Indian Health Professions Preparatory, Indian Health Professions Pre-Graduate and Indian Health Professions Scholarship Programs, 3008-3013 [2017-00257]
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Protection Agency (EPA) seek to
conduct an environmental health
assessment of Tribal child care centers
in Portland Area Indian Country (in the
states of Washington, Oregon, and
Idaho). There is a significant data gap
regarding the levels of lead, allergens,
pesticides, and polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) in child care centers
within Portland Area Indian Country.
This research will help us understand
the potential for exposure to these
chemicals among children who attend.
For example, Eliminating Childhood
Lead Poisoning: A Federal Strategy
Targeting Lead Paint Hazards, produced
by the President’s Task Force on
Environmental Health Risks and Safety
Risks to Children, discusses the need for
more data on lead levels in licensed
child care facilities. Also, data is limited
on the interrelationships between
exposure factors, building factors, and
community factors and their combined
impact on children’s exposures from
chemical agents in child care
environments. Non-chemical stressors,
such as noise, number of windows in
the child care center, tree cover, and
shade cover in play area, will be
included in data collection. Community
factors, such as mapping the locations of
the child care facilities, roads, and
agricultural operations, will be included
in data collection in order to evaluate
the relationship between indoor air
quality and the outdoor environment.
IHS and EPA will also incorporate
follow-up outreach and education with
facilities to explain results and suggest
corrective actions to remediate or
reduce exposures from lead, allergens,
pesticides, and PCBs that are detected in
the facilities. The principal purpose of
this project is to provide valuable data
about the levels of lead, allergens,
pesticides, and PCBs in child care
facilities located in Portland Area
Indian Country. This project will help
prioritize services and funding based on
known needs and risks in order to help
facilities obtain needed services. This
data may help Tribes secure funding
from the Federal Head Start program
Number of
respondents
and other funding sources for repairs,
rehabilitations or other corrective
action. This study may also provide
Federal Head Start and Tribal programs
with data to improve standards and
initiate policy changes, if necessary. IHS
will also provide indoor air quality kits
to the facilities and environmental
health training to center staff to provide
methods and practices for preventing
and controlling indoor environmental
hazards. This project may be replicated
in other IHS areas.
Agency Form Numbers: None.
Members of Affected Public:
Operators of Tribal child care facilities
and pesticide applicators who work in
child care facilities.
Status of the Proposed Information
Collection: New request.
The table below provides: Types of
data collection instruments, Estimated
number of respondents, Number of
responses per respondent, Annual
number of responses, Average burden
hour per response, and Total annual
burden hours.
Number
responses per
respondent
Average
burden per
response
(hours)
Estimated
burden hours
Data collection instrument
Type of respondent
Child Care Center Director Questionnaire.
Pesticide Applicator Questionnaire ...
Child Care Center Director ..............
45
1
1.5
67.5
Pesticide Applicator ..........................
30
1
0.5
15
Total ...........................................
...........................................................
75
........................
........................
82.5
Application Review: May 8–22, 2017
Continuation Award Notification
Deadline: June 5, 2017
New Award Notification Deadline: July
5, 2017
Award Start Date: August 1, 2017
Acceptance/Decline of Awards
Deadline: August 15, 2017
There are no direct costs to
respondents other than time to
voluntarily complete the forms and
submit them for consideration.
Dated: December 14, 2016.
Mary Smith,
Principal Deputy Director, Indian Health
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–31799 Filed 1–9–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
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Indian Health Professions Preparatory,
Indian Health Professions PreGraduate and Indian Health
Professions Scholarship Programs
Announcement Type: Initial CFDA Numbers:
93.971, 93.123, and 93.972
Key Dates
Application Deadline: February 28,
2017, for continuing students
Application Deadline: March 28, 2017,
for new students
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I. Funding Opportunity Description
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is
committed to encouraging American
Indians and Alaska Natives to enter the
health professions and to assuring the
availability of Indian health
professionals to serve Indians. The IHS
is committed to the recruitment of
students for the following programs:
• The Indian Health Professions
Preparatory Scholarship authorized by
Section 103 of the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act, Public Law 94–437
(1976), as amended (IHCIA), codified at
25 U.S.C. 1613(b)(1).
• The Indian Health Professions Pregraduate Scholarship authorized by
Section 103 of the IHCIA, codified at 25
U.S.C. 1613(b)(2).
• The Indian Health Professions
Scholarship authorized by Section 104
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of the IHCIA, codified at 25 U.S.C.
1613a.
Full-time and part-time scholarships
will be funded for each of the three
scholarship programs.
The scholarship award selections and
funding are subject to availability of
funds appropriated for the scholarship
program.
II. Award Information
Type of Award
Scholarship.
Estimated Funds Available
An estimated $13.7 million will be
available for fiscal year (FY) 2017
awards. The IHS Scholarship Program
(IHSSP) anticipates, but cannot
guarantee, due to possible funding
changes, student scholarship selections
from any or all of the approved
disciplines in the Preparatory, Pregraduate or Health Professions
Scholarship Programs for the
scholarship period 2017–2018. Due to
the rising cost of education and the
decreasing number of scholars who can
be funded by the IHSSP, the IHSSP has
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changed the funding policy for
Preparatory and Pre-graduate
Scholarship awards and reallocated a
greater percentage of its funding in an
effort to increase the number of Health
Professions Scholarships, and
inherently the number of serviceobligated scholars, to better meet the
health care needs of the IHS and its
Tribal and urban Indian health care
system partners.
Anticipated Number of Awards
Approximately 20 new and 10
continuing awards will be made under
the Health Professions Preparatory and
Pre-graduate Scholarship Programs for
Indians. The awards are for ten months
in duration, with an additional two
months for approved summer school
requests, and will cover both tuition and
fees and other related costs (ORC). The
average award to a full-time student is
approximately $31,919.52. An estimated
263 awards will be made under the
Indian Health Professions Scholarship
Program. The awards are for 12 months
in duration and will cover both tuition
and fees and ORC. The average award to
a full-time student is approximately
$48,500.00.
Project Period
The project period for the IHS Health
Professions Preparatory Scholarship
stipend support, tuition, fees and ORC
is limited to two years for full-time
students and the part-time equivalent of
two years, not to exceed four years for
part-time students. The project period
for the Health Professions Pre-graduate
Scholarship stipend support, tuition,
fees and ORC is limited to four years for
full-time students and the part-time
equivalent of four years, not to exceed
eight years for part-time students. The
IHS Indian Health Professions
Scholarship provides stipend support,
tuition, fees, and ORC and is limited to
four years for full-time students and the
part-time equivalent of four years, not to
exceed eight years for part-time
students.
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III. Eligibility Information
This is a limited competition
announcement. New and continuation
scholarship awards are limited to
‘‘Indians’’ as defined at 25 U.S.C.
Section 1603(13). Note: The definition
of ‘‘Indians’’ for Section 103 Preparatory
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and Pre-graduate scholarships is broader
than the definition of ‘‘Indians’’ for the
Section 104 Health Professions
scholarship, as specified below.
Continuation awards are noncompetitive.
2. Cost Sharing/Matching
1. Eligibility
The Health Professions Preparatory
Scholarship awards are made to
American Indians (Federally recognized
Tribal members, including those from
Tribes terminated since 1940, first and
second degree descendants of Federally
recognized Tribal members, State
recognized Tribal members and first and
second degree descendants of State
recognized Tribal members), or Eskimo,
Aleut and other Alaska Natives who:
• Have successfully completed high
school education or high school
equivalency; and
• Have been accepted for enrollment
in a compensatory, pre-professional
general education course or curriculum.
