Early Detection of Certain Medical Conditions Related to Environmental Health Hazards | CDC RFA TS 24 0032

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA TS 24 0032

The grant opportunity "Early Detection of Certain Medical Conditions Related to Environmental Health Hazards" (CDC/ATSDR Funding Opportunity Number CDC RFA TS 24 0032; CFDA 93.534) supports continued medical screening and related public health activities for people who may have been exposed to asbestos-contaminated vermiculite linked to the Libby Asbestos Site in and around Libby and Troy, Montana. Libby was home to a major vermiculite mining and processing operation from the early 1920s through 1990, and the vermiculite from this source was contaminated with amphibole asbestos. Because asbestos exposure can lead to serious and often delayed health effects, the community has experienced significant asbestos-related illness and deaths not only among workers, but also among their families and residents without direct occupational exposure. The severity and persistence of these impacts contributed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declaring a public health emergency for the Libby Asbestos Site in June 2009.

This program builds on a long federal response that began in earnest in 1999 after widespread reports of asbestos-related disease in the area. Early efforts included large community-based screenings run by ATSDR in 2000 and 2001 that reached 7,307 people. ATSDR later supported additional screening through grants to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services (2003 to 2008) and the Lincoln County Health Department (2009 to 2011). Importantly, the Affordable Care Act included specific language to ensure that screening remains available for individuals who might have been exposed while living in the Libby area, recognizing that many health consequences of asbestos exposure emerge years later. A practical implication highlighted in the opportunity is that people with positive screening results may qualify for certain Medicare benefits, which underscores why standardized, well-documented screening and follow-up matter for affected individuals.

In 2011, the Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD) received a grant to carry out ACA-supported screening. The screening model described in the notice includes a standardized health survey, spirometry (lung function testing), and chest radiography, with additional tools such as high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) incorporated as part of the program. Over time, the effort expanded beyond clinical testing to include community outreach and health education, reflecting the reality that effective early detection depends on actually reaching exposed individuals, encouraging participation, and connecting people to appropriate follow-up care. The program scope also expanded from being limited to people currently in Libby to include people who moved away after living in the area, acknowledging that former residents may still carry elevated risk.

The current Notice of Funding Opportunity is essentially a continuation of these established activities, aiming to sustain and refine screening, outreach, and education infrastructure already in place. The expected public health outcomes include improved survival for participants who develop asbestos-related cancers through earlier identification, reduced rates of smoking-related diseases (suggesting emphasis on tobacco cessation or risk-reduction counseling alongside screening), and better overall quality of life for participants through earlier intervention and improved management of chronic conditions associated with asbestos exposure. While the notice is rooted in the Libby disaster, the framing is broader: it is about early detection of medical conditions related to environmental health hazards, using Libby as the central and ongoing case where the federal government has a defined responsibility and an existing program pathway under the ACA.

Funding is offered as a discretionary grant through CDC/ATSDR, with an award ceiling of $3,000,000 and an expectation of a single award. The original application closing date listed is April 15, 2024, and the opportunity was created on February 14, 2024. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities consistent with the authorizing legislation and the listed eligibility categories: hospitals and community health centers; federally qualified health centers; Indian Health Service facilities; National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers; state, county, and local government agencies; and nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits, excluding institutions of higher education). The notice also allows for a "Bona Fide Agent," meaning an agency or organization recognized by a state as eligible to apply on the state’s behalf under state eligibility, which can matter in situations where a state prefers a designated entity to administer the program.

Overall, the opportunity funds a mature, real-world public health and clinical screening program tied to one of the most prominent environmental asbestos exposures in the United States. It emphasizes continuity of services, standardized screening approaches (including pulmonary testing and imaging), expanded access for both current and former residents, and supportive outreach and education, with the broader goal of catching serious disease earlier and reducing preventable health risks among a population known to have elevated exposure-related vulnerability.

• The Centers for Disease Control - ATSDR in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Early Detection of Certain Medical Conditions Related to Environmental Health Hazards" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.534.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for CDC RFA TS 24 0032

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