Grants to States for Loan Repayment

 

To increase the availability of primary health care clinicians in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) by assisting States in operating programs for the repayment of educational loans of health professionals in return for their practice in HPSAs.

Active 93.165 Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services B - Project Grants; C - Direct Payments For Specified Use Fiscal Year 2018 Since its inception in 1972, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has worked to support qualified health care providers dedicated to working in underserved communities in urban, rural, and tribal areas. Across the nation, NHSC clinicians serve patients in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) – communities with limited access to health care. As of September 30, 2018, there were 6,815 primary care HPSAs, 5,632 dental HPSAs, and 4,929 mental health HPSAs. The NHSC seeks clinicians who demonstrate a commitment to serve the Nation’s medically underserved populations at NHSC-approved sites located in HPSAs. NHSC-approved sites provide care to individuals regardless of ability to pay; currently, there are over 16,400 NHSC-approved sites. Eligible sites include Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and FQHC Look-Alikes, American Indian and Native Alaska health clinics, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals and hospitals managed or owned by the Indian Health Service (IHS), school-based clinics, mobile units, free clinics, community mental health centers, state or local health departments, community outpatient facilities, federal facilities such as the Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, IHS, and private practices. In particular, the NHSC has partnered closely with HRSA-supported FQHCs to help meet their staffing needs. Over 60 percent of NHSC clinicians serve in Health Centers around the nation, and 15 percent of clinical staff at FQHCs are NHSC clinicians. The NHSC also places clinicians in other community-based systems of care that serve underserved populations, targeting HPSAs of greatest need. As of September 30, 2018, there are 10,939 primary care medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health practitioners providing service nationwide.
Fiscal Year 2021 Since its inception in 1972, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has worked to support qualified health care providers dedicated to working in underserved communities in urban, rural, and tribal areas. Across the nation, NHSC clinicians serve patients in HPSAs – communities with limited access to health care. As of September 30, 2021, there were 7,447 primary care HPSAs, 6,678 dental HPSAs, and 5,930 mental health HPSAs. The NHSC seeks clinicians who demonstrate a commitment to serve the Nation’s medically underserved populations at NHSC-approved sites located in HPSAs. NHSC-approved sites provide care to individuals regardless of ability to pay; currently, there are over 16,400 NHSC-approved sites. Eligible sites include Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and FQHC Look-Alikes, American Indian and Native Alaska health clinics, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals and hospitals managed or owned by the Indian Health Service (IHS), school-based clinics, mobile units, free clinics, community mental health centers, state or local health departments, community outpatient facilities, federal facilities such as the Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, IHS, and private practices. In particular, the NHSC has partnered closely with HRSA-supported FQHCs to help meet their staffing needs. Over 60 percent of NHSC clinicians serve in Health Centers around the nation, and 15 percent of clinical staff at FQHCs are NHSC clinicians. The NHSC also places clinicians in other community-based systems of care that serve underserved populations, targeting HPSAs of greatest need. As of September 30, 2020, there are more than 13,000 primary care medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health practitioners providing service nationwide. In FY 2021, the States Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) Total Field Strength is 2,246., a 4.6% increase from FY 2020 Field strength of 2,146.
Fiscal Year 2022 Since its inception in 1972, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) has worked to support qualified health care providers dedicated to working in underserved communities in urban, rural, and tribal areas. Across the nation, NHSC clinicians serve patients in HPSAs – communities with limited access to health care. As of September 30, 2022, there were 7,037 primary care HPSAs, 6,304 dental HPSAs, and 5,839 mental health HPSAs. The NHSC seeks clinicians who demonstrate a commitment to serve the Nation’s medically underserved populations at NHSC-approved sites located in HPSAs. NHSC-approved sites provide care to individuals regardless of ability to pay; currently, there are over 16,400 NHSC-approved sites. Eligible sites include Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and FQHC Look-Alikes, American Indian and Native Alaska health clinics, rural health clinics, critical access hospitals and hospitals managed or owned by the Indian Health Service (IHS), school-based clinics, mobile units, free clinics, community mental health centers, state or local health departments, community outpatient facilities, federal facilities such as the Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, IHS, and private practices. In particular, the NHSC has partnered closely with HRSA-supported FQHCs to help meet their staffing needs. Over 60 percent of NHSC clinicians serve in Health Centers around the nation, and 15 percent of clinical staff at FQHCs are NHSC clinicians. The NHSC also places clinicians in other community-based systems of care that serve underserved populations, targeting HPSAs of greatest need. As of September 30, 2022, there are more than 16,000 primary care medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health practitioners providing service nationwide. Public Health Service Act, Title III, Section 338I, 42 U.S.C. 254 q-1(h), as amended
Section 2602 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L.117-2)
Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-10) Eligible entities include the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Applicants for State programs must have completed a course of study required to practice independently without supervision as one of the following health care professionals: Doctor of Allopathic Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine, General Practice Dentist (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Pediatric Dentist, Primary Care Certified Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse-Midwife, Primary Care Registered Nurse, Pharmacist, Primary Care Physician Assistant, Registered Clinical Dental Hygienist, Health Service Psychologist (formerly Clinical or Counseling Psychologist (Ph.D. or equivalent), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (master's or doctoral degree in social work), Psychiatric Nurse Specialist, Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor (master's or doctoral degree with a major study in counseling), Marriage and Family Therapist (master's or doctoral degree with a major study in marriage and family therapy),Registered Nurse and Pharmacist. The primary care specialties approvable for physicians are: family medicine (and osteopathic general practice), internal medicine, including geriatricians, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and geriatrics and general psychiatry. General practitioners (physicians who have not completed residency training programs) are not eligible for funding under the SLRP. The primary care specialties approval for registered nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are: adult, family, pediatrics, psychiatry/mental health, geriatrics, or women's health. Participants must provide full-time clinical service for a minimum of two years in a public or non-profit entity located in a federally designated HPSA. Refer to the NHSC SLRP Notice of Funding Opportunity for specific requirements. B - Project Grants. Applicants should review the individual HRSA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcement issued under this assistance listing for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. HRSA requires all applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov. Notification is made in writing by Notice of Award Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 120 to 180 days. Approximately 120 to 180 days after receipt of application. Not applicable. Not applicable. Procedures for assessing the technical merit of grant applications have been instituted to provide an objective review of applications and to assist the applicant in understanding the standards against which each application will be judged. Critical indicators have been developed for each review criterion to assist the applicant in presenting pertinent information related to that criterion and to provide the reviewer with a standard for evaluation. Competing applications are reviewed by non-Federal expert consultant(s) for technical merit recommendations. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated against the following criteria: (1) Purpose and Need; (2) Response to Program Purpose; (3) Impact; (4) Organizational Information, Resources and Capabilities; and (5) Support Requested. See the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity for detailed selection criteria. Funds under this grant must only be used to repay the qualifying educational loans of health professionals who have entered into a SLRP contract with the States. Not applicable. Not applicable. Recipients are required to maintain grant accounting records 3 years after the date they submit the Federal Financial Report (FFR). If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the award has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is mandatory. For the FY 22 American Rescue Plan Act funding, new program flexibilities include: (1) A maximum of 10 percent of funding may be requested per year for administrative and management of the program; e.g. Project staff time, indirect costs, etc.; and (2) Cost-Sharing Requirement – In the upcoming SLRP competition, States will not be required to demonstrate a $1 for $1 match for the federal funding received through the grant. However, States are encouraged to secure some level of funding match through public or private entities. The additional effort may assure funding sources to support the continuity of the State’s primary care workforce that may require a match beyond FY 2026.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. This funding opportunity provides support for a 4-year project period. States are asked to commit the full amount of funding for their loan repayment awards to practitioners in the current fiscal year to avoid out-year commitments for additional Federal funds. Recipients drawdown funds, as necessary, from the Payment Management System (PMS). PMS is the centralized web based payment system for HHS awards. None/Not specified. Paula Gumbs, Quality Assurance Branch, Division of National Health Service Corps, Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857 US
pgumbs@hrsa.gov
Phone: (301) 443-7581 https://nhsc.hrsa.gov 75-0350-0-1-550 (Project Grants) FY 22$33,229,300.00; FY 23 est $366,903,202.00; FY 24 est $0.00; FY 21$18,939,226.00; FY 20$19,785,850.00; FY 19$18,979,864.00; FY 18$12,485,936.00; FY 17$12,633,936.00; FY 16$13,070,603.00; - (FY 2023 ARPA) FY 22 (ARPA) awards (actual) ranged from $174,000 to $1,000,000, with an average award of $664,585. FY23 (ARPA) awards (est.) range from $1148,000 to $2,000,000 with an anticipated average award of $1,329,170. FY24 (ARPA) awards (est.) forward funded in FY23. All administrative and audit requirements and the cost principles that govern Federal monies associated with this activity will be subject to the Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 as codified by HHS at 45 CFR 75. HRSA awards are also subject to the requirements of the HHS Grants Policy Statement (HHS GPS) that are applicable based on recipient type and purpose of award. The HHS GPS is available at http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/hhsgrantspolicy.pdf. Not applicable.