The Health Professions Pre-graduate
Scholarship awards are made to
American Indians (Federally recognized
Tribal members, including those from
Tribes terminated since 1940, first and
second degree descendants of Tribal
members, and State recognized Tribal
members, first and second degree
descendants of Tribal members), or
Eskimo, Aleut and other Alaska Natives
who:
• Have successfully completed high
school education or high school
equivalency; and
• Have been accepted for enrollment
or are enrolled in an accredited pregraduate program leading to a
baccalaureate degree in pre-medicine,
pre-dentistry, pre-optometry or prepodiatry.
The Indian Health Professions
Scholarship may be awarded only to an
individual who is a member of a
Federally recognized Indian Tribe,
Eskimo, Aleut or other Alaska Native as
provided by Section 1603(13) of the
IHCIA. Membership in a Tribe
recognized only by a State does not
meet this statutory requirement. To
receive an Indian Health Professions
Scholarship, an otherwise eligible
individual must be enrolled in an
appropriately accredited school and
pursuing a course of study in a health
profession as defined by Section
1603(10) of the IHCIA.
3. Benefits From State, Local, Tribal and
Other Federal Sources
The Scholarship Program does not
require matching funds or cost sharing
to participate in the competitive grant
process.
Awardees of the Health Professions
Preparatory Scholarship, Health
Professions Pre-graduate Scholarship, or
Health Professions Scholarship, who
accept outside funding from other
scholarship, grant and fee waiver
programs, will have these monies
applied to their student account tuition
and fees charges at the college or
university they are attending, before the
IHS Scholarship Program will pay any
of the remaining balance, unless said
outside scholarship, grant or fee waiver
award letter specifically excludes use
for tuition and fees. These outside
funding sources must be reported on the
student’s invoicing documents
submitted by the college or university
they are attending. Student loans and
Veterans Administration (VA)/G.I. Bill
Benefits accepted by Health Professions
Scholarship recipients will have no
effect on the IHSSP payment made to
their college or university.
IV. Application Submission
Information
1. Electronic Application System and
Application Handbook Instructions and
Forms
Applicants must go online to
www.ihs.gov/scholarship/online_
application/index.cfm to apply for an
IHS scholarship and access the
Application Handbook instructions and
forms for submitting a properly
completed application for review and
funding consideration. Applicants are
strongly encouraged to seek
consultation from their Area
Scholarship Coordinator (ASC) in
preparing their scholarship application
for award consideration. ASC’s are
listed on the IHS Web site at: https://
www.ihs.gov/scholarship/contact/
areascholarshipcoordinators/.
This information is listed below.
Please review the following list to
identify the appropriate IHS ASC for
your State.
IHS area office and states/locality served
Scholarship coordinator address
Great Plains Area IHS: Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota ...
Ms. Holly Blacksmith, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Great Plains
Area IHS, 115 4th Avenue SE., Aberdeen, SD 57401, Tel: 605–226–
7502.
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IHS area office and states/locality served
Scholarship coordinator address
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium: Alaska .....................................
Ms. Laura Hudson, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Alaska Area
Native Health, 3900 Ambassador Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, Tel:
(907) 729–4592.
Ms. Jeanette Garcia, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Albuquerque
Area IHS, 4101 Indian Schools Rd., NE., Suite 225, Albuquerque,
NM 87110, Tel: (505) 256–6729.
Mr. Tony Buckanaga, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Bemidji Area
IHS, 522 Minnesota Avenue NW., Room 115A, Bemidji, MN 56601,
Tel: (218) 444–0486, 1–800–892–3079 (toll free).
Mr. Delon Rock Above, Alternate: Ms. Bernice Hugs, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Billings Area IHS, Area Personnel Office, P.O.
Box 36600, 2900 4th Avenue, North, Suite 400, Billings, MT 59107,
Tel: (406) 247–7215.
Mr. Sergio Islas, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, California Area
IHS, 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 7–100, Sacramento, CA 95814, Tel:
(916) 930–3983 ext. 724.
Ms. Alyssa Janis, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Nashville Area
IHS, 711 Stewarts Ferry Pike, Nashville, TN 37214, Tel: (615) 467–
1502.
Albuquerque Area IHS: Colorado, New Mexico .......................................
Bemidji Area IHS: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin ......
Billings Area IHS: Montana, Wyoming .....................................................
California Area IHS: California .................................................................
Nashville Area IHS: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia.
Navajo Area IHS: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah ........................................
Oklahoma City Area IHS: Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas ..............
Phoenix Area IHS: Arizona, Nevada, Utah ..............................................
Portland Area IHS: Idaho, Oregon, Washington ......................................
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Tucson Area IHS: Arizona ........................................................................
2. Content and Form Submission
Each applicant will be responsible for
entering their basic applicant account
information online, in addition to
submitting required documents, in
accordance with the IHS Scholarship
Program Application Handbook
instructions, to the: IHS Scholarship
Program Branch Office, 5600 Fishers
Lane, Mail Stop: OHR (11E53A),
Rockville, Maryland 20857. Applicants
must initiate an application through the
online portal or the application will be
considered incomplete. For more
information on how to use the online
portal, go to www.ihs.gov/scholarship.
The portal will be open on December
20, 2016. The application will be
considered complete when the
following documents are received:
• Online application is submitted by
deadline.
• Current Letter of Acceptance from
college/university or proof of
application to a college/university or
health professions program.
• Official transcripts for all colleges/
universities attended (or high school
transcripts or Certificate of Completion
of Home School Program or General
Education Diploma (GED) for applicants
who have not taken college courses).
• Cumulative Grade Point Average
(GPA): Calculated by the applicant.
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Ms. Aletha John, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Navajo Area IHS,
P.O. Box 9020, Window Rock, AZ 86515, Tel: (928) 871–1360.
Mr. Keith Bohanan, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Oklahoma City
Area IHS, 701 Market Drive, Oklahoma City, OK 73114, Tel: (405)
951–3789, 1–800–722–3357 (toll free).
Ms. Trudy Begay, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Phoenix Area
IHS, Southwest Region Human Resources, Hopi Health Care Center, P.O. Box 4000, Polacca, Arizona 86042, Tel: (928) 737–6374.
Ms. Heidi Hulsey, IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator, Portland Area
IHS, 1414 NW Northrup Street, Suite 800, Portland, Oregon 97209,
Tel: (503) 414–7745.
Ms. Trudy Begay, (See Phoenix Area).
• Applicant’s Documents for Indian
Eligibility.
A. If you are a member of a Federally
recognized Tribe or Alaska Native
(recognized by the Secretary of the
Interior), provide evidence of
membership such as:
(1) Certification of Tribal enrollment
by the Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA) Certification: Form 4432—
Category A or D, (whichever is
applicable); or
(2) In the absence of BIA certification,
documentation that you meet
requirements of Tribal membership as
prescribed by the charter, articles of
incorporation or other legal instrument
of the Tribe and have been officially
designated as a Tribal member as
evidenced by an accompanying
document signed by an authorized
Tribal official, i.e., Tribal enrollment
card showing enrollment number; or
(3) Other evidence of Tribal
membership satisfactory to the Secretary
of the Interior.
