1. What types of community-based ambulatory patient care centers are eligible for THCPD funding?

    Specific examples of eligible outpatient settings include, but are not limited to:

    • Federally qualified health centers
    • Community mental health centers
    • Rural health clinics
    • Health centers operated by the Indian Health Service, an Indian tribe or tribal organization, or an urban Indian organization
    • An entity receiving funds under Title X of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act

    Note: The list of entities above is not exhaustive but does reflect the intent of the program to provide training in community-based ambulatory patient care centers such as those served by the entities listed.

  2. What types of residency programs are eligible for THCPD funding?

    The THCPD NOFO offers funding to support the development of new accredited primary care residency programs in:

    • Family medicine
    • Internal medicine
    • Pediatrics
    • Internal medicine-pediatrics
    • Psychiatry
    • Obstetrics/Gynecology
    • General dentistry
    • Pediatric dentistry
    • Geriatric Fellowship

    Note: No other specialties will be considered for THCPD funding.

  3. Are proposed nurse practitioner, physician assistant and dental assistant programs eligible to apply for THCPD funding?

    No. The THCPD program supports the establishment of approved graduate medical and dental residency training programs for physicians and dentists only.

    Please continue to monitor Grants.gov for other funding opportunities that may be applicable.

  4. Are existing THCPD award recipients eligible to apply?

    Yes. Existing THCPD award recipients are eligible to apply for THCPD funding to establish new primary care residency programs that are not currently funded by the THCPD program.

  5. Are existing Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) award recipients eligible to apply for THCPD funding?

    Yes. Existing THCGME award recipients are eligible to apply for THCPD funding to establish new primary care residency programs that are not currently funded by the THCGME program.

  6. Does an applicant have to be a current THCGME award recipient to be eligible for THCPD funding?

    No. THCPD applicants are not required to be current THCGME award recipients.

  7. Are FORHP Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) program recipients eligible to receive THCPD funding?

    Yes. Applicants can receive both THCPD and RRPD funding. However, HRSA will not make a THCPD funding award to a recipient of RRPD program funding for the same residency program and specialty.

  8. Can applicants apply for the THCPD (HRSA-23-015) and RRPD (HRSA-23-037) Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs)?

    Yes.Applicants may apply to both THCPD and RRPD. However, the program cannot receive an award for both THCPD and a RRPD grant for the same program and specialty. However, a single entity can receive both grants for different specialties (e.g., Family Medicine THCPD and Psychiatry RRPD, or Internal Medicine RRPD and Dentistry THCPD).

  9. Are teaching hospitals and academic institutions eligible for THCPD funding?

    No. Entities that are not community-based ambulatory patient care centers (e.g., teaching hospitals, health care systems and/or networks, and academic institutions) are not eligible to receive THCPD funding.

    However, a community-based ambulatory patient care center may form a community-based GME consortium with stakeholders (e.g., academic health centers, universities and/or medical schools, teaching hospitals) where the GME consortium will serve as the institutional sponsor of an accredited primary care residency program.

    The relationship between the community-based ambulatory patient care center and the consortium must be legally binding, and the agreement establishing the relationship must describe the roles and responsibilities of each entity.

    Note: Expenses associated with establishing a consortium are not an allowable cost.

  10. Does a community-based GME consortium have to be established prior to the THCPD application submission?

    No. A community-based GME consortium may be established after you submit the THCPD application if you meet the community-based ambulatory patient care center eligibility requirement as noted in Section III of the THCPD NOFO.

    The application must propose a plan for an eligible community-based ambulatory patient care center or a community-based GME consortium to develop a new accredited residency program.

    Note: Expenses associated with establishing a consortium are not an allowable cost.

  11. Are programs that have already received program accreditation eligible to apply for THCPD funding?

    No. Applicants that will achieve ACGME or CODA program accreditation by December 12, 2022 (application due date), are not eligible for THCPD funding.

  12. Are Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) eligible to apply for the THCPD funding?

    Yes. CCBHCs are eligible to apply for the THCPD funding if the CCBHC will operate an accredited primary care residency program or has collaborated to form a community-based GME consortium that will operate an accredited primary care residency program.

    The applicant organization should propose a plan to operate, or coordinate with others to operate, a primary care residency program.

