This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Black Lung Data and Resource Center (BLDRC) program. The purpose of this program is to improve patient-level data collection and analysis, clinic operations, and the quality and breadth of services provided by the Black Lung Clinics Program (BLCP) recipients. There exists a need to strengthen BLCP recipients’ ability to examine and treat respiratory diseases and pulmonary impairments in active and inactive U.S. coal miners, which will be achieved through the provision of programmatic assistance and resources and to better understand the health status and needs of active and inactive U.S. coal miners through data analysis.
For the performance period July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025, the BLDRC will partner with HRSA, BLCP recipients, and other federal partners to focus on strengthening the operational efficiencies of BLCP recipients, improve the quality and breadth of services BLCP recipients provide, and increase the number of U.S. coal miners served. The BLDRC will conduct data collection and analysis and provide programmatic assistance to BLCP recipients to achieve these this goals. The BLDRC will work with BLCP recipients and stakeholders to address long-standing challenges and barriers to medical, outreach, educational, and benefits counseling services for U.S. coal miners. The BLDRC will also assist with the collection and analysis of information on the demographics and clinical status of coal miners with Coal Mine Dust Lung Diseases (CMDLD), or black lung diseases, especially Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis (CWP) and its most severe form, Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF).