Note: If you meet the criteria of Form 4432Category B or C, you are eligible only for the
Preparatory or Pre-graduate Scholarships,
which have eligibility criteria as follows in
Section B.
B. For Preparatory or Pre-graduate
Scholarships, only: If you are a member
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of a Tribe terminated since 1940 or a
State recognized Tribe and first or
second degree descendant, provide
official documentation that you meet
the requirements of Tribal membership
as prescribed by the charter, articles of
incorporation or other legal instrument
of the Tribe and have been officially
designated as a Tribal member as
evidenced by an accompanying
document signed by an authorized
Tribal official; or other evidence,
satisfactory to the Secretary of the
Interior, that you are a member of the
Tribe. In addition, if the terminated or
State recognized Tribe of which you are
a member is not on a list of such Tribes
published by the Secretary of the
Interior in the Federal Register, you
must submit an official signed
document that the Tribe has been
terminated since 1940 or is recognized
by the State in which the Tribe is
located in accordance with the law of
that State.
C. For Preparatory or Pre-graduate
Scholarships, only: If you are not a
Tribal member, but are a natural child
or grandchild of a Tribal member you
must submit: (1) Evidence of that fact,
e.g., your birth certificate and/or your
parent’s/grandparent’s birth/death
certificate showing the name of the
Tribal member; and (2) evidence of your
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parent’s or grandparent’s Tribal
membership in accordance with
paragraphs A and B. The relationship to
the Tribal member must be clearly
documented. Failure to submit the
required documentation will result in
the application not being accepted for
review.
• Two Faculty/Employer Evaluations
with faculty evaluators identified,
evaluations transmitted and completed
in the online applicant portal.
• Online narratives-reasons for
requesting the scholarship.
• Delinquent Debt Form completed in
the online applicant portal.
• Course Curriculum Verification
completed in the online applicant
portal.
• Curriculum for Major.
3. Submission Dates
Application Receipt Date: The online
continuation application submission
deadline for continuation applicants is
Tuesday, February 28, 2017. No
supporting documents will be accepted
after this postal date, except final Letters
of Acceptance, which must be
submitted no later than postal date
Tuesday, May 30, 2017.
Application Receipt Date: New
applicants must submit their
application to include all supporting
documents by the postal deadline of
Tuesday, March 28, 2017. No
supporting documents will be accepted
after this date, except final Letters of
Acceptance, which must be submitted
no later than Tuesday, May 30, 2017.
Supporting documents shall be
considered as meeting the deadline if
they are received by the IHSSP branch
office, postmarked 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 will not be acceptable as
proof of timely mailing and the
application will not be considered for
funding. Receipts of any kind will not
be accepted as proof in meeting the
postal deadline.
New and continuation applicants may
check the status of their application
receipt and processing by logging into
their online account at https://
www.ihs.gov/scholarship/online_
application/index.cfm. Applications
received with postmarks after the
announced deadline date will not be
considered for funding.
4. Intergovernmental Review
Executive Order 12372 requiring
intergovernmental review is not
applicable to this program.
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5. Funding Restrictions
No more than 5% of available funds
will be used for part-time scholarships
this fiscal year. Students are considered
part-time if they are enrolled for a
minimum of six hours of instruction
and are not considered in full-time
status by their college/university.
Documentation must be received from
part-time applicants that their school
and course curriculum allows less than
full-time status. Both part-time and fulltime scholarship awards will be made in
accordance with the authorizing statutes
at 25 U.S.C §§ 1613 and 1613a and the
regulations at 42 CFR part 136 Subpart
J, Subdivisions J–3, J–4, and J–8 and this
information will be published in all
IHSSP Application and Student
Handbooks as they pertain to the IHSSP.
6. Other Submissions Requirements
New and continuation applicants are
responsible for using the online
application system. See section 3.
Submission Dates for application
deadlines.
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Applications will be reviewed and
scored with the following criteria.
• Academic Performance (40 Points)
Applicants are rated according to
their academic performance as
evidenced by transcripts and faculty
evaluations. In cases where a particular
applicant’s school has a policy not to
rank students academically, faculty
members are asked to provide a
personal judgment of the applicant’s
achievement. Preparatory, Pre-graduate
and Health Professions applicants with
a cumulative GPA below 2.0 are not
eligible for award.
• Faculty/Employer Recommendations
(30 Points)
Applicants are rated according to
evaluations by faculty members, current
and/or former employers and Tribal
officials regarding the applicant’s
potential in the chosen health related
professions.
• Stated Reasons for Asking for the
Scholarship and Stated Career Goals
Related to the Needs of the IHS (30
Points)
Applicants must provide a brief
written explanation of reasons for
asking for the scholarship and of their
career goals. Applicants are considered
for scholarship awards based on their
desired career goals and how these goals
relate to current Indian health personnel
needs.
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The applicant’s narrative will be
judged on how well it is written and its
content.
Applications for each health career
category are reviewed and ranked
separately.
• Applicants who are closest to
graduation or completion of training are
awarded first. For example, senior and
junior applicants under the Health
Professions Pre-graduate Scholarship
receive funding before freshmen and
sophomores.
• Priority Categories
The following is a list of health
professions that will be considered for
funding in each scholarship program in
FY 2017.
Æ Indian Health Professions
Preparatory Scholarships limited to
junior year and above students pursuing
the following degrees.
A. Pre-Clinical Psychology.
B. Pre-Nursing.
C. Pre-Pharmacy.
D. Pre-Social Work (Jr. and Sr.
preparing for an MS in social work).
Æ Indian Health Professions Pregraduate Scholarships limited to junior
year and above students pursuing the
following degrees.
A. Pre-Dentistry.
B. Pre-Medicine.
C. Pre-Optometry.
D. Pre-Podiatry.
Æ Indian Health Professions
Scholarship.
A. Medicine—Allopathic and
Osteopathic doctorate degrees.
B. Nursing—Associate Degree in
Nursing (ADN).
C. Nursing—Bachelor of Science
(BSN) (Priority consideration will be
given to Registered Nurses employed by
the IHS; in a program conducted under
a contract or compact entered into
under the Indian Self-Determination
and Education Assistance Act (Pub. L.
93–638) and its amendments; or in a
program assisted under Title V of the
IHCIA).
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. Social Work—Master’s degree.
J. Chemical Dependency Counseling—
Master’s degree.
K. Clinical Psychology—Ph.D. or
PsyD.
L. Counseling Psychology—Ph.D.
M. Optometry—OD.
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N. Pharmacy—PharmD.
O. Podiatry—DPM.
P. Physical Therapy—MS, DPT.
2. Review and Selection Process.
The applications will be reviewed and
scored by the IHS Scholarship
Program’s Application Review
Committee appointed by the IHS.
Reviewers will not be allowed to review
an application from their area or their
own Tribe. Each application will be
reviewed by three reviewers. The
average score of the three reviews
provides the final ranking score for each
applicant. To determine the ranking of
each applicant, these scores are sorted
from the highest to the lowest within
each scholarship health discipline by
date of graduation and score. If several
students have the same date of
graduation and score within the same
discipline, the computer will randomly
sort the ranking list and will not sort by
alphabetical name. Selections are then
made from the top of each ranking list
to the extent that funds allocated by the
IHS among the three scholarships are
available for obligation.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
It is anticipated that recipients
applying for extension of their
scholarship funding will be notified in
writing during the first week of June
2017 and new applicants will be
notified in writing during the first week
of July 2017. An Award Letter will be
issued to successful applicants.
