In FY 07, 24 competing awards were made. It is expected that approximately 24 continuation awards will be made in FY 08.

Uses and Use Restrictions

State programs are to be similar to 93.162, the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program.

Similar provisions include: (1) Applicants for State programs must have completed a course of study required to practice as one of the following health care professionals: allopathic or osteopathic physician, dentist, nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, psychiatric nurse specialist, marriage and family therapist, licensed professional counselor or dental hygienist; and (2) 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 health professional shortage area.

The Federal share of the support for State programs cannot exceed 50 percent of the contract costs.

The State's 50 percent share must be spent for repayment of loans and the State must absorb program administrative costs.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

The term "State" means each of the fifty States.

Any State is eligible to apply for a grant.

Beneficiary Eligibility

State governments will benefit by securing the services of health professionals for health professional shortage areas in States. This program will also benefit health professions practitioners whose loans would be repaid for service in HPSAs under the State Loan Repayment Program.

Credentials/Documentation

Applicants should review the individual HRSA Guidance documents issued under this CFDA program for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

This program is eligible for coverage under E.O.

12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

An applicant should consult the office of the official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedures

Grant applications and required forms for this program can be obtained from Grants.gov. Please visit the Grants.gov Web site at www.grants.gov to both find and apply for all Federal grant opportunities. All qualified applications will be forwarded to an objective review committee which will make funding recommendations to the Associate Administrator for the Bureau of Health Professions. The Associate Administrator has the authority to make final selections for awards.

Award Procedures

Grant applications will be given an objective review. Final award decisions will be made by the Director of the Bureau of Health Professions.

Deadlines

www.hrsa.gov .

Authorization

Public Health Service Act, Title III, Section 3381, 42 U.S.C. 254 q-1.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approximately 120 days.

Appeals

None.

Renewals

Subsequent funding depends upon the availability of funds and program performance. Renewals are funded through a competitive process each year.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

The Federal share of any program may not exceed 50 percent of the cost of loan repayment contracts made to eligible providers. The Federal share must be used to repay the government and commercial loans of health professionals for tuition, educational expenses and living expenses described in Section 338B(g)(1) of the Public Health Service Act. Other Federal funds cannot be used for the non-federal cost participation. No portion of the Federal share shall be used to pay for administrative or management costs of any State Loan Repayment Program. The non-federal share is to be issued for the repayment of loans. States must assume administrative costs.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

A grant award is for 1 year. Applicants may propose a project period of up to 3 years. 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.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Recipient States must submit a biannual Uniform Progress Report, and final progress report along with an annual financial report in the format approved under OMB Circular No.

0915-0004.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

All records must be maintained until expiration of 3 years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions remain following the 3-uear period, such as those raised as a result of an audit or an on-going enforcement action, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-0350-0-1-550.

Obigations

(Grants) FY 07 $6,965,172; FY 08 est $7,000,000; and FY 09 est not available.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

(FY 2007) $100,000 to $1,000,000; $302,834 average.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR Part 92 for State, local and tribal governments and 45 CFR Part 74 for institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofit organizations and commercial organizations, as applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

Elsie Quinones, Acting Chief, Geriatrics and Public Health Branch, Division of Diversity and Interdisciplinary Education, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9-36, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: 301-443-5244 and Email equinones@hrsa.gov.

Headquarters Office

Grants Management Office: Rick Goodman, Director, Division of Grants Management Operations, Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 11A-16. Health Services Branch: Telephone: (301) 443-2385; Research and Training Branch: Telephone: (301) 443-3099; Government and Special Focus Branch: Telephone: (301) 443-3288.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

For new and competing continuation grants the following criteria will be used to evaluate State applications to determine which States are to be supported under this notice: (a) The extent of the State's need for health professionals consistent with the health professions and specialties identified later in this notice; (b) the extent to which special consideration will be extended to federally designated HPSAs with large minority populations; (c) the number and type of providers the State proposes to support through this program; (d) the appropriateness of the proposed placements of State LRP recipients (e.g., consistency and coordination with State-based plans to improve access to primary health services for the underserved communities and individuals); (e) the appropriateness of the qualifications, the administrative, and managerial ability of the staff to implement the proposed project; (f) the suitability of the State's approach and the degree to which the plan of a State is coordinated with Federal, State, and other programs for meeting the State's health professional needs and resources, including mechanisms for ongoing evaluation of the program's activities; (g) the source and plans for the use of the nonfederal match (the degree to which the nonfederal match exceeds the minimum requirements or has increased over time and the amount of the match relative to the needs and resources of the State); (h) for competing continuation applicants only, the grantee's progress in achieving stated goals and objectives for the previous year's grant; this includes a progress report on the impact the State LRP placements have had on the State's short-term and long-term professional needs: (i) an assessment of the reasons for initial breaches by health professionals of repayment contracts; and (j) the grantee's history of compliance with reporting requirements. Noncompeting continuation applications will be evaluated on the grantee's progress in achieving stated goals and objectives for the previous year's grant; this includes a progress report on the impact the State LRP placements have had on the State's short-term and long-term professional needs: (i) and assessment of the reasons for initial breaches by health professionals of repayment contracts; and (ii) the grantee's history of compliance with reporting requirements.