Loan Repayment Program for Repayment of Health Professions Educational Loans Announcement Type: Initial, 5562-5565 [2015-01958]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 21 / Monday, February 2, 2015 / Notices
the expansion of existing primary care
residency training programs in
community-based settings. The primary
goals of this program are to increase the
production of primary care providers
who are better prepared to practice in
community settings, particularly with
underserved populations, and improve
the geographic distribution of primary
care providers.
Statute requires the Secretary to
determine an appropriate THCGME
program payment for indirect medical
expenses (IME) as well as to update, as
deemed appropriate, the per resident
amount used to determine the Program’s
payment for direct medical expenses
(DME). To inform these determinations
and to increase understanding of this
model of residency training, the George
Washington University (GW) is
conducting an evaluation of the costs
associated with training residents in the
Teaching Health Center (THC) model.
GW has developed a standardized
costing instrument to gather data from
all THCGME programs. The information
gathered in the standardized costing
instrument includes, but is not limited
to, resident and faculty full-time
equivalents, salaries and benefits,
residency administration costs,
educational costs, residency clinical
operations and administrative costs, and
patient visits and clinical revenue
generated by medical residents.
Need and Proposed Use of the
Information: HRSA is collecting costing
information related to both DME and
IME in an effort to establish a THC’s
total cost of running a residency
program, to assist the Secretary in
determining an appropriate update to
the per resident amount used to
calculate the payment for DME and an
appropriate IME payment. The
described data collection activities will
serve to inform these statutory
requirements for the Secretary in a
uniform and consistent manner.
Likely Respondents: THCGME
grantees.
Burden Statement: Burden in this
context means the time expended by
persons to generate, maintain, retain,
disclose or provide the information
requested. This includes the time
needed to review instructions; to
develop, acquire, install and utilize
technology and systems for the purpose
of collecting, validating and verifying
information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing
and providing information; to train
personnel and to be able to respond to
a collection of information; to search
data sources; to complete and review
the collection of information; and to
transmit or otherwise disclose the
information. The total annual burden
hours estimated for this ICR are
summarized in the table below.
TOTAL ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN—HOURS
Number of
respondents
Form name
Number of
responses per
respondent
Total
responses
Average
burden per
response
(in hours)
Total burden
hours
Teaching Health Center Costing Instrument .......................
60
1
60
10
600
Total ..............................................................................
60
1
60
10
600
Jackie Painter,
Director, Division of the Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2015–01882 Filed 1–30–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
[CFDA Number: 93.164]
Loan Repayment Program for
Repayment of Health Professions
Educational Loans Announcement
Type: Initial
Key Dates: February 13, 2015
first award cycle deadline date; August
14, 2015 last award cycle deadline date;
September 11, 2015 last award cycle
deadline date for supplemental loan
repayment program funds; September
30, 2015 entry on duty deadline date.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
DATES:
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The Indian Health Service (IHS)
estimated budget request for Fiscal Year
(FY) 2015 includes $16,721,135 for the
IHS Loan Repayment Program (LRP) for
health professional educational loans
(undergraduate and graduate) in return
for full-time clinical service as defined
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Jkt 235001
in the IHS LRP policy clarifications at
https://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/
documents/LRP_Policy_Updates.pdf 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 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 $16,721,135 to support
approximately 387 competing awards
averaging $43,182 per award for a two
year contract. One year contract
extensions will receive priority
consideration in any award cycle.
Applicants selected for participation in
the FY 2015 program cycle will be
expected to begin their service period
no later than September 30, 2015.
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III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 1616(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 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
(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 full-time clinical practice at an
Indian health program site determined by the
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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.
25 U.S.C. 1603(10) 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, an allied health profession,
or any other health profession.
For the purposes of this program, the
term ‘‘Indian health program’’ is defined
in 25 U.S.C. 1616a(a)(2)(A), as follows:
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(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 this 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
Public Health, Tribal leaders, and urban
Indian health programs directors to
request a list of positions for which
there is a need or vacancy. The list of
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Jkt 235001
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, B.S. and M.S.
Degree.
(c) Clinical Psychology: Ph.D. and
Psy.D.
(d) Counseling Psychology: Ph.D.
(e) Social Work: Licensed Clinical
Social Worker or Licensed Master Social
Worker; Masters level only.
(f) Chemical Dependency Counseling:
Baccalaureate and Masters level.
(g) Counseling: Masters level only.
(h) Dentistry: DDS and DMD.
(i) Dental Hygiene.
(j) Dental Assistant: Certified.
