AUTHORIZATION:

Public Health Service Act, Section 846, as amended, Nurse Reinvestment Act of 2002, Public Law 107-205.

OBJECTIVES:

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 Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

The program offers Registered Nurses (RN) 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. Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (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 to 85 percent of eligible loan balances. Critical Shortage Facilities currently include, but are 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.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Individuals who satisfy the following criteria are eligible to apply: (1) have received a baccalaureate or associate degree in nursing (or an equivalent degree), a diploma in nursing or a graduate degree in nursing; (2) have unpaid qualifying loans obtained for nursing education; (3) a U.S. citizen, national or a permanent legal resident of the United States; (4) employed full-time (32 hours or more per week) at a critical shortage facility (CSF); (5) have a current unrestricted license in the State in which they intend to practice or be authorized to practice in the State under the Nurse Licensure Compact; and (6) submit a complete application, including a signed contract to work full-time as a registered or advanced practice nurse for 2 years at an eligible health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Beneficiaries include registered nurses who have received a diploma, an associate degree, a baccalaureate degree or a graduate degree in nursing from an accredited school of nursing.

Credentials/Documentation:   Applicants should review the individual HRSA Guidance documents 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.

Pre-application Coordination:   Preapplication coordination is required. 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. HRSA requires all applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov.

All qualified applications will be forwarded to an objective review committee. Based on the advice of the objective review committee, the HRSA program official with delegated authority is responsible for final selection and funding decisions

Award Procedure:   Once a determination has been made as to who will receive an award, that individual will be accepted into the program. The individual will be notified in writing and be sent a copy of their signed contract of his/her acceptance.

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

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   

Approximately 5 months.

Appeals:   

Not Applicable.

Renewals:   

Renewals for the third year of service will be considered based on the availability of funds.

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ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   

This program has no statutory formula.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   

Loan repayments for 1 year 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. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Direct Deposit into recipients account through PSC.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Loan repayments for 1 year 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. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Direct Deposit into recipients account through PSC.

Audits:   Not Applicable.

Records:   None.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:  

75-0350-0-1-550.

Obligations:   (Direct Payments for Specified Use) FY 08 $18,901,576; FY 09 est $20,190,324; FY 10 est $73,626,934

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  

$20,000 to $150,000, with an average award being $42,574.

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