Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship Program for Indians (93.971)

Program

93.971 Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship Program for Indians

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Indian Health Service

Authorization

Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 94-437.

Program Number

93.971

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To make scholarships to American Indians and Alaska Natives for the purpose of completing compensatory pre-professional education to enable the recipient to qualify for enrollment or re- enrollment in a health professions school or curriculum.

Types of Assistance

Training

Uses and Use Restrictions

Scholarship awards are limited to persons of American Indian or Alaska Native descent. Awards are limited to a maximum of 2 years of full-time scholarship support under this section of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Scholarship awards are made to individuals of American Indian or Alaska Native descent, who have successfully completed high school education or high school equivalency and who have been accepted for enrollment in a compensatory, pre-professional general education course or curriculum.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Individuals of American Indian or Alaska Native descent.

Credentials/Documentation

Students must submit proper documentation of Indian eligibility verification from the college advisor that the courses or curriculum to be taken are required to meet the applicant's deficiency and compensatory needs at the professional level and represent the number of credit hours which the school considers as full-time or at least 6 credit hours per semester for part-time. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Application forms and instructions are provided by the Indian Health Service (IHS) Scholarship Program acting through the IHS Area Program Offices. Application forms and required documentation (official transcripts, letter of acceptance by college, curriculum verification, Indian eligibility, tuition verification, faculty evaluations) should be submitted to IHS Headquarters for review and approval/disapproval.

Award Procedure

Payments for stipends and books are made directly to the individual applicant. Tuition payments and fees are made to the college or university, upon receipt of an invoice.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 60 to 90 days.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Continuation applications must be submitted annually. Continued funding subject to availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Tuition payments are paid upon receipt of invoices from the universities. Stipend payments are paid monthly, for 10 months or for the academic period if students attends summer school. Amount for books and other necessary expenses are provided to student. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Tuition payments are paid upon receipt of invoices from the universities. Stipend payments are paid monthly, for 10 months or for the academic period if students attends summer school. Amount for books and other necessary expenses are provided to student.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. Students are required to submit their official transcripts as they are received. In addition, recipients must submit initial progress reports on forms supplied by IHS and notifications of problems/changes. No expenditure reports are required. No performance monitoring is required.

Audits

Not Applicable.

Records

Indian Health Service Scholarship Branch, IHS, maintains records on all students. Records are maintained for 4 years after the final award payment has been made.

Program Accomplishments

Not Applicable.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-0390-0-1-551.

Obligations

(Salaries) FY 08 not reported.; FY 09 est not reported.; FY 10 est not reported. - (Grants) FY 08 $2,519,107; FY 09 $2,519,107; and FY 10 $2,519,107.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$17,500 to $26,019; $17,366.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

42 CFR 36.320 - 36 324. Final Rules and Regulations, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 94-437, published in the Federal Register on November 18, 1977.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. See Appendix IV of the Catalog for Indian Health Service Area Offices.
Program Contact: Ms. Patrcia Lee-McCoy, Scholarship Branch, Division of Health Professions Support, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 450A, Rockville, MD 20852. Telephone: (301) 443-6197. Grants Contact: Ms. Kimberly Pendleton, Senior Grants Management Officer, Division of Grants Operations, Indian Health Service, 801 Thompson Avenue, TMP, Suite 360, Rockville, MD 20852. Telephone: (301) 443-5204. Use the same numbers for FTS.

Headquarters Office

IHS Grants Policy Staff 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 625, Rockville, Maryland 20852 Phone: 301-443-6290

Web Site Address

http://www.ihs.gov .

Examples of Funded Projects

Not Applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Applicant must be American Indian or Alaska Native. Other elements considered are: (1) Academic performance; (2) faculty recommendation; (3) stated reasons for asking for the scholarship; (4) goals of the individual; and (5) the relative needs of the IHS and Indian health organizations for persons in specific health professions are taken under consideration.