[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 112 (Wednesday, June 11, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34981-34982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-14681]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Chiropractor and Pharmacist Loan Repayment Demonstration Project

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HHS.

ACTION: General notice.

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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 
announces that applications from qualified chiropractors and 
pharmacists who agree to serve underserved populations in Primary Care 
Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) throughout the Nation will 
be accepted by the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) for loan 
repayment awards. A two-year service commitment is required. There is 
no guarantee that participants in this demonstration project will have 
an opportunity to continue their service and loan repayments beyond the 
initial two-year service period. Chiropractors and pharmacists, with 
qualifying educational loans, must serve at organized primary health 
care sites in Primary Care HPSAs that have another NHSC clinician on 
staff who will be concurrently fulfilling an NHSC service commitment 
through the scholarship or loan repayment program and who is licensed 
to prescribe medications.
    This demonstration project will include an evaluation component to 
determine whether adding chiropractors and pharmacists as permanent 
NHSC members would enhance the effectiveness of the NHSC. A maximum of 
36 individuals will be awarded loan repayment contracts under this 
demonstration project.
    Purpose: Eligible chiropractors and pharmacists will participate in 
the Loan Repayment Demonstration Project to determine whether their 
services will enhance the effectiveness of the NHSC.
    Legislative Authority: These applications are solicited under 
section 338L of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, as amended by Pub. 
L. 107-251.
    Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants must (1) be citizens or 
nationals of the United States, (2) possess a current unrestricted 
license to practice as a chiropractor or pharmacist in the State in 
which they intend to practice, (3) be negotiating or have secured 
employment at an eligible community site, and (4) meet the additional 
eligibility requirements outlined in the application materials. 
Chiropractors must also have a doctor of chiropractic degree from a 
four-year chiropractic college that is currently fully accredited by 
the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic 
Education, and successfully passed the entire examination by the 
National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Pharmacists must also have a 
baccalaureate or doctor of pharmacy degree from a school that is 
currently fully accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical 
Education.
    Funding Priorities or Preferences: Priority will be given to (A) 
applicants who have characteristics that increase the probability of 
their continuing to practice in HPSAs after they have completed 
service, and (B) subject to paragraph (A), applicants from 
disadvantaged backgrounds. A funding preference will also be given to 
applicants serving Primary Care HPSAs

[[Page 34982]]

of greatest shortage (based on the HPSA scores).
    Statutory Matching or Cost Sharing Requirement: None.
    Review Criteria: Loan repayment applications will be evaluated to 
determine: (1) The eligibility of the applicant, and (2) the 
applicant's priority for funding.
    Estimated Amount of this Competition: $3,000,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 36.
    Estimated or Average Size of Each Award: $75,000.
    Estimated Project Period: 2 years.
    Application Requests, Availability, Dates and Addresses: 
Application materials are available for downloading via the web at 
http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov. Applicants may also request a hard copy of 
the application materials by contacting the National Health Service 
Corps at 1-800-221-9393. All applications must be submitted in hard 
copy format. Only the original signed copy of the application is 
required for submission. In order to be considered for an award, 
applications from chiropractors and pharmacists must be postmarked, or 
delivered to the HRSA National Health Service Corps, by no later than 
July 11, 2003. Completed applications must be mailed or delivered to: 
Division of National Health Service Corps, NHSC Loan Repayment Program, 
c/o I.Q. Solutions, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 801, Rockville, MD, 
20852. Applicants should request a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service 
postmark or obtain a legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or 
U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks shall not be acceptable 
as proof of timely mailing. Applications postmarked or submitted after 
the deadline date, or sent to any other address other than that above, 
will be returned to the applicant and not processed. NHSC will 
acknowledge receipt of the application if the applicant chooses to 
complete the notification postcard that is included in the application 
materials.
    Application Availability Date: June 11, 2003.
    Application Deadline: July 11, 2003.
    Projected Award Date: September 30, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NHSC Loan Repayment Program, 12312-A 
Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland, 20852. Telephone: 1-800-221-9393. 
E-mail: [email protected].
    Paperwork Reduction Act: The application for the Chiropractor and 
Pharmacist Loan Repayment Demonstration Project has been approved by 
the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act. 
The OMB clearance number is 0915-0127. Should the evaluation component 
involve data collection activities that fall under the purview of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act, OMB clearance will be sought.
    The program is not subject to the provision of Executive Order 
12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (as implemented 
through 45 CFR part 100).

    Dated: May 22, 2003.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 03-14681 Filed 6-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P