(k) Pharmacy: B.S., Pharm.D.
(l) Optometry: O.D.
(m) Physician Assistant: Certified.
(n) Advanced Practice Nurses: Nurse
Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife,
Doctor of Nursing, Registered Nurse
Anesthetist (Priority consideration will
be given to Registered Nurse
Anesthetists.).
(o) Podiatry: D.P.M.
(p) Physical Rehabilitation Services:
Physical Therapy, Occupational
Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology,
and Audiology: M.S. and D.P.T.
(q) Diagnostic Radiology Technology:
Certificate, Associate, and B.S.
(r) Medical Laboratory Scientist,
Medical Technology, Medical
Laboratory Technician: Associate and
B.S.
(s) Public Health Nutritionist/
Registered Dietitian.
(t) Engineering (Environmental): B.S.
(Engineers must provide environmental
engineering services to be eligible.).
(u) Environmental Health (Sanitarian):
B.S. and M.S.
(v) Health Records: R.H.I.T. and
R.H.I.A.
(w) Certified Professional Coder:
AAPC or AHIMA.
(x) Respiratory Therapy.
(y) Ultrasonography.
(z) Chiropractors: Licensed.
(aa) Naturopathic Medicine: Licensed.
(bb) 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 2015. These priorities
will remain in effect until superseded.
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IV. Application and Submission
Information
A. Content and Form of Application
Submission
Each applicant will be responsible for
submitting a complete application. Go
to https://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:
Æ 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.
• If applicable, if you are a member
of a Federally recognized Tribe or
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 2015 LRP will
be accepted and evaluated monthly
beginning February 13, 2015 and will
continue to be accepted each month
thereafter until all funds are exhausted
for FY 2015. Subsequent monthly
deadline dates are scheduled for Friday
of the second full week of each month
until August 14, 2015.
Applications shall be considered as
meeting the deadline if they are either:
(1) Received on or before the deadline
date; or
(2) The documentation is received
after the deadline date, but has a legible
postmark dated 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 submitted after the
monthly closing date will be held for
consideration in the next monthly
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funding cycle. Applicants who do not
receive funding by September 30, 2015,
will be notified in writing.
Application documents should be
sent to: IHS Loan Repayment Program,
801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120,
Rockville, Maryland 20852.
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 January 1, 2015 to
ensure the highest possibility of being
funded a contract extension.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
V. Application Review Information
A. 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 may include the
following:
(1) Historically critical shortages
caused by frequent staff turnover;
(2) Current unmatched vacancies in a
health profession discipline;
(3) Projected vacancies in a health
profession discipline;
(4) Ensuring that the staffing needs of
Indian health programs administered by
an Indian Tribe or Tribal health
organization or urban Indian
organization receive consideration on an
equal basis with programs that are
administered directly by the Service;
and
(5) 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 breached 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.
B. 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 quarter of FY
2015, if funding is available.
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19:24 Jan 30, 2015
Jkt 235001
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
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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, 801 Thompson
Avenue, Suite 120, Rockville, Maryland
20852, Telephone: 301/443–3396
[between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 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, 2015 and must be in
compliance with any limits in the
appropriation and 25 U.S.C. 1616a not
to exceed the amount authorized in the
IHS appropriation (up to $36,000,000
for FY 2015). 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
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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,
Whiteriver Service Unit identifies
supplemental monies for nurses. The
Whiteriver Service Unit consists of two
facilities, namely the Whiteriver PHS
Indian Hospital and the Cibecue Indian
Health Center. The national ranking will
be used for the Whiteriver PHS Indian
Hospital (Score = 79) and the Cibecue
Indian Health Center (Score = 95). With
a score of 95, the Cibecue Indian Health
Center would receive priority over the
Whiteriver PHS Indian Hospital.
Dated: January 20, 2015.
Yvette Roubideaux,
Acting Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–01958 Filed 1–30–15; 8:45 am]
kassilked@mail.nih.gov by Tuesday,
February 17th, 2015. The written
comment should include the
commenter’s name and, when
applicable, professional affiliation.
ADDRESSES: Session 1: February 13,
2015 from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. https://nih.
webex.com/nih/j.php?MTID=m2a6eb
40ebe096afad861f0b5e941f9bc.
Session 2: February 13, 2015 from
10:00 to 10:30 a.m. https://nih.webex.
com/nih/j.php?MTID=m8c50a
9e8b5454a39b4fa24d9df412fab.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deborah Kassilke, kassilked@
mail.nih.gov, 301–435–2950.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
background of the proposed OTT
reorganization is as follows.
