[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 11, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7765-7768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02617]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
Loan Repayment Program for Repayment of Health Professions
Educational Loans
Announcement Type: Initial.
CFDA Number: 93.164.
Key Dates: February 15, 2020, first award cycle deadline date;
August 15, 2020, last award cycle deadline date; September 15, 2020,
last award cycle deadline date for supplemental loan repayment program
funds; September 30, 2020, entry on duty deadline date.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The Indian Health Service (IHS) estimated budget for fiscal year
(FY) 2020 includes $34,800,000 for the IHS Loan Repayment Program (LRP)
for health professional educational loans (undergraduate and graduate)
in return for full-time clinical service as defined in the IHS LRP
policy at https://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/policiesandprocedures/ in
Indian health programs.
This notice is being published early to coincide with the
recruitment activity of the IHS which competes with other Government
and private health management organizations to employ qualified health
professionals.
This program is authorized by the Indian Health Care Improvement
Act (IHCIA) Section 108, codified at 25 U.S.C. 1616a.
II. Award Information
The estimated amount available is approximately $22,405,000 to
support approximately 492 competing awards averaging $45,565 per award
for a two-year contract. The estimated amount available is
approximately $12,395,000 to support approximately 500 competing awards
averaging $24,790 per award for a one-year extension. One-year contract
extensions will receive priority consideration in any award cycle.
Applicants selected for participation in the FY 2020 program cycle will
be expected to begin their service period no later than September 30,
2020.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 1616a(b), to be eligible to participate in
the LRP, an individual must:
(1)(A) Be enrolled--
(i) 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 individual applies
to participate in such program; or
[[Page 7766]]
(ii) In an approved graduate training program in a health
profession; or
(B) Have a degree in a health profession and a license to practice
in a State; and
(2)(A) Be eligible for, or hold an appointment as a commissioned
officer in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service (PHS); or
(B) Be eligible for selection for service in the Regular Corps of
the PHS; or
(C) Meet the professional standards for civil service employment in
the IHS; or
(D) Be employed in an Indian health program without service
obligation; and
(3) Submit to the Secretary an application for a contract to the
LRP. The Secretary must approve the contract before the disbursement of
loan repayments can be made to the participant. Participants will be
required to fulfill their contract service agreements through full-time
clinical practice at an Indian health program site determined by the
Secretary. Loan repayment sites are characterized by physical,
cultural, and professional isolation, and have histories of frequent
staff turnover. Indian health program sites are annually prioritized
within the Agency by discipline, based on need or vacancy. The IHS
LRP's ranking system gives high site scores to those sites that are
most in need of specific health professions. Awards are given to the
applications that match the highest priorities until funds are no
longer available.
Any individual who owes an obligation for health professional
service to the Federal Government, a State, or other entity, is not
eligible for the LRP unless the obligation will be completely satisfied
before they begin service under this program.
25 U.S.C. 1616a authorizes the IHS LRP and provides in pertinent
part as follows:
(a)(1) The Secretary, acting through the Service, shall establish a
program to be known as the Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program
(hereinafter referred to as the Loan Repayment Program) in order to
assure an adequate supply of trained health professionals necessary to
maintain accreditation of, and provide health care services to Indians
through, Indian health programs.
For the purposes of this program, the term ``Indian health
program'' is defined in 25 U.S.C. 1616a(a)(2)(A), as follows:
(A) The term Indian health program means any health program or
facility funded, in whole or in part, by the Service for the benefit of
Indians and administered--
(i) Directly by the Service;
(ii) By any Indian Tribe or Tribal or Indian organization pursuant
to a contract under--
(I) The Indian Self-Determination Act, or
(II) Section 23 of the Act of April 30, 1908, (25 U.S.C. 47),
popularly known as the Buy Indian Act; or
(iii) By an urban Indian organization pursuant to Title V of [the
Indian Health Care Improvement Act].
25 U.S.C. 1616a, authorizes the IHS to determine specific health
professions for which IHS LRP contracts will be awarded. Annually, the
Director, Division of Health Professions Support, sends a letter to the
Director, Office of Clinical and Preventive Services, IHS Area
Directors, Tribal health officials, and Urban Indian health programs
directors to request a list of positions for which there is a need or
vacancy. The list of priority health professions that follows is based
upon the needs of the IHS as well as upon the needs of American Indians
and Alaska Natives.