Unsuccessful applicants will be notified
in writing, which will include a brief
explanation of the reason(s) the
application was not successful and
provide the name of the IHS official to
contact if more information is desired.
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2. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
Regulations at 42 CFR 136.304
provide that the IHS shall, from time to
time, publish a list of allied health
professions eligible for consideration for
the award of IHS Indian Health
Professions Preparatory and Pregraduate Scholarships and IHS Indian
Health Professions Scholarships.
Section 104(b)(1) of the IHCIA, 25
U.S.C. 1613a(b)(1), authorizes the IHS to
determine the distribution of
scholarships among the health
professions.
Awards for the Indian Health
Professions Scholarships will be made
in accordance with the IHCIA, 25 U.S.C.
1613a and 42 C.F.R §§ 136.330–136.334.
Awardees shall incur a service
obligation prescribed under the IHCIA,
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Section 1613a(b), which shall be met by
service, through full-time clinical
practice (as detailed on page 18 of the
IHS Scholarship Program Service
Commitment Handbook at https://
www.ihs.gov/scholarship/handbooks/
service_commitment_handbook.pdf):
(1) In the IHS;
(2) In a program conducted under a
contract or compact entered into under
the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93–
638) and its amendments;
(3) In a program assisted under Title
V of the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act (Pub. L. 94–437) and
its amendments; or
(4) In a private practice option of his
or her profession if the practice (a) is
situated in a health professional
shortage area, designated in regulations
promulgated by the Secretary of Health
and Human Services (Secretary) and (b)
addresses the health care needs of a
substantial number (75% of the total
served) of Indians as determined by the
Secretary in accordance with guidelines
of the Service.
Pursuant to the IHCIA Section
1613a(b)(3)(C), an awardee of an IHS
Health Professions Scholarship may, at
the election of the awardee, meet his/
her service obligation prescribed under
IHCIA Section 1613a(b) by a program
specified in options (1)–(4) above that:
(i) Is located on the reservation of the
Tribe in which the awardee is enrolled;
or
(ii) Serves the Tribe in which the
awardee is enrolled, if there is an open
vacancy available in the discipline for
which the awardee was funded under
the IHS Health Professions Scholarship
during the required 90-day placement
period.
In summary, all awardees of the
Indian Health Professions Scholarship
are reminded that acceptance of this
scholarship will result in a service
obligation required by both statute and
contract, which must be performed,
through full-time clinical practice, at an
approved service payback facility. The
IHS Director (Director) reserves the right
to make final decisions regarding
assignment of scholarship recipients to
fulfill their service obligation.
Moreover, the Director has the
authority to make the final
determination, designating a facility,
whether managed and operated by IHS,
or one of its Tribal or urban Indian
partners, consistent with IHCIA, as
approved for scholar obligated service
payback.
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3. Reporting
Scholarship Program Minimum
Academic Requirements
It is the policy of the IHS that a
scholarship awardee funded under the
Indian Health Professions Scholarship
Program of the IHCIA must maintain a
2.0 cumulative GPA, remain in good
academic standing each semester/
trimester/quarter, maintain full-time
student status (institutional definition of
‘‘minimum hours’’ constituting full-time
enrollment applies) or part-time student
status (institutional definition of
‘‘minimum and maximum’’ hours
constituting part-time enrollment
applies) for the entire academic year, as
indicated on the scholarship application
submitted for that academic year. The
Health Professions Scholarship awardee
may not change his or her enrollment
status between terms of enrollment
during the same academic year unless
approved in advance by the Branch
Chief of Scholarships. New recipients
may request a Leave of Absence during
the first year on a case by case basis.
New recipients may not request a leave
of absence prior to the start of the first
academic year. All requests for leave of
absence are to be approved in advance
by the Director, Division of Health
Professions Support. All leave of
absence requests during the first year
must include the following. A written
request from the scholarship recipient,
an official letter from the academic
program administrator supporting the
leave of absence and certification from
the academic program that the scholar
recipient has been approved a leave of
absence, has not been removed or
withdrawn from the academic program
and will be fully returned to the original
academic program upon return from the
approved leave of absence. In addition
to these requirements, a Health
Professions Scholarship awardee must
be enrolled in an approved/accredited
school for a health professions degree.
An awardee of a scholarship under
the IHS Health Professions Preparatory
and Health Professions Pre-graduate
Scholarship authority must maintain a
minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA, remain
in good standing each semester/
trimester/quarter and be a full-time
student (institutional definition of
‘‘minimum hours’’ constituting full-time
enrollment applies, typically 12 credit
hours per semester) or a part-time
student (institutional definition of
‘‘minimum and maximum’’ hours
constituting part-time enrollment
applies, typically 6–11 credit hours).
The Preparatory and Pre-graduate
awardee may not change from part-time
status to full-time status or vice versa in
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 2017 / Notices
the same academic year unless
approved in advance by the Branch
Chief of Scholarships. New recipients
may not request a Leave of Absence
prior to the start of the first academic
year.
The following reports must be sent to
the IHSSP at the identified time frame.
Each scholarship awardee will have
access to online Student and Service
Commitment Handbooks and required
program forms and instructions on
when, how, and to whom these must be
submitted, by logging into the IHSSP
Web site at www.ihs.gov/scholarship. If
a scholarship awardee fails to submit
these forms and reports as required,
they will be ineligible for continuation
of scholarship support and scholarship
award payments will be discontinued.
A. Recipient’s and Initial Progress
Report
Within thirty (30) days from the
beginning of each semester/trimester/
quarter, scholarship awardees must
submit a Recipient’s Initial Program
Progress Report (Form IHS–856–8,
found on the IHS Scholarship Program
Web site at https://www.ihs.gov/
scholarship/programresources/
studentforms/).
B. Transcripts
Within thirty (30) days from the end
of each academic period, i.e., semester/
trimester/quarter, or summer session,
scholarship awardees must submit an
Official Transcript showing the results
of the classes taken during that period.
C. Notification of Academic Problem
If at any time during the semester/
trimester/quarter, scholarship awardees
are advised to reduce the number of
credit hours for which they are enrolled
below the minimum of the 12 (or the
number of hours considered by their
school as full-time) for a full-time
student or at least six hours for parttime students, or if they experience
academic problems, they must submit
this report (Form IHS–856–9, found on
the IHS Scholarship Program Web site at
www.ihs.gov/scholarship).
pmangrum on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES
D. Change of Status
• Change of Academic Status
Scholarship awardees must
immediately notify their Scholarship
Program Analyst if they are placed on
academic probation, dismissed from
school, or voluntarily withdraw for any
reason (personal or medical).
• Change of Health Discipline
Scholarship awardees may not change
from the approved IHSSP health
discipline during the school year. If an
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:59 Jan 09, 2017
Jkt 241001
unapproved change is made,
scholarship payments will be
discontinued.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
• Change in Graduation Date
Any time that a change occurs in a
scholarship awardee’s expected
graduation date, they must notify their
Scholarship Program Analyst
immediately in writing. Justification
must be attached from the school
advisor. Approvals must be made by the
Branch Chief of Scholarships.
VII. Agency Contacts
1. Questions on the application
process may be directed to the
appropriate IHS Area Scholarship
Coordinator.
2. Questions on other programmatic
matters may be addressed to: Chief,
Scholarship Program, 5600 Fishers
Lane, Mail Stop: OHR (11E53A),
Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone:
(301) 443–6197 (This is not a toll-free
number).
