Birth defects affect one in every 33 babies in the U.S, account for more than 20 percent of all infant deaths, and contribute to $2.6 billion annually in hospital costs alone. CDC has been directed to collect data on birth defects and provide information to the public on how to prevent birth defects.
The CDC Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) “Population-Based Surveillance of Birth Defects and Data Utilization for Public Health Action” (CDC-RFA-DD16-1601) is forecasted to be posted in June. The funding will provide funding to establish the state population-based surveillance of major birth defects to use the data for public health action.
The estimated funding for $9,800,000 will provide for activities to focus on improvements in surveillance methodologies such as expanding data sources, increasing remote access to EMRs, developing innovative approaches to obtaining electronic health data, and finding other ways to improve data quality.
State governments, and Native American tribal governments and organizations, Alaska Native Health Corporations, and tribal epidemiology centers are eligible to apply. In addition to enhanced surveillance methodologies, applicants will need to demonstrate how the data can be used to:
- Study the impact and trends in communities
- Develop data driven prevention strategies for populations at risk
- Develop referral to services for affected individuals and families
- Evaluate health outcomes of affected children
Fourteen awards are expected with the estimated award ceiling to be $250,000. The estimated application due date is August 15, 2014 with February 2016 to be the award and start date.
Go to www.acf.hhs.gov/hhsgrantsforecast for more information then click on CDC.