[Federal Register: January 25, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 17)]
[
Notices]
[Page 4592-4594]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ja08-85]
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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: January 18, 2008 first award cycle deadline date,
September 30, 2008 entry on duty deadline date.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The Indian Health Service (IHS) estimated budget request for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2008 includes $11,581,766 for the Indian Health Service (IHS)
Loan Repayment Program (LRP) for health professional educational loans
(undergraduate and graduate) in return for full-time clinical service
in Indian health programs.
This program announcement is subject to the appropriation of
funds. 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 Section 108 of the Indian Health
Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) as amended, 25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. The IHS
invites potential applicants to request an application for
participation in the LRP.
II. Award Information
The estimated funds available is approximately $11,581,766 to
support approximately 258 competing awards averaging $44,740 per award
for a two year contract. One year contract continuations will receive
priority consideration in any award cycle. Applicants selected for
participation in the FY 2008 program cycle will be expected to begin
their service period no later than September 30, 2008.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Pursuant to Section 108(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
(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 or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service
(PHS); or
(B) Be eligible for selection for service in the Regular or Reserve
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
(E) 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 fulltime
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. All Indian health program sites are annually
prioritized within the Agency by discipline, based on need or vacancy.
Section 108 of the IHCIA, as amended by Public Laws 100-713 and
102-573, 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.
Section 4(n) of the IHCIA, as amended by the Indian Health Care
Improvement Technical Corrections Act of 1996, Public Law 104-313,
provides that:
``Health Profession'' means allopathic medicine, 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 health profession, or any other health
profession.
For the purposes of this program, the term ``Indian health
program'' is defined in Section 108(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 to Title V of this act.''
Section 108 of the IHCIA, as amended by Public Laws 100-713 and 102-
573, authorizes the IHS to determine specific health professions for
which Indian Health LRP contracts will be awarded. 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.
(b) Nurse: Associate and B.S. Degree.
(c) Clinical Psychology: Ph.D. only.
(d) Social Work: Masters level only.
(e) Chemical Dependency Counseling: Baccalaureate and Masters
level.
(f) Dentistry.
(g) Dental Hygiene.
(h) Pharmacy: B.S., Pharm.D.
[[Page 4593]]
(i) Optometry.
(j) Physician Assistant.
(k) Advanced Practice Nurses: Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse
Midwife, Registered Nurse Anesthetist (Priority consideration will be
given to Registered Nurse Anesthetists.).
(l) Podiatry: D.P.M.
(m) Physical Rehabilitation Services: Physician Therapy,
Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, and Audiology: M.S.
and D.P.T.
(n) Diagnostic Radiology Technology: Certificate, Associate, and
B.S.
(o) Medical Technology: B.S., and Associate.
(p) Public Health Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian.
(q) Engineering (Environmental): B.S. (Engineers must provide
environmental engineering services to be eligible.).
(r) Environmental Health (Sanitarian): B.S.
(s) Health Records: R.H.I.T. and R.H.I.A.
(t) Respiratory Therapy.
(u) Ultrasonography.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
Not applicable.
Other Requirements
Interested individuals are reminded that the list of eligible
health and allied health professions is effective for applicants for FY
2008. These priorities will remain in effect until superseded.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package
Application materials may be obtained by calling or writing to the
address below. In addition, completed applications should be returned
to: IHS Loan Repayment Program, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120,
Rockville, Maryland 20852, PH: 301/443-3396 [between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
(EST) Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays].
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
Applications must be submitted on the form entitled ``Application
for the Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program,'' identified with
the Office of Management and Budget approval number of OMB
0917-0014 (expires 12/31/08).
3. Submission Dates and Times
Completed applications may be submitted to the IHS Loan Repayment
Program, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Applications for the FY 2008 LRP will be accepted and evaluated monthly
beginning January 18, 2008, and will continue to be accepted each month
thereafter until all funds are exhausted for FY 2008. Subsequent
monthly deadline dates are scheduled for Friday of the second full week
of each month.
Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they
are either:
(a) Received on or before the deadline date; or
(b) Sent on or before the deadline date. (Applicants should request
a legibly dated U.S. 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 received 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, 2008, will be notified in writing.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This program is not subject to review under Executive Order 12372.
5. Funding Restrictions
Not applicable.
6. Other Submission Requirements
All applicants must sign and submit to the Secretary, a written
contract agreeing to accept repayment of educational loans and to serve
for the applicable period of obligated service in a priority site as
determined by the Secretary, and submit a signed affidavit attesting to
the fact that they have been informed of the relative merits of the
U.S. PHS Commissioned Corps and the Civil Service as employment
options.
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
The IHS has identified the positions in each Indian health program
for which there is a need or vacancy and ranked those positions in
order of priority by developing discipline-specific prioritized lists
of sites. Ranking criteria for these sites include the following:
(a) Historically critical shortages caused by frequent staff
turnover;
(b) Current unmatched vacancies in a health profession discipline;
(c) projected vacancies in a heath profession discipline;
(d) Ensuring that the staffing needs of Indian health programs
administered by an Indian Tribe or Tribal or health organization
receive consideration on an equal basis with programs that are
administered directly by the Service;
(e) Giving priority to vacancies in Indian health programs that
have a need for health professionals to provide health care services as
a result of individuals having beached LRP contracts entered into under
this section;
Consistent with this priority ranking, 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;
2. Review and Selection Process
Loan Repayment Awards will be made only to those individuals
serving at facilities which have a site score of 70 or above during the
first and second quarters and the first month of the third quarter of
FY 2008, 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.
(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).
(c) Date the individual's application was received.
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Not applicable.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. 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.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Applicants may sign contractual agreements with the Secretary for 2
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
[[Page 4594]]
within 120 days, from the date the contract becomes effective.
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.
3. Reporting
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.
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.
4. DUNS Number
Participants are required to have a Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS)
number. The DUNS number is a nine digit identification number.
Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a
DUNS number, access http://www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-
5711. Interested parties may wish to obtain this DUNS by phone to
expedite the process. A DUNS number is required before Central
Contractor Registry (CCR) registration can be completed. Registration
with the CCR is free of charge. To register, access http://www.ccr.gov
or call 1-888-227-2423.
VII. Agency Contacts
Please address inquiries to Ms. Jacqueline K. Santiago, Chief, IHS
Loan Repayment Program, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120, Rockville,
Maryland 20852, PH: 301/443-3396 [between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (EST)
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays].
VIII. Other Information
IHS 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 $35,000 a 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, 2008, and must be in compliance with any
limits in the appropriation and Section 108 of the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act not to exceed the amount authorized in the IHS
appropriation (up to $27,000,000 for FY 2008.) 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 the national site-ranking list. For
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 national
ranking and site index 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 the national site-ranking list.
For example, Chinle Service Unit identifies supplemental monies for
pharmacists. The Chinle Service Unit consists of two facilities, namely
the Chinle Comprehensive Health Care Facility and the Tsaile PHS Indian
Health Center. The national ranking will be used for the Chinle
Comprehensive Health Care Facility (Score = 44) and the Tsaile PHS
Indian Health Center (Score = 46). With a score of 46, the Tsaile PHS
Indian Health Center would receive priority over the Chinle
Comprehensive Health Care Facility.
Dated: January 16, 2008.
Robert G. McSwain,
Acting Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 08-273 Filed 1-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-16-M