3. Questions on payment information
may be directed to: Mr. Craig Boswell,
Grants Scholarship Coordinator,
Division of Grants Management, Indian
Health Service, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail
Stop: (07E57B), Rockville, Maryland
20857, Telephone: (301) 443–0243 (This
is not a toll-free number).
VIII. Other Information
The Public Health Service (PHS) is
committed to achieving the health
promotion and disease prevention
objectives of Healthy People 2020, a
PHS-led activity for setting priority
areas. This program announcement is
related to the priority area of Education
and Community-Based Programs.
Potential applicants may download a
copy of Healthy People 2020 from
https://www.healthypeople.gov.
Interested individuals are reminded
that the list of eligible health and allied
professions is effective for applicants for
the 2017–2018 academic year. These
priorities will remain in effect until
superseded. Applicants who apply for
health career categories not listed as
priorities during the current scholarship
cycle will not be considered for a
scholarship award.
Dated: January 3, 2017.
Elizabeth A. Fowler,
Deputy Director for Management, Operations
Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–00257 Filed 1–9–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165–16–P
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3013
National Library of Medicine; Notice of
Closed Meeting
Pursuant to section 10(d) of the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, as
amended (5 U.S.C. App), notice is
hereby given of the following meeting.
The meeting will be closed to the
public in accordance with the
provisions set forth in sections
552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C.,
as amended. The grant applications and
the discussions could disclose
confidential trade secrets or commercial
property such as patentable materials,
and personal information concerning
individuals associated with the grant
applications, the disclosure of which
would constitute a clearly unwarranted
invasion of personal privacy.
Name of Committee: National Library of
Medicine Special Emphasis Panel G08.
Date: February 16–17, 2017.
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Agenda: To review and evaluate grant
applications.
Place: National Library of Medicine, 6705
Rockledge Drive, Suite 301, Bethesda, MD
20817 (Telephone Conference Call).
Contact Person: Zoe E. Huang, MD,
Scientific Review Officer, Extramural
Programs, National Library of Medicine, NIH,
6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 301, Bethesda,
MD 20892–7968, 301–594–4937, huangz@
mail.nih.gov.
(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance
Program No. 93.879, Medical Library
Assistance, National Institutes of Health,
HHS)
Dated: January 4, 2017.
Michelle Trout,
Program Analyst, Office of the Federal
Advisory Committee Policy.
[FR Doc. 2017–00183 Filed 1–9–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
Notice of Availability of the Office of
Dietary Supplements Strategic Plan for
2017–2021
The Office of Dietary
Supplements (ODS) at the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) has completed
a strategic planning process resulting in
the development of the ODS Strategic
Plan for 2017–2021, entitled
Strengthening Knowledge and
Understanding of Dietary Supplements.
The strategic plan is available in pdf
format on the ODS Web site: https://
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\10JAN1.SGM
10JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3008-3013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-00257]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
Indian Health Professions Preparatory, Indian Health Professions
Pre-Graduate and Indian Health Professions Scholarship Programs
Announcement Type: Initial CFDA Numbers: 93.971, 93.123, and 93.972
Key Dates
Application Deadline: February 28, 2017, for continuing students
Application Deadline: March 28, 2017, for new students
Application Review: May 8-22, 2017
Continuation Award Notification Deadline: June 5, 2017
New Award Notification Deadline: July 5, 2017
Award Start Date: August 1, 2017
Acceptance/Decline of Awards Deadline: August 15, 2017
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is committed to encouraging
American Indians and Alaska Natives to enter the health professions and
to assuring the availability of Indian health professionals to serve
Indians. The IHS is committed to the recruitment of students for the
following programs:
The Indian Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship
authorized by Section 103 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act,
Public Law 94-437 (1976), as amended (IHCIA), codified at 25 U.S.C.
1613(b)(1).
The Indian Health Professions Pre-graduate Scholarship
authorized by Section 103 of the IHCIA, codified at 25 U.S.C.
1613(b)(2).
The Indian Health Professions Scholarship authorized by
Section 104 of the IHCIA, codified at 25 U.S.C. 1613a.
Full-time and part-time scholarships will be funded for each of the
three scholarship programs.
The scholarship award selections and funding are subject to
availability of funds appropriated for the scholarship program.
II. Award Information
Type of Award
Scholarship.
Estimated Funds Available
An estimated $13.7 million will be available for fiscal year (FY)
2017 awards. The IHS Scholarship Program (IHSSP) anticipates, but
cannot guarantee, due to possible funding changes, student scholarship
selections from any or all of the approved disciplines in the
Preparatory, Pre-graduate or Health Professions Scholarship Programs
for the scholarship period 2017-2018. Due to the rising cost of
education and the decreasing number of scholars who can be funded by
the IHSSP, the IHSSP has
[[Page 3009]]
changed the funding policy for Preparatory and Pre-graduate Scholarship
awards and reallocated a greater percentage of its funding in an effort
to increase the number of Health Professions Scholarships, and
inherently the number of service-obligated scholars, to better meet the
health care needs of the IHS and its Tribal and urban Indian health
care system partners.
Anticipated Number of Awards
Approximately 20 new and 10 continuing awards will be made under
the Health Professions Preparatory and Pre-graduate Scholarship
Programs for Indians. The awards are for ten months in duration, with
an additional two months for approved summer school requests, and will
cover both tuition and fees and other related costs (ORC). The average
award to a full-time student is approximately $31,919.52. An estimated
263 awards will be made under the Indian Health Professions Scholarship
Program. The awards are for 12 months in duration and will cover both
tuition and fees and ORC. The average award to a full-time student is
approximately $48,500.00.
Project Period
The project period for the IHS Health Professions Preparatory
Scholarship stipend support, tuition, fees and ORC is limited to two
years for full-time students and the part-time equivalent of two years,
not to exceed four years for part-time students. The project period for
the Health Professions Pre-graduate Scholarship stipend support,
tuition, fees and ORC is limited to four years for full-time students
and the part-time equivalent of four years, not to exceed eight years
for part-time students. The IHS Indian Health Professions Scholarship
provides stipend support, tuition, fees, and ORC and is limited to four
years for full-time students and the part-time equivalent of four
years, not to exceed eight years for part-time students.
III. Eligibility Information
This is a limited competition announcement. New and continuation
scholarship awards are limited to ``Indians'' as defined at 25 U.S.C.
Section 1603(13). Note: The definition of ``Indians'' for Section 103
Preparatory and Pre-graduate scholarships is broader than the
definition of ``Indians'' for the Section 104 Health Professions
scholarship, as specified below. Continuation awards are non-
competitive.
1. Eligibility
The Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship awards are made to
American Indians (Federally recognized Tribal members, including those
from Tribes terminated since 1940, first and second degree descendants
of Federally recognized Tribal members, State recognized Tribal members
and first and second degree descendants of State recognized Tribal
members), or Eskimo, Aleut and other Alaska Natives who:
Have successfully completed high school education or high
school equivalency; and
Have been accepted for enrollment in a compensatory, pre-
professional general education course or curriculum.
The Health Professions Pre-graduate Scholarship awards are made to
American Indians (Federally recognized Tribal members, including those
from Tribes terminated since 1940, first and second degree descendants
of Tribal members, and State recognized Tribal members, first and
second degree descendants of Tribal members), or Eskimo, Aleut and
other Alaska Natives who:
Have successfully completed high school education or high
school equivalency; and
Have been accepted for enrollment or are enrolled in an
accredited pre-graduate program leading to a baccalaureate degree in
pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-optometry or pre-podiatry.
