FEDERAL AGENCY:

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION:

Indian Health Care Amendments of 1988, Section 108, Public Law 100-713. Public Laws 93-638 and 94-437.

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:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

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 $20,000 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.

Pre-application Coordination:   None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   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 Headquarters Office for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Approximately 60 days.

Appeals:   None.

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 or matching requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Payments will be made to the individuals of the program on an annual basis.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Program participants must be certified annually as performing satisfactorily the duties of their positions.

Audits:   Not applicable.

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

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   75-0390-0-1-551.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 01 $11,923,500; FY 02 est $16,923,500; and FY 03 est $16,923,500.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  
$3,000 to $51,672 for a 2-year obligation; For fiscal year 2015 the average award was $45,105.

In fiscal year 2001, 384 new and 76 continuing loan repayment awards were approved. In fiscal years 2002 and fiscal year 2003, an estimated 370 new and 80 continuing loan repayment awards will be approved.

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.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:  
See Regional Agency Offices. Program Contact: Ms. Jackie Santiago, Chief, Loan Repayment Program, Indian Health Service, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: 11E53A, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-3396.

Grants Management Contact: Mr. Robert Tarwater, Director, Division of Grants Management, Indian Health Service, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: 09E70, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-5204, Fax (301) 594-0899.

Headquarters Office:   Grants Policy Office 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: 09E70, Rockville, Maryland 20857 Email: grantspolicy@ihs.gov Phone: (301) 443-5204

Web Site Address:  
http://www.ihs.gov

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

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.

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. Indian Health Service will give priority in funding among health professionals to physicians in the following priority specialties: anesthesiology, emergency room medicine, general surgery, otolaryngology/otorhinolaryngology, obstetrics/gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, psychiatry, and radiology. Osteopathic physicians may be funded regardless of specialty, provided that the IHS has a need for that specialty. Allopathic physicians may be funded only if they are board certified/eligible in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatric medicine, obstetrics/gynecology and psychiatry. 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.