The Advisory Committee to the NIH
Deputy Director for Intramural
Research, and the Technology Transfer
Steering Committee (TTSC) recently
assessed OTT to determine how it
services the overall technology transfer
needs of the NIH. The committees
recommended that the authority and
responsibility for the implementation
and execution of patenting and
licensing should be decentralized from
OTT and distributed throughout the
NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs). In
September 2014, the NIH Steering
Committee accepted this
recommendation.
Dated: January 27, 2015.
Lawrence Tabak,
Principal Deputy Director, National Institutes
of Health.
BILLING CODE 4165–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
[FR Doc. 2015–01964 Filed 1–30–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140–01–P
National Institutes of Health
Office of Technology Transfer; Notice
of meetings
ACTION:
Notice of meetings.
National Institutes of Health
Notice is hereby given that
the Office of Intramural Research (OIR),
National Institutes of Health (NIH), will
host two webinars to enable public
discussion of its proposal to reorganize
the OIR Office of Technology Transfer
(OTT). The proposal seeks to align
authority and responsibility for the
implementation and execution of
patenting and licensing (P&L) functions
within the NIH Institutes and Centers.
DATES: The first webinar will be held on
February 13th from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m.
The second webinar will be held on
February 13th from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Members of the public wishing to join
a webinar must register via the webinar
link provided. Any interested person
may also file written comments by
sending an email to Deborah Kassilke,
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SUMMARY:
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19:24 Jan 30, 2015
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Jkt 235001
National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke, Muscular
Dystrophy Coordinating Committee
Call for Committee Membership
Nominations
The Office of the Secretary of
the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) is seeking nominations
of individuals to serve as non-federal
public members on the Muscular
Dystrophy Coordinating Committee.
DATES: Nominations are due by close of
business, February 27, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Nominations must be sent
to Glen Nuckolls, Ph.D., by email to
nuckollg@ninds.nih.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glen
Nuckolls, Ph.D., by email to nuckollg@
ninds.nih.gov.
SUMMARY:
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5565
The
Muscular Dystrophy Coordinating
Committee (MDCC) is a federal advisory
committee established in accordance
with the Muscular Dystrophy
Community Assistance, Research, and
Education Amendments of 2001 (MD–
CARE Act; Public Law 107–84. The
MD–CARE Act was reauthorized in
2008 by Public Law 110–361, and again
in 2014 by Public Law 113–166. The
2014 reauthorization mandated changes
to the membership of the MDCC,
resulting in the addition of one public
member. Nominations of non-federal
public members will be accepted
between January 30, 2015 and February
27, 2015.
Who is Eligible: Nominations of new
non-federal public members interested
in advancing muscular dystrophy
research and reducing the burden of
disease are encouraged. Selfnominations and nominations of other
individuals are both permitted. Only
one nomination per individual is
required. Multiple nominations for the
same individual will not increase
likelihood of selection. Non-federal
public members may be selected from
the pool of submitted nominations and
other sources as needed to meet
statutory requirements and to form a
balanced committee that represents the
diversity within the muscular dystrophy
community. Those eligible for
nomination include leaders or
representatives of major muscular
dystrophy research, advocacy, and
service organizations, parents or
guardians of individuals with muscular
dystrophy, individuals with muscular
dystrophy and service providers,
educators, researchers, and other
individuals with professional or
personal experience with muscular
dystrophy. In accordance with White
House Office of Management and
Budget guidelines (FR Doc. 2014–
19140), federally-registered lobbyists are
not eligible.
Committee Composition: In
accordance with the Committee’s
authorizing statute, 2⁄3 of members of the
Coordinating Committee shall represent
government agencies and 1⁄3 of members
shall be public members ‘‘including a
broad cross section of persons affected
with muscular dystrophies including
parents or legal guardians, affected
individuals, researchers, and
clinicians.’’
The Department strives to ensure that
the membership of HHS Federal
advisory committees is fairly balanced
in terms of points of view represented
and the committee’s function. Every
effort is made to ensure that the views
of women, all ethnic and racial groups,
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 21 (Monday, February 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5562-5565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01958]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
[CFDA Number: 93.164]
Loan Repayment Program for Repayment of Health Professions
Educational Loans Announcement Type: Initial
DATES: Key Dates: February 13, 2015 first award cycle deadline date;
August 14, 2015 last award cycle deadline date; September 11, 2015 last
award cycle deadline date for supplemental loan repayment program
funds; September 30, 2015 entry on duty deadline date.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The Indian Health Service (IHS) estimated budget request for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 includes $16,721,135 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 clarifications at https://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/documents/LRP_Policy_Updates.pdf 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 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 $16,721,135 to
support approximately 387 competing awards averaging $43,182 per award
for a two year contract. One year contract extensions will receive
priority consideration in any award cycle. Applicants selected for
participation in the FY 2015 program cycle will be expected to begin
their service period no later than September 30, 2015.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 1616(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 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
(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
full-time clinical practice at an Indian health program site
determined by the
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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.