The Indian Health Professions Scholarship may be awarded only to an
individual who is a member of a Federally recognized Indian Tribe,
Eskimo, Aleut or other Alaska Native as provided by Section 1603(13) of
the IHCIA. Membership in a Tribe recognized only by a State does not
meet this statutory requirement. To receive an Indian Health
Professions Scholarship, an otherwise eligible individual must be
enrolled in an appropriately accredited school and pursuing a course of
study in a health profession as defined by Section 1603(10) of the
IHCIA.
2. Cost Sharing/Matching
The Scholarship Program does not require matching funds or cost
sharing to participate in the competitive grant process.
3. Benefits From State, Local, Tribal and Other Federal Sources
Awardees of the Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship, Health
Professions Pre-graduate Scholarship, or Health Professions
Scholarship, who accept outside funding from other scholarship, grant
and fee waiver programs, will have these monies applied to their
student account tuition and fees charges at the college or university
they are attending, before the IHS Scholarship Program will pay any of
the remaining balance, unless said outside scholarship, grant or fee
waiver award letter specifically excludes use for tuition and fees.
These outside funding sources must be reported on the student's
invoicing documents submitted by the college or university they are
attending. Student loans and Veterans Administration (VA)/G.I. Bill
Benefits accepted by Health Professions Scholarship recipients will
have no effect on the IHSSP payment made to their college or
university.
IV. Application Submission Information
1. Electronic Application System and Application Handbook Instructions
and Forms
Applicants must go online to www.ihs.gov/scholarship/online_application/index.cfm to apply for an IHS scholarship and access
the Application Handbook instructions and forms for submitting a
properly completed application for review and funding consideration.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek consultation from their Area
Scholarship Coordinator (ASC) in preparing their scholarship
application for award consideration. ASC's are listed on the IHS Web
site at: https://www.ihs.gov/scholarship/contact/areascholarshipcoordinators/.
This information is listed below. Please review the following list
to identify the appropriate IHS ASC for your State.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
IHS area office and states/locality
served Scholarship coordinator address
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great Plains Area IHS: Nebraska, Iowa, Ms. Holly Blacksmith, IHS Area
North Dakota, South Dakota. Scholarship Coordinator, Great
Plains Area IHS, 115 4th
Avenue SE., Aberdeen, SD
57401, Tel: 605-226-7502.
[[Page 3010]]
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium: Ms. Laura Hudson, IHS Area
Alaska. Scholarship Coordinator,
Alaska Area Native Health,
3900 Ambassador Drive,
Anchorage, AK 99508, Tel:
(907) 729-4592.
Albuquerque Area IHS: Colorado, New Ms. Jeanette Garcia, IHS Area
Mexico. Scholarship Coordinator,
Albuquerque Area IHS, 4101
Indian Schools Rd., NE., Suite
225, Albuquerque, NM 87110,
Tel: (505) 256-6729.
Bemidji Area IHS: Illinois, Indiana, Mr. Tony Buckanaga, IHS Area
Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin. Scholarship Coordinator,
Bemidji Area IHS, 522
Minnesota Avenue NW., Room
115A, Bemidji, MN 56601, Tel:
(218) 444-0486, 1-800-892-3079
(toll free).
Billings Area IHS: Montana, Wyoming.... Mr. Delon Rock Above,
Alternate: Ms. Bernice Hugs,
IHS Area Scholarship
Coordinator, Billings Area
IHS, Area Personnel Office,
P.O. Box 36600, 2900 4th
Avenue, North, Suite 400,
Billings, MT 59107, Tel: (406)
247-7215.
California Area IHS: California........ Mr. Sergio Islas, IHS Area
Scholarship Coordinator,
California Area IHS, 650
Capitol Mall, Suite 7-100,
Sacramento, CA 95814, Tel:
(916) 930-3983 ext. 724.
Nashville Area IHS: Alabama, Arkansas, Ms. Alyssa Janis, IHS Area
Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Scholarship Coordinator,
Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Nashville Area IHS, 711
Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Stewarts Ferry Pike,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Nashville, TN 37214, Tel:
North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, (615) 467-1502.
Rhode Island, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West
Virginia, District of Columbia.
Navajo Area IHS: Arizona, New Mexico, Ms. Aletha John, IHS Area
Utah. Scholarship Coordinator,
Navajo Area IHS, P.O. Box
9020, Window Rock, AZ 86515,
Tel: (928) 871-1360.
Oklahoma City Area IHS: Kansas, Mr. Keith Bohanan, IHS Area
Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas. Scholarship Coordinator,
Oklahoma City Area IHS, 701
Market Drive, Oklahoma City,
OK 73114, Tel: (405) 951-3789,
1-800-722-3357 (toll free).
Phoenix Area IHS: Arizona, Nevada, Utah Ms. Trudy Begay, IHS Area
Scholarship Coordinator,
Phoenix Area IHS, Southwest
Region Human Resources, Hopi
Health Care Center, P.O. Box
4000, Polacca, Arizona 86042,
Tel: (928) 737-6374.
Portland Area IHS: Idaho, Oregon, Ms. Heidi Hulsey, IHS Area
Washington. Scholarship Coordinator,
Portland Area IHS, 1414 NW
Northrup Street, Suite 800,
Portland, Oregon 97209, Tel:
(503) 414-7745.
Tucson Area IHS: Arizona............... Ms. Trudy Begay, (See Phoenix
Area).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Content and Form Submission
Each applicant will be responsible for entering their basic
applicant account information online, in addition to submitting
required documents, in accordance with the IHS Scholarship Program
Application Handbook instructions, to the: IHS Scholarship Program
Branch Office, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: OHR (11E53A), Rockville,
Maryland 20857. Applicants must initiate an application through the
online portal or the application will be considered incomplete. For
more information on how to use the online portal, go to www.ihs.gov/scholarship. The portal will be open on December 20, 2016. The
application will be considered complete when the following documents
are received:
Online application is submitted by deadline.
Current Letter of Acceptance from college/university or
proof of application to a college/university or health professions
program.
Official transcripts for all colleges/universities
attended (or high school transcripts or Certificate of Completion of
Home School Program or General Education Diploma (GED) for applicants
who have not taken college courses).
Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA): Calculated by the
applicant.
Applicant's Documents for Indian Eligibility.
A. If you are a member of a Federally recognized Tribe or Alaska
Native (recognized by the Secretary of the Interior), provide evidence
of membership such as:
(1) Certification of Tribal enrollment by the Secretary of the
Interior, acting through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
Certification: Form 4432--Category A or D, (whichever is applicable);
or
(2) In the absence of BIA certification, documentation that you
meet requirements of Tribal membership as prescribed by the charter,
articles of incorporation or other legal instrument of the Tribe and
have been officially designated as a Tribal member as evidenced by an
accompanying document signed by an authorized Tribal official, i.e.,
Tribal enrollment card showing enrollment number; or
(3) Other evidence of Tribal membership satisfactory to the
Secretary of the Interior.
Note: If you meet the criteria of Form 4432-Category B or C, you
are eligible only for the Preparatory or Pre-graduate Scholarships,
which have eligibility criteria as follows in Section B.
