Scholarships, Loans, and Loan Repayment for Rural Health Professions – Resources

National Health Service Corps Site Reference Guide
Provides clarification for National Health Service Corps (NHSC) sites regarding eligibility requirements, qualification factors, compliance, roles and responsibilities, and other factors for becoming an NHSC approved site. Acts as a supplemental resource to the information provided in the online NHSC Site Application.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Service-Contingent Federal Student Loan Forgiveness and Loan Repayment Programs
Provides an overview of service-contingent federal student loan forgiveness and repayment programs, including those administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Includes a table outlining each program's administering agency, service requirements, maximum amount repaid or forgiven, statutory citation, and more.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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RPHWTN Grantees Help Rural Healthcare Facilities Keep Local Talent
Highlights the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network and its focus on expanding workforce capacity in rural and tribal areas. Features a career ladder program in Missouri, a respiratory therapy training program in Texas, and a health IT training program in Virginia.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Federal Student Loan Repayment Programs for Behavioral Health Service Providers
Provides an overview of Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)-administered federal student loan repayment programs available to behavioral health providers. Addresses program components, benefits, Congressional appropriations for these programs for fiscal year 2022, and policy issues for Congress to consider.
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program: Too Early to Determine Effects of Allowing Recipients to Serve at For-Profit Facilities
Provides an overview of the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program as well as how the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) manages the program. Examines the effects of eliminating the restrictions on program participants working at for-profit facilities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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National Health Service Corps: Program Directs Funding to Areas with Greatest Provider Shortages
Provides an overview of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) programs. Examines data for fiscal year 2020 on the number of NHSC providers and where they served, the number and characteristics of applicants that did not receive funding, the number of NHSC sites with vacancies, and information about the effectiveness of NHSC programs at alleviating provider shortages.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2021
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Student Loan Programs Authorized by the Public Health Service Act: An Overview
Provides an overview of student loan programs for health profession students authorized by the Public Health Service Act and administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Describes borrower eligibility requirements, loan terms and conditions, and administrative rules. Includes a table comparing the programs by borrower type, repayment terms, the number of participating schools, and the number and financial amount of outstanding loans.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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National Health Service Corps Report to Congress for the Year 2020
Details program accomplishments of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), provides updates on Health Professional Shortage Area designations, explains recruitment efforts for NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs, provides estimates on number of patients seen by NHSC clinicians, and details short- and long-term retention rates. Features state-by-state data with breakdowns by urban and rural locations.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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National Health Services Corps (NHSC) New Site Application Webinar for Rural Health Clinics
Recording of a June 30, 2020 webinar providing an overview of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) new site application process. Discusses the benefits of the NHSC program for outpatient facilities that provide primary care medical, dental, and/or mental and behavioral health services, site eligibility requirements, and how to apply as a new site. Part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Series.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript
Date: 06/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Rural Health Clinics
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Indian Health Service Programs – A Retention Analysis: Final Report
Examines retention of Indian Health Service Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program participants after their service, whether it varies by provider type, facility characteristics, and more. Compares retention for IHS programs to National Health Service Corps (NHSC) program retention.
Date: 09/2017
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, The Lewin Group, Inc.
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