(a) Except where prescribed elsewhere in this rule or in authorizing legislation, no particular form is required for a State's application or the related submission required by the statute. For the maternal and child health block grant, the application shall be in the form specified by the Secretary, as provided by section 505(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 705(a)).

(b) The certifications required by the community services, primary care, preventive health and health services, alcohol and drug abuse and mental health services, and low-income home energy assistance block grant statutes to be made by the State's chief executive officer must be made by that individual personally, or by an individual authorized to make such certifications on behalf of the chief executive officer.

(c) Effective beginning in fiscal year 2001, submission dates for applications under the social service and low-income home energy assistance block grant programs are:

(1) for the social services block grant, States and territories which operate on a Federal fiscal year basis, and make requests for funding from the Department, must insure that their applications (pre-expenditure reports) for funding are submitted by September 1 of the preceding fiscal year unless the Department agrees to a later date. States and territories which operate their social services block grant on a July 1-June 30 basis, must insure that their applications are submitted by June 1 of the preceding funding period unless the Department agrees to a later date.

(2) for the low-income home energy assistance program, States and territories which make requests for funding from the Department must insure that their applications for a fiscal year are submitted by September 1 of the preceding fiscal year unless the Department agrees to a later date.

(d) Effective beginning in fiscal year 2001, for the low-income home energy assistance program, States and territories which make requests for funding from the Department must insure that all information necessary to complete their applications is received by December 15 of the fiscal year for which they are requesting funds unless the Department agrees to a later date.

The Secretary will award the block grant funds allotted to the State in accordance with the apportionment of funds from the Office of Management and Budget. Such awards will reflect amounts reserved for Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations and, in FY 1982, any amounts awarded by the Department under transition authorities. The grant award constitutes the authority to carry out the program and to draw and expend funds.

The Secretary will make payments at such times and in such amounts to each State from its awards in advance or by way of reimbursement in accordance with section 203 of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act (42 U.S.C. 4213) and Treasury Circular No. 1075 (31 CFR part 205). When matching funds are involved, the Secretary shall take into account the ratio that such payment bears to such State's total expenditures under its awards.

The Secretary will re-allot to eligible States those funds available as of September 1 of each fiscal year under the reallotment provisions pertaining to the alcohol and drug abuse and mental health services, maternal and child health services, and preventive health and health services block grants. The reallotment procedure for the low-income home energy assistance block grant is specified in section 2607 of the Reconciliation Act (42 U.S.C. 8626) and § 96.81 of this part.

(a) Obligations. Amounts unobligated by the State at the end of the fiscal year in which they were first allotted shall remain available for obligation during the succeeding fiscal year for all block grants except:

(1) Primary care. Amounts are available only if the Secretary determines that the State acted in accordance with section 1926(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300y-5(a)(1)) and there is good cause for funds remaining unobligated.

(2) Low-income home energy assistance. Regular LIHEAP block grant funds authorized under section 2602(b) of Public Law 97-35 (42 U.S.C. 8621(b)) are available only in accordance with section 2607(b)(2)(B) of Public Law 97-35 (42 U.S.C. 8626(b)(2)(B)), as follows. From allotments for fiscal year 1982 through fiscal year 1984, a maximum of 25 percent may be held available for the next fiscal year. From allotments for fiscal year 1985 through fiscal year 1990, a maximum of 15 percent of the amount payable to a grantee and not transferred to another block grant according to section 2604(f) of Public Law 97-35 (42 U.S.C. 8623(f)) may be held available for the next fiscal year. From allotments for fiscal year 1991 through fiscal year 1993, a maximum of 10 percent of the amount payable to a grantee and not transferred to another block grant according to section 2604(f) of Public Law 97-35 (42 U.S.C. 8623(f)) may be held available for the next fiscal year. Beginning with allotments for fiscal year 1994, a maximum of 10 percent of the amount payable to a grantee may be held available for the next fiscal year. No funds may be obligated after the end of the fiscal year following the fiscal year for which they were allotted.

(b) Expenditure. No limitations exist on the time for expenditure of block grant funds, except those imposed by statute with respect to the community services, maternal and child health services, and social services block grants.

Applications for waivers that are permitted by statute for the block grants should be submitted to the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the case of the preventive health and health services block grant; to the Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the case of the community mental health services block grant and the substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant; to the Director, Maternal and Child Health Bureau in the case of the maternal and child health services block grant; and to the Director, Office of Community Services in the case of the community services block grant, the low-income home energy assistance program and the social services block grant. Beginning with fiscal year 1986, the Secretary's authority to waive the provisions of section 2605(b) of Public Law 97-35 (42 U.S.C. 8624(b)) under the low-income home energy assistance program is repealed.

This section interprets the applicability of the general provisions governing block grants set forth in title XVII of the Reconciliation Act (31 U.S.C. 7301-7305):

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section or unless inconsistent with provisions in the individual block grant statutes, 31 U.S.C. 7301-7305 apply to the community services, preventive health and health services, and alcohol and drug abuse and mental health services block grants.

(b) The requirement in 31 U.S.C. 7303(b) relating to public hearings does not apply to any of the block grants governed by this part. Instead, the provisions in the individual block grant statutes apply.

(c) The maternal and child health services block grant is not subject to any requirements of 31 U.S.C. 7301-7305.

(d) The social services and low-income home energy assistance programs are subject only to 31 U.S.C. 7304.

(e) The audit provisions of 31 U.S.C. 7305 have, in most cases, been overridden by the Single Audit Act. Pub. L. 98-502, 31 U.S.C. 75, et seq., and do not apply to the block grants. Pursuant to § 96.31(b)(2), certain entities may, however, elect to conduct audits under the block grant audit provisions. For entities making this election, the provisions of 31 U.S.C. 7305 apply to the community services block grant.

(f) The applicability of 31 U.S.C. 7303(a) relating to the contents of a report on proposed uses of funds is specified in § 96.10.

(a) Except for the low-income home energy assistance program activity reports, a state must make public and submit to the Department each annual report required by statute:

(1) Within six months of the end of the period covered by the report; or

(2) At the time the state submits its application for funding for the federal or state fiscal year, as appropriate, which begins subsequent to the expiration of that six-month period.

(b) These reports are required annually for preventive health and health services (42 U.S.C. 300w-5(a)(1)), community mental health services (42 U.S.C. 300x et. seq.), the prevention and treatment of substance abuse block grant (42 U.S.C. 300x-21 et. seq.), maternal and child health services (42 U.S.C. 706(a)(1)), and the social services block grant (42 U.S.C. 1397e(a)). See § 96.82 for requirements governing the submission of activity reports for the low-income home energy assistance program.

The funds provided under this part shall be administered in compliance with the standards set forth in part 87 (Equal Treatment for Faith-based Organizations) of this chapter.