B. For Preparatory or Pre-graduate Scholarships, only: If you are a
member of a Tribe terminated since 1940 or a State recognized Tribe and
first or second degree descendant, provide official documentation that
you meet the requirements of Tribal membership as prescribed by the
charter, articles of incorporation or other legal instrument of the
Tribe and have been officially designated as a Tribal member as
evidenced by an accompanying document signed by an authorized Tribal
official; or other evidence, satisfactory to the Secretary of the
Interior, that you are a member of the Tribe. In addition, if the
terminated or State recognized Tribe of which you are a member is not
on a list of such Tribes published by the Secretary of the Interior in
the Federal Register, you must submit an official signed document that
the Tribe has been terminated since 1940 or is recognized by the State
in which the Tribe is located in accordance with the law of that State.
C. For Preparatory or Pre-graduate Scholarships, only: If you are
not a Tribal member, but are a natural child or grandchild of a Tribal
member you must submit: (1) Evidence of that fact, e.g., your birth
certificate and/or your parent's/grandparent's birth/death certificate
showing the name of the Tribal member; and (2) evidence of your
[[Page 3011]]
parent's or grandparent's Tribal membership in accordance with
paragraphs A and B. The relationship to the Tribal member must be
clearly documented. Failure to submit the required documentation will
result in the application not being accepted for review.
Two Faculty/Employer Evaluations with faculty evaluators
identified, evaluations transmitted and completed in the online
applicant portal.
Online narratives-reasons for requesting the scholarship.
Delinquent Debt Form completed in the online applicant
portal.
Course Curriculum Verification completed in the online
applicant portal.
Curriculum for Major.
3. Submission Dates
Application Receipt Date: The online continuation application
submission deadline for continuation applicants is Tuesday, February
28, 2017. No supporting documents will be accepted after this postal
date, except final Letters of Acceptance, which must be submitted no
later than postal date Tuesday, May 30, 2017.
Application Receipt Date: New applicants must submit their
application to include all supporting documents by the postal deadline
of Tuesday, March 28, 2017. No supporting documents will be accepted
after this date, except final Letters of Acceptance, which must be
submitted no later than Tuesday, May 30, 2017.
Supporting documents shall be considered as meeting the deadline if
they are received by the IHSSP branch office, postmarked 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
will not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing and the application
will not be considered for funding. Receipts of any kind will not be
accepted as proof in meeting the postal deadline.
New and continuation applicants may check the status of their
application receipt and processing by logging into their online account
at https://www.ihs.gov/scholarship/online_application/index.cfm.
Applications received with postmarks after the announced deadline date
will not be considered for funding.
4. Intergovernmental Review
Executive Order 12372 requiring intergovernmental review is not
applicable to this program.
5. Funding Restrictions
No more than 5% of available funds will be used for part-time
scholarships this fiscal year. Students are considered part-time if
they are enrolled for a minimum of six hours of instruction and are not
considered in full-time status by their college/university.
Documentation must be received from part-time applicants that their
school and course curriculum allows less than full-time status. Both
part-time and full-time scholarship awards will be made in accordance
with the authorizing statutes at 25 U.S.C Sec. Sec. 1613 and 1613a and
the regulations at 42 CFR part 136 Subpart J, Subdivisions J-3, J-4,
and J-8 and this information will be published in all IHSSP Application
and Student Handbooks as they pertain to the IHSSP.
6. Other Submissions Requirements
New and continuation applicants are responsible for using the
online application system. See section 3. Submission Dates for
application deadlines.
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
Applications will be reviewed and scored with the following
criteria.
Academic Performance (40 Points)
Applicants are rated according to their academic performance as
evidenced by transcripts and faculty evaluations. In cases where a
particular applicant's school has a policy not to rank students
academically, faculty members are asked to provide a personal judgment
of the applicant's achievement. Preparatory, Pre-graduate and Health
Professions applicants with a cumulative GPA below 2.0 are not eligible
for award.
Faculty/Employer Recommendations (30 Points)
Applicants are rated according to evaluations by faculty members,
current and/or former employers and Tribal officials regarding the
applicant's potential in the chosen health related professions.
Stated Reasons for Asking for the Scholarship and Stated
Career Goals Related to the Needs of the IHS (30 Points)
Applicants must provide a brief written explanation of reasons for
asking for the scholarship and of their career goals. Applicants are
considered for scholarship awards based on their desired career goals
and how these goals relate to current Indian health personnel needs.
The applicant's narrative will be judged on how well it is written
and its content.
Applications for each health career category are reviewed and
ranked separately.
Applicants who are closest to graduation or completion of
training are awarded first. For example, senior and junior applicants
under the Health Professions Pre-graduate Scholarship receive funding
before freshmen and sophomores.
Priority Categories
The following is a list of health professions that will be
considered for funding in each scholarship program in FY 2017.
[cir] Indian Health Professions Preparatory Scholarships limited to
junior year and above students pursuing the following degrees.
A. Pre-Clinical Psychology.
B. Pre-Nursing.
C. Pre-Pharmacy.
D. Pre-Social Work (Jr. and Sr. preparing for an MS in social
work).
[cir] Indian Health Professions Pre-graduate Scholarships limited
to junior year and above students pursuing the following degrees.
A. Pre-Dentistry.
B. Pre-Medicine.
C. Pre-Optometry.
D. Pre-Podiatry.
[cir] Indian Health Professions Scholarship.
A. Medicine--Allopathic and Osteopathic doctorate degrees.
B. Nursing--Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).
C. Nursing--Bachelor of Science (BSN) (Priority consideration will
be given to Registered Nurses employed by the IHS; in a program
conducted under a contract or compact entered into under the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93-638) and
its amendments; or in a program assisted under Title V of the IHCIA).
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. Social Work--Master's degree.
J. Chemical Dependency Counseling--Master's degree.
K. Clinical Psychology--Ph.D. or PsyD.
L. Counseling Psychology--Ph.D.
M. Optometry--OD.
[[Page 3012]]
N. Pharmacy--PharmD.
O. Podiatry--DPM.
P. Physical Therapy--MS, DPT.
2. Review and Selection Process.
The applications will be reviewed and scored by the IHS Scholarship
Program's Application Review Committee appointed by the IHS. Reviewers
will not be allowed to review an application from their area or their
own Tribe. Each application will be reviewed by three reviewers. The
average score of the three reviews provides the final ranking score for
each applicant. To determine the ranking of each applicant, these
scores are sorted from the highest to the lowest within each
scholarship health discipline by date of graduation and score. If
several students have the same date of graduation and score within the
same discipline, the computer will randomly sort the ranking list and
will not sort by alphabetical name. Selections are then made from the
top of each ranking list to the extent that funds allocated by the IHS
among the three scholarships are available for obligation.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
It is anticipated that recipients applying for extension of their
scholarship funding will be notified in writing during the first week
of June 2017 and new applicants will be notified in writing during the
first week of July 2017. An Award Letter will be issued to successful
applicants. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing, which
will include a brief explanation of the reason(s) the application was
not successful and provide the name of the IHS official to contact if
more information is desired.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Regulations at 42 CFR 136.304 provide that the IHS shall, from time
to time, publish a list of allied health professions eligible for
consideration for the award of IHS Indian Health Professions
Preparatory and Pre-graduate Scholarships and IHS Indian Health
Professions Scholarships. Section 104(b)(1) of the IHCIA, 25 U.S.C.
1613a(b)(1), authorizes the IHS to determine the distribution of
scholarships among the health professions.