  13. Are multiple THCPD applications allowable?

    Yes. Multiple THCPD applications from an organization are allowable.

    Entities seeking THCPD funding to establish multiple new residency programs MUST submit a separate application for each individual residency program.

    You should include a unique name for each training program in the project abstract to differentiate between applications.

    Each application will be scored separately.

Application

  1. What section of the NOFO should be used to complete the Standardized Work Plan(SWP?

    The THCPD Program Objectives (Page 1-2) should be used to complete the SWP.

Accreditation

  1. What is the accreditation application process?

    Direct questions pertaining to the accreditation process to the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

  2. Which entity is required to be the institutional sponsor for the accreditation?

    You must identify the eligible community-based ambulatory patient care center or community-based GME consortium that will be listed as the institutional sponsor by the relevant accrediting body and named on the applicant residency program’s accreditation documentation.

    The community-based ambulatory patient care center (e.g., FQHC, rural health clinic, etc.) is expected to play an important role in the academic, financial, and administrative operations of the residency within a GME consortium.

    THCPD funding must be used to support residency planning and development activities at the community-based ambulatory training site.

  3. Are programs that have obtained an accreditation for the sponsoring institution but have not yet received accreditation for the residency program eligible to apply for THCPD funding?

    Yes. Residency programs with an accredited sponsoring institution but without residency program accreditation by the THCPD application due date (December 12, 2022) are eligible to apply for THCPD funding.

  4. Are entities eligible to apply for THCPD funding if it is anticipated that the residency program will be accredited after the application due date (December 12, 2022) but before the period of performance begins (April 1, 2023)?

    Yes. Entities may apply for THCPD funding if they anticipate that the residency program will be accredited between the application due date and the start of the period of performance.

    THCPD funding may be used for:

    • Curriculum development
    • Recruitment, training, and retention of residents and faculty
    • Faculty salaries during the development phase

    THCPD funds may be used to support resident stipends for a period of up to one year during the 2-year project period after accreditation.

  5. When are THCPD recipients expected to begin training residents?

    New residency programs are expected to begin training residents by no later than July 1, 2026.

Funding/Budget

  1. How can THCPD funds be used?

    THCPD program funds may be used to support the costs of establishing a community-based residency program.

    This includes costs for:

    • Curriculum development 
    • Recruitment
    • Training
    • Retention of residents and faculty
    • Resident stipends (after accreditation is achieved) for up to one year during the 2-year performance period
    • Accreditation by the ACGME or CODA
    • Faculty salaries during the development phase

  2. What type of consulting services would be considered allowable costs?

    • Consulting services may include the costs of consultants that support: 
    • Curriculum development and recruitment
    • Training and retention of residents and faculty
    • Accreditation by the ACGME or CODA - if such costs are otherwise allowable under the cost principles at 45 C.F.R. part 75.

  3. Will THCPD program funding recipients receive THCGME payments to support resident training in future academic years?

    No. While the THCPD NOFO provides funds to establish new primary care residency programs in community-based ambulatory patient care centers, the THCGME payment program funds are made available through a separate authorization, appropriation and NOFO application process.

    All applicants must propose a clearly defined, fact-based, feasible sustainability plan to support the long-term financial sustainability for the new residency program beyond the THCPD period of performance.

    Note: Once a new community-based primary care residency program is accredited, it may be eligible to apply for future funding opportunities to participate in the THCGME program, subject to available appropriations and applicable eligibility criteria. Receiving funds from the THCPD program does not guarantee receiving funds from the THCGME program.

  4. What is the indirect cost rate?

    You may use your organization’s negotiated indirect cost rate or the minimum rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC)if your organization does not have a negotiated rate.

    Refer to 45 CFR 75.414 Indirect (F&A) costs for more information.

    Contact Cost Allocation Services if you would like to negotiate a rate.

    Note: The process to negotiate a rate does take some time; therefore, you may not be able to negotiate a rate before the due date for this announcement.

  5. What if a THCPD recipient does not utilize all THCPD funds during the 2-year period of performance?

    You may request prior approval for a no-cost extension if you need additional time to complete your objectives before the end of the budget period.

  6. Are the costs associated with establishing a consortium allowable?

    No. Expenses associated with establishing a consortium are not allowable.

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