(a) Medicine--Allopathic and Osteopathic doctorate degrees.
(b) Nursing--Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) (Clinical nurses
only).
(c) Nursing--Bachelor of Science (BSN) (Clinical nurses only).
(d) Nursing (NP, DNP)--Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse
in Family Practice, Psychiatry, Geriatric, Women's Health, Pediatric
Nursing.
(e) Nursing--Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM).
(f) Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).
(g) Physician Assistant (Certified).
(h) Dentistry--DDS or DMD degrees.
(i) Dental Hygiene.
(j) Social Work--Independent Licensed Master's degree.
(k) Counseling--Master's degree.
(l) Clinical Psychology--Ph.D. or Psy.D.
(m) Counseling Psychology--Ph.D.
(n) Optometry--OD.
(o) Pharmacy--PharmD.
(p) Podiatry--DPM.
(q) Physical/Occupational/Speech Language Therapy or Audiology--MS,
Doctoral.
(r) Registered Dietician--BS.
(s) Clinical Laboratory Science--BS.
(t) Diagnostic Radiology Technology, Ultrasonography, and
Respiratory Therapy: Associate and B.S.
(u) Environmental Health (Sanitarian): BS and Master's level.
(v) Engineering (Environmental): BS and MS (Engineers must provide
environmental engineering services to be eligible.).
(w) Chiropractors: Licensed.
(x) Acupuncturists: Licensed.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
Not applicable.
C. Other Requirements
Interested individuals are reminded that the list of eligible
health and allied health professions is effective for applicants for FY
2020. These priorities will remain in effect until superseded.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Content and Form of Application Submission
Each applicant will be responsible for submitting a complete
application. Go to http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment for more
information on how to apply electronically. The application will be
considered complete if the following documents are included:
Employment Verification--Documentation of your employment
with an Indian health program as applicable:
[cir] Commissioned Corps orders, Tribal employment documentation or
offer letter, or Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50)--For current
Federal employees.
License to Practice--A photocopy of your current, non-
temporary, full and unrestricted license to practice (issued by any
State, Washington, DC, or Puerto Rico).
Loan Documentation--A copy of all current statements
related to the loans submitted as part of the LRP application.
Transcripts--Transcripts do not need to be official.
If applicable, if you are a member of a federally
recognized Tribe or an Alaska Native (recognized by the Secretary of
the Interior), provide a certification of Tribal enrollment by the
Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA) (Certification: Form BIA--4432 Category A--Members of federally
Recognized Indian Tribes, Bands or Communities or Category D--Alaska
Native).
B. Submission Dates and Address
Applications for the FY 2020 LRP will be accepted and evaluated
monthly beginning February 15, 2020, and will continue to be accepted
each month thereafter until all funds are exhausted for FY 2020 awards.
Subsequent monthly deadline dates are scheduled for the fifteenth of
each month until August 15, 2020.
Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they
are either:
(1) Received on or before the deadline date; or
(2) Received after the deadline date, but with a legible postmark
dated on or before the deadline date. (Applicants should request a
legibly dated U.S.
[[Page 7767]]
Postal Service postmark or obtain a legibly dated receipt from a
commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks
are not acceptable as proof of timely mailing).
Applications submitted after the monthly closing date will be held
for consideration in the next monthly funding cycle. Applicants who do
not receive funding by September 30, 2019, will be notified in writing.
Application documents should be sent to: IHS Loan Repayment
Program, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: OHR (11E53A), Rockville,
Maryland 20857.
C. Intergovernmental Review
This program is not subject to review under Executive Order 12372.
D. Funding Restrictions
Not applicable.
E. Other Submission Requirements
New applicants are responsible for using the online application.
Applicants requesting a contract extension must do so in writing by
February 15, 2020, to ensure the highest possibility of being funded a
contract extension.
V. Application Review Information
A. Criteria
The IHS will utilize the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)
score developed by the Health Resources and Services Administration for
each Indian health program for which there is a need or vacancy. At
each Indian health facility, the HPSA score for mental health will be
utilized for all behavioral health professions, the HPSA score for
dental health will be utilized for all dentistry and dental hygiene
health professions, and the HPSA score for primary care will be used
for all other approved health professions.
