Important Information on the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program: New money available now!

The Health Resources and Services Administration is now accepting applications for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program. These new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds provide almost $200 million to support about 3,300 clinicians. Beginning June 2, 2009, through September 2010 (or as funding permits) the awards will be available on a first come, first served basis.

To apply the provider must have "qualifying educational loans" and be one of the following types of primary health care clinicians:

• Allopathic or osteopathic physicians
• Certified nurse practitioners
• Certified nurse midwives
• Physician assistants
• General practice dentists
• Pediatric dentists
• Dental hygienists
• Health service psychologists
• Licensed clinical social workers
• Psychiatric nurse specialists
• Marriage and family therapists
• Licensed professional counselors 
   

NHSC awards up to $50,000 for loan repayment to primary health care clinicians working with the underserved. The minimum commitment is for two years. Application information is online.

The site MUST be an approved National Health Service Corps site before a clinician may apply. Clinics must be located in a Health Professional Shortage Area and have a sliding fee scale, these are absolute requirements.

• Health Professional Shortage Areas in Minnesota
• Federal Health Professional Shortage Area information
• NHSC information on a sliding fee scale is online (pdf:220KB/15pgs).

If you are currently an approved NHSC site, make sure your opportunities are up to date by reviewing the vacancies listed for your facility. 

If you are not an approved site, visit the NHSC site to review eligibility criteria and access an application.

You are strongly encouraged to participate in the NHSC Loan Repayment Program. Federal analysts foresee that most if not all eligible sites will be awarded. HPSA thresholds are also being relaxed to maximize the reach of the program. Some important program notes:

• Facilities with HPSA scores of 14-26 will be given up to 15 vacancies per profession, HPSA scores from 10-13 up to 12 vacancies, and HPSA scores of 0-9 up to 10 vacancies. 
• The 15-month open and continuous application cycle will be defined by six consideration periods. During each consideration period the sites with highest scores will have priority until funding runs out. 
• It is still a first-come-first-served process, so that a site with a “very low score” that applies during the first consideration period has in theory a higher chance of getting awarded than a high scoring site applying later.
• Clinicians must be employed within 30 days from the cycle of which they applied. If not, they will roll over into another application cycle until they can obtain employment. 
• Clinicians who already applied in the January cycle will be the first to be considered and will not have to reapply.

More information is on the National Health Service Corps Web site or call (800) 221-9393.

For technical assistance for Minnesota participation, contact Deb Jahnke at debra.jahnke@state.mn.us or (651) 201-3845.

Return to the Loan Forgiveness Programs in Minnesota Web page.

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