[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 74 (Wednesday, April 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19540-19541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7306]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

    This notice amends Part R of the Statement of Organization, 
Functions and Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration 
(HRSA) (60 FR 56605, as amended November 6, 1995, and as last amended 
September 21, 2004; 69 FR 56433-56445).
    This notice reflects organizational changes in the Health Resources 
and Services Administration. Specifically, this notice establishes the 
Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (RU) and moves the National 
Health Service Corps, the Nursing Scholarship Program, the Nursing 
Education Loan Repayment Program, the Faculty Loan Repayment Program, 
and the Native Hawaiian Scholarship Program from the Bureau of Health 
Professions (RP) to this newly established Bureau.

Chapter RU, Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service

Section RU, 00 Mission

    The mission of the Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service is 
to improve the health of the Nation's underserved communities and 
vulnerable populations by coordinating the recruitment and retention of 
caring health professionals in the healthcare system and supporting 
communities' efforts to build more integrated and sustainable systems 
of care.

Section RU, 10 Organization

    The Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service (BCRS) is headed by 
the Associate Administrator who reports directly to the Administrator, 
Health Resources and Services Administration. The BCRS includes the 
following components:
    (1) Office of the Associate Administrator (RU);
    (2) Legal & Compliance Office (RU1);
    (3) Division of Site and Clinician Recruitment (RU2);
    (4) Division of Applications and Awards (RU3); and
    (5) Division of Scholar and Clinician Support (RU4).

Section RU-20, Functions

Office of the Associate Administrator (RU)
    Provides overall leadership, direction, coordination, and planning 
in support of Bureau programs: The NHSC Scholarship Program, NHSC Loan 
Repayment Program, the Native

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Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program, the Nursing Scholarship Program, 
the Faculty Loan Repayment Program, and the Nursing Education Loan 
Repayment Program: (1) Establishes program goals, objectives and 
priorities, and provides oversight as to their execution; (2) plans, 
directs, coordinates and evaluates Bureau-wide management activities; 
(3) maintains effective relationships within HRSA and with other HHS 
organizations, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, and 
other public and private organizations concerned with improving the 
health status of the Nation's underserved communities and vulnerable 
populations by recruiting and retaining health care clinicians into 
service in areas of greatest need; (4) plans, directs and coordinates 
Bureau-wide administrative management activities, i.e., budget, 
personnel, procurements, delegations of authority, and has 
responsibilities related to the awarding of BCRS grant funds; and (5) 
oversees the development of BCRS program policies.
Legal and Compliance Office (RU1)
    (1) Analyzes, administers and manages procedures to perform 
responsibilities for the NHSC Scholarship Program, NHSC Loan Repayment 
Program (LRP), Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program, Nursing 
Scholarship Program, the Faculty Loan Repayment Program, and Nursing 
Education Loan Repayment Program for scholarship and loan repayment 
participants who have breached their service obligation, requested a 
waiver or suspension of their service obligation, or who are in default 
and have agreed to serve under a Forbearance Agreement, as a result of 
judgments, or signed Special Repayment Program Agreements; (2) reviews 
default recommendations; determines the action of default (breach of 
contract); notifies appropriate financial organization that a scholar 
or LRP participant has been placed in default, the reason for default, 
the date of default and the days of credit, if any, towards service 
obligation; and takes other appropriate actions; (3) provides 
programmatic information to Agency officials, the Office of the General 
Counsel, the Office of Inspector General, Division of Fiscal Services, 
and the Assistant United States Attorneys at the Department of Justice 
for trials, bankruptcy hearings, and other activities; (4) serves as a 
point of contact for responding to inquiries, disseminating information 
and providing technical assistance concerning defaults, waivers, 
suspensions and default payment obligations; and (5) develops and 
implements policies and procedures in conjunction with default 
reduction activities and other actions to maximize compliance with 
scholarship and loan repayment service obligations.
Division of Site and Clinician Recruitment (RU2)
    Works with sites located in Health Professional Shortage Areas 
(HPSA) to support recruitment, retention and effectiveness of BCRS 
clinicians. Specifically: (1) Conducts student, clinician and site 
recruitment and outreach activities; (2) provides oversight, processing 
and coordination of reviews of all BCRS site applications including the 
Ambassadors Program, J1-Visas, Ready Responders, Native Hawaiian Health 
Scholarship Program and demonstration projects; (3) maintains all 
vacancy management activities; (4) facilitates scholar placement; (5) 
conducts site application review; and (6) is responsible for all 
communication functions including but not limited to the Web site, HRSA 
Call Center and newsletters; and coordinates all Bureau conferences.
Division of Applications and Awards (RU3)
    The Division of Applications and Awards processes applications and 
makes awards for the NHSC Scholarship Program, the NHSC Loan Repayment 
Program, Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program, Nursing Scholarship 
Program, and the Faculty Loan Repayment Program. Specifically: (1) 
Reviews, ranks and selects participants for the scholarship and loan 
repayment programs; (2) serves as the point of contact for responding 
to inquiries, disseminating program information, and providing 
technical assistance pertaining to scholarship and loan repayment 
applications and awards; (3) awards scholarships and loan repayment 
contracts to individuals selected; (4) verifies and processes loan and 
lender related payments in prescribed manner; and (5) maintains current 
information on scholarship and loan repayment applications and awards 
through automated BCRS information systems.
Division of Scholar and Clinician Support (RU4)
    The Division of Scholar and Clinician Support initiates contact 
with and supports scholars entering the site selection phase and 
provides ongoing support to all clinicians with a formal affiliation 
with the BCRS. Assures contact with BCRS clinicians throughout their 
period of obligated service. Specifically: (1) Monitors, counsels, 
approves deferments, recommends suspensions and if necessary recommends 
defaults of all program participants; (2) monitors service and sites, 
coordinates technical assistance, processes transfer requests, 
reassignments, suspensions, and default recommendations, closes 
individual personnel files, issues completion certificates, and 
completes annual retention reports.

Section RU-30, Delegations of Authority

    All delegations of authority and re-delegations of authority made 
to HRSA officials that were in effect immediately prior to this 
reorganization, and that are consistent with this reorganization, shall 
continue in effective pending further re-delegation.
    This reorganization is effective upon the date of signature.

    Dated: April 11, 2007.
Elizabeth M. Duke,
Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E7-7306 Filed 4-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P