Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (nelrp) (93.406)

Program

93.406 Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (nelrp)

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Health Resources and Services Administration

Authorization

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5.

Program Number

93.406

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

As funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the objective of NELRP is to assist in the recruitment and retention of professional registered nurses (RN) in approved critical shortage areas to increase access to quality health care by offering loan repayment in return for full-time service at an eligible health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses.

Types of Assistance

Direct Payments for Specified Use

Uses and Use Restrictions

The program offers RN�s substantial economic assistance to repay their qualifying educational loans in exchange for full-time service at a health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses. NELRP participants enter into a contract agreeing to provide full-time service at an approved Critical Shortage Facility (CSF) for two years. In return, NELRP will pay 30 percent of the Participant's total qualifying loan balance each year (total of 60 percent). A participant may be eligible to amend his/her two-year NELRP contract to serve for a third (optional) year at a CSF. If a participant works full-time for a third year in a CSF, the NELRP will pay an additional 25 percent of the participant's original qualifying loan balance, bringing the total up to 85 percent of eligible loan balances. For specific service-obligated educational loan repayment. Loan repayments for 2 years of obligated service will be made no later than the end of the Federal fiscal year in which the individual completes such year of service.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

For specific service-obligated educational loan repayment.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Critical shortage facilities including, but not limited to, Indian Health Service health centers, hospitals, Federal Hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Native Hawaiian health centers, rural health clinics, nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice programs, State or local public health departments, and ambulatory surgical centers.

Credentials/Documentation

Applicants should review the individual Applicant Information Bulletin issued under this CFDA program for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package. 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. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.

Award Procedure

Pre-application Coordination:
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

92 Application Procedure:
Applications are generally solicited by a program announcement and application details can be found at www.hrsa.gov. Individuals applying for this funding opportunity are required to submit an application electronically.

93 Award Procedure:
Funding preferences are used to determine the sequential order in which qualified applicants are considered for an award. As provided in section 846(e) of the PHS Act, as amended, a funding preference will be given to qualified applicants with greatest financial need, which the NELRP defines as those qualified applicants whose total qualifying educational loans are 40% or greater than their gross salary. In addition, a funding preference is given to RNs working in the types of health care facilities that have the most severe nursing shortage. Applicants are grouped into one of the preference levels described in the Applicant Information Bulletin based on their qualifying nursing education debt to gross annual salary ratio and place of employment. Awards are made to applicants starting with the first preference category by decreasing qualifying nursing education debt to salary ratio until funds are expended.

Deadlines

Not Applicable.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Not Applicable.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Not Applicable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Each award covers 1 to 4 years of support, as requested. No awardees may receive more than 4 years of support. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Not available.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

ll projects funded with ARRA funds are subject to special quarterly reporting requirements as outlined in Section 1512 of the Recovery Act. Annual reports by schools indicating average student educational expenses. The academic institution where the student is enrolled must complete and submit a Verification of Enrollment Form each semester as a full-time student pursuing the program for which the scholarship was awarded. No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. No expenditure reports are required. No performance monitoring is required.

Audits

No audits are required for this program.

Records

No Data Available.

Program Accomplishments

Not Applicable.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-0351-0-1-550.

Obligations

(Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 08 $18,901,576; FY 09 est $22,848,634; FY 10 est $8,955,000 - ARRA Funding for FY 09 is estimated to be $45,257,500 million.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

No Data Available.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

Not Applicable.

Related Programs

93.288 National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices.

Headquarters Office

Lisa Walsh Room 8-36, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857 Phone: 301-443-0197

Web Site Address

No Data Available

Examples of Funded Projects

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

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Not Applicable.