This announcement solicits applications for the Black Lung Center of Excellence (BLCE). The purpose of the BLCE during the FY 2017-2020 grant cycle will be to strengthen the operations of BLCP awardees and their ability to examine and treat respiratory and pulmonary impairments in active and inactive coal miners through improved data collection and analysis and to contribute to the body of knowledge on the health status and needs of coal miners nationally.
The cooperative agreement recipient will achieve this goal by partnering with HRSA, BLCP awardees, and other federal partners to strengthen BLCP awardees’ ability to assess optimal ways to collect data on the coal miners they serve in order to improve their operations and the quality and breadth of services they provide to coal miners with black lung disease. There exists a need to better understand how to identify and serve those with black lung disease across the BLCP program, including through the use of data, to enhance operations and strengthen the knowledge base on the health status and needs of U.S. coal miners.
