42 USC 295f-1 - Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

§ 295f–1.

Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program

(a)

Establishment

(b)

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in the Program, an individual shall—

(1)

(A)

(i)

be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as a student in an accredited institution of higher education or school of public health in the final semester (or equivalent) of a program leading to a certificate or degree, including a master’s or doctoral degree, in public health, epidemiology, laboratory sciences, data systems, data science, data analytics, informatics, statistics, or another subject matter related to public health; and

(ii)

be employed by, or have accepted employment with, a State, local, or Tribal public health agency, or a related training fellowship at such State, local, or Tribal public health agency, as recognized by the Secretary, to commence upon graduation; or

(B)

(i)

have graduated, during the preceding 10-year period, from an accredited institution of higher education or school of public health and received a certificate or degree, including a master’s or doctoral degree, in public health, epidemiology, laboratory sciences, data systems, data science, data analytics, informatics, statistics, or another subject matter related to public health; and

(ii)

be employed by, or have accepted employment with, a State, local, or Tribal public health agency or a related training fellowship at such State, local, or Tribal public health agency, as recognized by the Secretary;

(2)

be a United States citizen; and

(3)

(A)

submit an application to the Secretary to participate in the Program;

(B)

execute a written contract as required in subsection (c); and

(4)

not have received, for the same service, a reduction of loan obligations under section 1087e(m), 1078–10, 1078–11, 1078–12, or 1087j of title 20.

(c)

Contract

The written contract (referred to in this section as the “written contract”) between the Secretary and an individual shall contain—

(1)

an agreement on the part of the Secretary that the Secretary will repay on behalf of the individual loans incurred by the individual in the pursuit of the relevant degree or certificate in accordance with the terms of the contract;

(2)

an agreement on the part of the individual that the individual will serve in the full-time employment of a State, local, or Tribal public health agency or a related fellowship program in a position related to the course of study or program for which the contract was awarded for a period of time (referred to in this section as the “period of obligated service”) of at least 3 consecutive years;

(3)

an agreement, as appropriate, on the part of the individual to relocate to a priority service area (as determined by the Secretary) in exchange for an additional loan repayment incentive amount to be determined by the Secretary;

(4)

a provision that any financial obligation of the United States arising out of a contract entered into under this section and any obligation of the individual that is conditioned thereon, is contingent on funds being appropriated for loan repayments under this section;

(5)

a statement of the damages to which the United States is entitled,1

 So in original. The comma probably should not appear.

under this section for the individual’s breach of the contract; and

(6)

such other statements of the rights and liabilities of the Secretary and of the individual, not inconsistent with this section.

(d)

Payments

(1)

In general

(2)

Payments for years served

(A)

In general

(B)

Considerations

The Secretary may take action in making awards under this section to ensure that—

(i)

an appropriate proportion of contracts are awarded to individuals who are eligible to participate in the program pursuant to subsection (b)(1)(A); and

(ii)

contracts awarded under this section are equitably distributed among—

(I)

the geographical regions of the United States;

(II)

local, State, and Tribal public health departments; and

(III)

such public health departments under subclause (II) serving rural and urban areas.

(3)

Tax liability

(e)

Postponing obligated service

(f)

Breach of contract

(g)

Eligible loans

The loans eligible for repayment under this section are each of the following:

(1)

Any loan for education or training for employment by a health department.

(2)

Any loan under part E of subchapter VI (relating to nursing student loans).

(3)

Any Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, or Federal Direct Consolidation Loan (as such terms are used in section 455 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 1087e]).

(4)

Any Federal Perkins Loan under part E of title I 2

 So in original. Probably should be “part E of title IV”.

of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

(5)

Any other Federal loan, as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(h)

Pilot program

(1)

In general

The Secretary shall, as appropriate, establish a pilot program, to be known as the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program, to provide for loan repayment for health professionals with expertise in infectious diseases and emergency preparedness and response activities to ensure an adequate supply of such professionals. Such program shall be administered consistent with the requirements of this section, except that, to be eligible to participate in the pilot program, an individual shall—

(A)

(i)

be accepted for enrollment, or be enrolled, as a student in an accredited institution of higher education in the final semester (or equivalent) of a program leading to a health professions degree or certificate program relevant to such program; or

(ii)

have graduated, during the preceding 10-year period, from an accredited institution of higher education with a health professions degree or certificate program relevant to such program; and

(B)

be employed by, or have accepted employment with—

(i)

a Federal health care facility;

(ii)

a nonprofit health care facility that is located in a health professional shortage area (as defined in section 254e of this title), a frontier health professional shortage area (as defined in section 295p of this title), or a medically underserved community (as defined in section 295p of this title);

(iii)

an entity receiving assistance under subchapter XXIV for the provision of clinical services;

(iv)

a health program, or a facility, operated by an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as those terms are defined in section 5304 of title 25) or by an urban Indian organization (as defined in section 1603 of title 25); or

(v)

another relevant entity determined appropriate by the Secretary, as a health professional with expertise in infectious diseases or emergency preparedness and response.

(2)

Non-duplication of effort

(3)

Evaluation and report to Congress

(A)

In general

(B)

Report

(i)

In general

(ii)

Recommendation

(i)

Authorization of appropriations

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 776, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5204, Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 609; amended Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title II, § 2221(a), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5741.)

cite as: 42 USC 295f-1