25 U.S.C. 1603(10) 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, an allied health profession, or any other health
profession.
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
this 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 Public Health, Tribal leaders, 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.
(b) Nurse: Associate, B.S. and M.S. Degree.
(c) Clinical Psychology: Ph.D. and Psy.D.
(d) Counseling Psychology: Ph.D.
(e) Social Work: Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Licensed
Master Social Worker; Masters level only.
(f) Chemical Dependency Counseling: Baccalaureate and Masters
level.
(g) Counseling: Masters level only.
(h) Dentistry: DDS and DMD.
(i) Dental Hygiene.
(j) Dental Assistant: Certified.
(k) Pharmacy: B.S., Pharm.D.
(l) Optometry: O.D.
(m) Physician Assistant: Certified.
(n) Advanced Practice Nurses: Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse
Midwife, Doctor of Nursing, Registered Nurse Anesthetist (Priority
consideration will be given to Registered Nurse Anesthetists.).
(o) Podiatry: D.P.M.
(p) Physical Rehabilitation Services: Physical Therapy,
Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, and Audiology: M.S.
and D.P.T.
(q) Diagnostic Radiology Technology: Certificate, Associate, and
B.S.
(r) Medical Laboratory Scientist, Medical Technology, Medical
Laboratory Technician: Associate and B.S.
(s) Public Health Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian.
(t) Engineering (Environmental): B.S. (Engineers must provide
environmental engineering services to be eligible.).
(u) Environmental Health (Sanitarian): B.S. and M.S.
(v) Health Records: R.H.I.T. and R.H.I.A.
(w) Certified Professional Coder: AAPC or AHIMA.
(x) Respiratory Therapy.
(y) Ultrasonography.
(z) Chiropractors: Licensed.
(aa) Naturopathic Medicine: Licensed.
(bb) 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
2015. 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 https://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.
If applicable, if you are a member of a Federally
recognized Tribe or 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 2015 LRP will be accepted and evaluated
monthly beginning February 13, 2015 and will continue to be accepted
each month thereafter until all funds are exhausted for FY 2015.
Subsequent monthly deadline dates are scheduled for Friday of the
second full week of each month until August 14, 2015.
Applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they
are either:
(1) Received on or before the deadline date; or
(2) The documentation is received after the deadline date, but has
a legible postmark dated 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 submitted after the monthly closing date will be held
for consideration in the next monthly
[[Page 5564]]
funding cycle. Applicants who do not receive funding by September 30,
2015, will be notified in writing.
Application documents should be sent to: IHS Loan Repayment
Program, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
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
January 1, 2015 to ensure the highest possibility of being funded a
contract extension.
V. Application Review Information
A. 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 may include the following:
(1) Historically critical shortages caused by frequent staff
turnover;
(2) Current unmatched vacancies in a health profession discipline;
(3) Projected vacancies in a health profession discipline;
(4) Ensuring that the staffing needs of Indian health programs
administered by an Indian Tribe or Tribal health organization or urban
Indian organization receive consideration on an equal basis with
programs that are administered directly by the Service; and
(5) 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 breached 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.
B. 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 quarter of FY 2015, 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, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 120, Rockville,
Maryland 20852, Telephone: 301/443-3396 [between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00
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, 2015 and must be in compliance with any limits
in the appropriation and 25 U.S.C. 1616a not to exceed the amount
authorized in the IHS appropriation (up to $36,000,000 for FY 2015). 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
[[Page 5565]]
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, Whiteriver Service Unit identifies supplemental monies for
nurses. The Whiteriver Service Unit consists of two facilities, namely
the Whiteriver PHS Indian Hospital and the Cibecue Indian Health
Center. The national ranking will be used for the Whiteriver PHS Indian
Hospital (Score = 79) and the Cibecue Indian Health Center (Score =
95). With a score of 95, the Cibecue Indian Health Center would receive
priority over the Whiteriver PHS Indian Hospital.
Dated: January 20, 2015.
Yvette Roubideaux,
Acting Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-01958 Filed 1-30-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-16-P