FY
2004 Application Guidance | Critical
Shortage Facilities | Frequently
Asked Questions
The
FY 2005 Nursing Loan Repayment Program application is expected to
be available and linked from this Web page in mid-December.
No applications will be accepted until the application then. FY
2004 applicants will be notified by the end of October 2004 whether
or not they have been selected to receive an award. Awards are based
on availability of funds.
FY 2003
Statistics
- Because of
limited funding, 574 applications were funded initially and 28
existing contracts were amended in FY 2003 . All funded applicants
were employed under first preference, working in public health
departments, nursing homes or disproportionate share hospitals
and meeting NELRP criteria for greatest financial need. FY 2004
funding is expected to be comparable to FY 2003 levels.
- FY
2003 Awards by State
includes number of participants selected, total dollar amount
and number of awards by critical shortage facility type
About the
Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program
The Nursing
Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) offers registered nurses
substantial assistance to repay educational loans in exchange for
service in critical shortage facilities. Authorized by Section
846 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, the purpose of
the NELRP is to assist in the recruitment and retention of professional
nurses dedicated to providing health care to underserved populations.
Individual
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants
must meet the following eligibility requirements by the FY 2004
application due date, midnight ET February 25, 2004:
- Be a registered
nurse (RN)
- Have received
a baccalaureate or associate degree in nursing (or an equivalent
degree), a diploma in nursing or a graduate degree in nursing
from an accredited school of nursing
- Have unpaid
qualifying loans obtained for nursing education leading to a
degree or diploma in nursing
- Have completed
the nursing education program for which the loan balance applies
- Be a citizen,
national or permanent legal resident of the United States
- Be employed
full time (32 hours or more per week) at a critical
shortage facility
- Have a
current permanent unrestricted license as an RN in the State
in which they intend to practice or be authorized to practice
in that State pursuant to a Nurse
Licensure Compact
- Submit
a complete FY 2004 NELRP application, signed NELRP contract
and all required documentation by midnight ET of the application
due date, February 25, 2004
Individuals
not eligible to participate in NELRP
- Persons
who have a judgment lien against their property for a debt owed
to the United States are precluded from receiving Federal funds
(including NELRP funds), until the judgment lien has been paid
in full
- Persons
who have an existing service obligation including a sign-on
bonus and have an employment obligation to the employer that
will not be satisfied by the NELRP application due date, midnight
ET February 25, 2004
- Persons
who have breached an obligation for professional service to
a Federal, State, or local government entity
- Persons
who are in default of a Federal debt (e.g., student loans, delinquent
taxes, etc.)
- Nurses
who work for nurse staffing agencies or travel nurse agencies
- Nurses
who work on an "as needed" basis (PRN) are not considered
full-time employees for purposes of NELRP
- Persons
who have a temporary or inactive RN license
- Licensed
Practical/Vocational Nurses
- Graduate
nurses who are not licensed by the application due date
- Nursing
faculty and other nurses who work at educational institutions
Length
of Service Obligation
All NELRP
participants must enter into a contract agreeing to work full
time in an approved critical shortage facility. For two years
of service, the NELRP will pay 60 percent of the participant’s
total qualifying loan balance. A participant who agrees to serve
two years may be eligible to amend the NELRP contract and work
a third year at a critical shortage facility, for which the NELRP
will pay an additional 25 percent of the qualifying loan balance.
Contact: CallCenter@hrsa.gov
or 1-877-464-4772,
Monday through
Friday (except Federal holidays), 9 am to 5:30 pm ET
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