Indian Health Service Educational Loan Repayment (93.164)

Program

93.164 Indian Health Service Educational Loan Repayment

Federal Agency

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

Authorization

Indian Health Care Amendments of 1988, Section 108, Public Law 100-713.

Program Number

93.164

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To insure that the Indian Health Service (IHS) has an adequate supply of trained health professionals for Indian health program facilities by providing for the repayment of educational loans for participants who agree (by written contract) to serve an applicable period of time at a facility IHS has designated as a loan repayment priority site or in a designated specialty at a site with an appropriate position.

Types of Assistance

Direct Payments for Specified Use

Uses and Use Restrictions

This program will provide repayment of loans incurred for health professions educational expenses in exchange for service in a designated loan repayment priority site. Recipients must agree by written contract to serve an applicable period of time in such a site; individuals who have conflicting service obligations may not participate in this program until those obligations are satisfied. The minimum period of participation is 2 years. Maximum payment to a program participant is $20,000 per year and an additional 20 percent of the award amount for tax liability. The minimum period of participation is 2 years. Maximum payment to a program participant is $20,000 per year and an additional 20 percent of the award amount for tax liability.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Eligible individuals must be enrolled: (1) In a course of study or program in an accredited institution, as determined by the Secretary, within any State and be scheduled to complete such course of study in the same year such as individual applies to participate in such program; (2) in an approved graduate training program in a health profession; (3) have a degree in health profession and a license to practice a health profession; (4) be eligible for, or hold, an appointment as a commissioned officer in the Regular or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service (PHS); (5) be eligible for selection for civilian service in the Regular or Reserve Corps of the PHS; (6) meet the professional standards for civil service employment in the IHS; (7) be employed with an Indian health program funded under Public Law 93-638, Indian Self-Determination, Title V of Public Law 94-437 and its amendments or the Buy Indian Act (25 U.S.C. 47); (8) submit an application to participate in the IHS Loan Repayment Program; and (9) sign and submit to the Secretary for Health and Human Services at the time of such application, a written contract agreeing to accept loan repayment of health professions educational loans and to serve for an applicable period of service at loan repayment priority site as determined by the Secretary. The term "State" is defined in Section 331 (i)(4) of the PHS Act.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Health professionals who have Government (Federal, State, local) and commercial unpaid educational loans will benefit from this program.

Credentials/Documentation

Applicants must submit documentation of the following, as appropriate: (1) A transcript showing final year of study and full-time status; (2) a copy of a health professions degree; (3) a copy of health professions license; (4) a copy of transcript showing completion of graduate education; and (5) a copy of all loan documentation. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

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. Applicants should request an application package, complete the required information, and return it to the Indian Health Service (IHS) Headquarters for review. (See Headquarters Office section below for address.) Once a completed application packet is received, it will be reviewed and the determination of award recipients will be made based upon merit. Award will be made on award dates published in the Federal Register.

Award Procedure

Upon determination of who will receive an award, that individual will be notified in writing by the program. The individual will in turn notify the program in writing of his/her acceptance. Awards will be contingent upon the score that an eligible Loan Repayment Program site receives and score is applied to the individual matched to that site. Upon arriving at his/her duty station, participant must submit proof of employment to the IHS Loan Repayment Program Office. Individuals can be matched to an IHS tribal, urban, or buy Indian site by an IHS area recruiter or the equivalent. Applicants needing to match to an IHS priority site should work with an IHS recruiter in the service area of their choice. When an award occurs, the Secretary will sign the contract and the individual will receive final notification of their award and a copy of their signed contract.

Deadlines

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

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 60 to 90 days. Grants are approved or disapproved within 90 days of receipt of grant applications by the Indian Health Service, Division of Grants Operations.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

If a program recipient satisfactorily completes his/her initial service and continues to have remaining eligible debt, he/she may extend his/her contract on a single-year basis, provided that funds are available and the participant continues to meet the eligibility requirements of the program. A recipient wishing to extend his/her contract must submit a formal request for extension and sign a new 1-year contract.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Payments will be made to the individuals of the program on an annual basis. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Payments will be made to the individuals of the program on an annual basis.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. No expenditure reports are required. Program participants must be certified annually as performing at an eligible site in an eligible full-time position.

Audits

No audits are required for this program.

Records

The IHS will maintain records of applicants and participants for 3 years after information of expenditure reports are completed.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-0390-0-1-551.

Obligations

(Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 08 not reported.; FY 09 est not reported.; FY 10 est not reported. - Grants) FY 08 $16,923,500; FY 09 $16,923,500; and FY 10 est $16,923,500.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

$3,000 to $48,000 for a 2-year obligation; $43,315.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Authorization is contained in Public Law 100-713, as amended by Public Law 102-573; Indian Health Service Educational Loan Repayment Program Information Bulletin; Notice of Availability of Funds.

Related Programs

93.162 National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. See Appendix IV of the Catalog for IHS Area Offices.
Program Contact: Ms. Jackie Sanitago, Chief, Loan Repayment Program, Indian Health Service, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120, Rockville, MD 20852. Telephone: (301) 443-3396. Grants Management 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 number 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

Fiscal Year 2008: Physicians, nurses, mental health, and other health professionals who have agreed to provide full-time clinical services at an appropriate site for an applicable period of time (2 years) in return for repayment of their health profession education loans. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

The IHS defined "Health Profession" to mean family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatric medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, podiatric medicine, nursing, public health nursing, dentistry, psychiatry, osteopathy, optometry, pharmacy, psychology, public health, social work, marriage and family therapy, chiropractic medicine, environmental health and engineering, and allied professions. Other factors that will be employed to determine which applicant is selected for awards include: (a) An applicant's length of current employment in the IHS, tribal or urban program; (b) availability for service earlier than other applicants (first come, first served); and (c) date the completed application was received.