In determining applications to be approved and contracts to accept,
the IHS will give priority to applications made by American Indians and
Alaska Natives and to individuals recruited through the efforts of
Indian Tribes or Tribal or Indian organizations.
B. Review and Selection Process
Loan repayment awards will be made only to those individuals
serving at facilities with have a site score of 17 or above through
March 1, 2020, if funding is available.
One or all of the following factors may be applicable to an
applicant, and the applicant who has the most of these factors, all
other criteria being equal, will be selected.
(1) An applicant's length of current employment in the IHS, Tribal,
or Urban program.
(2) Availability for service earlier than other applicants (first
come, first served).
(3) Date the individual's application was received.
C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Not applicable.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Notice of awards will be mailed on the last working day of each
month. Once the applicant is approved for participation in the LRP, the
applicant will receive confirmation of his/her loan repayment award and
the duty site at which he/she will serve his/her loan repayment
obligation.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Applicants may sign contractual agreements with the Secretary for
two years. The IHS may repay all, or a portion, of the applicant's
health profession educational loans (undergraduate and graduate) for
tuition expenses and reasonable educational and living expenses in
amounts up to $20,000 per year for each year of contracted service.
Payments will be made annually to the participant for the purpose of
repaying his/her outstanding health profession educational loans.
Payment of health profession education loans will be made to the
participant within 120 days, from the date the contract becomes
effective. The effective date of the contract is calculated from the
date it is signed by the Secretary or his/her delegate, or the IHS,
Tribal, Urban, or Buy Indian health center entry-on-duty date,
whichever is more recent.
In addition to the loan payment, participants are provided tax
assistance payments in an amount not less than 20 percent and not more
than 39 percent of the participant's total amount of loan repayments
made for the taxable year involved. The loan repayments and the tax
assistance payments are taxable income and will be reported to the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The tax assistance payment will be paid
to the IRS directly on the participant's behalf. LRP award recipients
should be aware that the IRS may place them in a higher tax bracket
than they would otherwise have been prior to their award.
C. Contract Extensions
Any individual who enters this program and satisfactorily completes
his or her obligated period of service may apply to extend his/her
contract on a year-by-year basis, as determined by the IHS.
Participants extending their contracts may receive up to the maximum
amount of $20,000 per year plus an additional 20 percent for Federal
withholding.
VII. Agency Contact
Please address inquiries to Ms. Jacqueline K. Santiago, Chief, IHS
Loan Repayment Program, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: OHR (11E53A),
Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: 301/443-3396 [between 8:00 a.m.
and 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays].
VIII. Other Information
Indian Health Service area offices and service units that are
financially able are authorized to provide additional funding to make
awards to applicants in the LRP, but not to exceed the maximum
allowable amount authorized by statute per year, plus tax assistance.
All additional funding must be made in accordance with the priority
system outlined below. Health professions given priority for selection
above the $20,000 threshold are those identified as meeting the
criteria in 25 U.S.C. 1616a(g)(2)(A), which provides that the Secretary
shall consider the extent to which each such determination:
(i) Affects the ability of the Secretary to maximize the number of
contracts that can be provided under the LRP from the amounts
appropriated for such contracts;
(ii) Provides an incentive to serve in Indian health programs with
the greatest shortages of health professionals; and
(iii) Provides an incentive with respect to the health professional
involved remaining in an Indian health program with such a health
professional shortage, and continuing to provide primary health
services, after the completion of the period of obligated service under
the LRP.
Contracts may be awarded to those who are available for service no
later than September 30, 2020, and must be in compliance with 25 U.S.C.
1616a. In order to ensure compliance with the statutes, area offices or
service units providing additional funding under this section are
responsible for notifying the LRP of such payments before funding is
offered to the LRP participant.
Should an IHS area office contribute to the LRP, those funds will
be used for only those sites located in that area. Those sites will
retain their relative ranking from their Health Professions Shortage
Areas (HPSA) scores. For
[[Page 7768]]
example, the Albuquerque Area Office identifies supplemental monies for
dentists. Only the dental positions within the Albuquerque Area will be
funded with the supplemental monies consistent with the HPSA scores
within that area.
Should an IHS service unit contribute to the LRP, those funds will
be used for only those sites located in that service unit. Those sites
will retain their relative ranking from their HPSA scores.
RADM Michael D. Weahkee,
Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service, Principal Deputy
Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-02617 Filed 2-10-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-16-P