Awards for the Indian Health Professions Scholarships will be made
in accordance with the IHCIA, 25 U.S.C. 1613a and 42 C.F.R Sec. Sec.
136.330-136.334. Awardees shall incur a service obligation prescribed
under the IHCIA, Section 1613a(b), which shall be met by service,
through full-time clinical practice (as detailed on page 18 of the IHS
Scholarship Program Service Commitment Handbook at https://www.ihs.gov/scholarship/handbooks/service_commitment_handbook.pdf):
(1) In the IHS;
(2) In a program conducted under a contract or compact entered into
under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (Pub.
L. 93-638) and its amendments;
(3) In a program assisted under Title V of the Indian Health Care
Improvement Act (Pub. L. 94-437) and its amendments; or
(4) In a private practice option of his or her profession if the
practice (a) is situated in a health professional shortage area,
designated in regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Health and
Human Services (Secretary) and (b) addresses the health care needs of a
substantial number (75% of the total served) of Indians as determined
by the Secretary in accordance with guidelines of the Service.
Pursuant to the IHCIA Section 1613a(b)(3)(C), an awardee of an IHS
Health Professions Scholarship may, at the election of the awardee,
meet his/her service obligation prescribed under IHCIA Section 1613a(b)
by a program specified in options (1)-(4) above that:
(i) Is located on the reservation of the Tribe in which the awardee
is enrolled; or
(ii) Serves the Tribe in which the awardee is enrolled, if there is
an open vacancy available in the discipline for which the awardee was
funded under the IHS Health Professions Scholarship during the required
90-day placement period.
In summary, all awardees of the Indian Health Professions
Scholarship are reminded that acceptance of this scholarship will
result in a service obligation required by both statute and contract,
which must be performed, through full-time clinical practice, at an
approved service payback facility. The IHS Director (Director) reserves
the right to make final decisions regarding assignment of scholarship
recipients to fulfill their service obligation.
Moreover, the Director has the authority to make the final
determination, designating a facility, whether managed and operated by
IHS, or one of its Tribal or urban Indian partners, consistent with
IHCIA, as approved for scholar obligated service payback.
3. Reporting
Scholarship Program Minimum Academic Requirements
It is the policy of the IHS that a scholarship awardee funded under
the Indian Health Professions Scholarship Program of the IHCIA must
maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA, remain in good academic standing each
semester/trimester/quarter, maintain full-time student status
(institutional definition of ``minimum hours'' constituting full-time
enrollment applies) or part-time student status (institutional
definition of ``minimum and maximum'' hours constituting part-time
enrollment applies) for the entire academic year, as indicated on the
scholarship application submitted for that academic year. The Health
Professions Scholarship awardee may not change his or her enrollment
status between terms of enrollment during the same academic year unless
approved in advance by the Branch Chief of Scholarships. New recipients
may request a Leave of Absence during the first year on a case by case
basis. New recipients may not request a leave of absence prior to the
start of the first academic year. All requests for leave of absence are
to be approved in advance by the Director, Division of Health
Professions Support. All leave of absence requests during the first
year must include the following. A written request from the scholarship
recipient, an official letter from the academic program administrator
supporting the leave of absence and certification from the academic
program that the scholar recipient has been approved a leave of
absence, has not been removed or withdrawn from the academic program
and will be fully returned to the original academic program upon return
from the approved leave of absence. In addition to these requirements,
a Health Professions Scholarship awardee must be enrolled in an
approved/accredited school for a health professions degree.
An awardee of a scholarship under the IHS Health Professions
Preparatory and Health Professions Pre-graduate Scholarship authority
must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA, remain in good standing
each semester/trimester/quarter and be a full-time student
(institutional definition of ``minimum hours'' constituting full-time
enrollment applies, typically 12 credit hours per semester) or a part-
time student (institutional definition of ``minimum and maximum'' hours
constituting part-time enrollment applies, typically 6-11 credit
hours). The Preparatory and Pre-graduate awardee may not change from
part-time status to full-time status or vice versa in
[[Page 3013]]
the same academic year unless approved in advance by the Branch Chief
of Scholarships. New recipients may not request a Leave of Absence
prior to the start of the first academic year.
The following reports must be sent to the IHSSP at the identified
time frame. Each scholarship awardee will have access to online Student
and Service Commitment Handbooks and required program forms and
instructions on when, how, and to whom these must be submitted, by
logging into the IHSSP Web site at www.ihs.gov/scholarship. If a
scholarship awardee fails to submit these forms and reports as
required, they will be ineligible for continuation of scholarship
support and scholarship award payments will be discontinued.
A. Recipient's and Initial Progress Report
Within thirty (30) days from the beginning of each semester/
trimester/quarter, scholarship awardees must submit a Recipient's
Initial Program Progress Report (Form IHS-856-8, found on the IHS
Scholarship Program Web site at https://www.ihs.gov/scholarship/programresources/studentforms/).
B. Transcripts
Within thirty (30) days from the end of each academic period, i.e.,
semester/trimester/quarter, or summer session, scholarship awardees
must submit an Official Transcript showing the results of the classes
taken during that period.
C. Notification of Academic Problem
If at any time during the semester/trimester/quarter, scholarship
awardees are advised to reduce the number of credit hours for which
they are enrolled below the minimum of the 12 (or the number of hours
considered by their school as full-time) for a full-time student or at
least six hours for part-time students, or if they experience academic
problems, they must submit this report (Form IHS-856-9, found on the
IHS Scholarship Program Web site at www.ihs.gov/scholarship).
D. Change of Status
Change of Academic Status
Scholarship awardees must immediately notify their Scholarship
Program Analyst if they are placed on academic probation, dismissed
from school, or voluntarily withdraw for any reason (personal or
medical).
Change of Health Discipline
Scholarship awardees may not change from the approved IHSSP health
discipline during the school year. If an unapproved change is made,
scholarship payments will be discontinued.
Change in Graduation Date
Any time that a change occurs in a scholarship awardee's expected
graduation date, they must notify their Scholarship Program Analyst
immediately in writing. Justification must be attached from the school
advisor. Approvals must be made by the Branch Chief of Scholarships.
VII. Agency Contacts
1. Questions on the application process may be directed to the
appropriate IHS Area Scholarship Coordinator.
2. Questions on other programmatic matters may be addressed to:
Chief, Scholarship Program, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: OHR (11E53A),
Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 443-6197 (This is not a
toll-free number).
3. Questions on payment information may be directed to: Mr. Craig
Boswell, Grants Scholarship Coordinator, Division of Grants Management,
Indian Health Service, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: (07E57B),
Rockville, Maryland 20857, Telephone: (301) 443-0243 (This is not a
toll-free number).
VIII. Other Information
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the
health promotion and disease prevention objectives of Healthy People
2020, a PHS-led activity for setting priority areas. This program
announcement is related to the priority area of Education and
Community-Based Programs. Potential applicants may download a copy of
Healthy People 2020 from https://www.healthypeople.gov.
Interested individuals are reminded that the list of eligible
health and allied professions is effective for applicants for the 2017-
2018 academic year. These priorities will remain in effect until
superseded. Applicants who apply for health career categories not
listed as priorities during the current scholarship cycle will not be
considered for a scholarship award.
Dated: January 3, 2017.
Elizabeth A. Fowler,
Deputy Director for Management, Operations Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-00257 Filed 1-9-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-16-P
