[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 22, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23571-23572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10727]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Proposed Changes to the Scholarships to Disadvantaged Students 
Program

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

ACTION: Request for public comment on the Scholarships for 
Disadvantaged Students program.

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SUMMARY: The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program is 
authorized by the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) and administered 
by HRSA. The program promotes diversity among the health professions 
and nursing workforce by providing awards to eligible health 
professions and nursing schools for use in awarding scholarships to 
students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This notice seeks public 
comment to inform and guide policy and planning associated with the SDS 
program.

DATES: Individuals and organizations interested in providing 
information must submit written comments no later than 11:59 p.m. 
Eastern Time on June 21, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties should submit their comments to Denise 
Sorrell, SDS Project Officer, via email at [email protected]. Please 
include the title of this notice, ``Request for Comment: SDS Program'' 
in the subject line of the email. Response to this request is 
voluntary. Responders are free to address any or all of the proposals 
listed below. This request is for information and planning purposes 
only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation 
on the part of the federal government. All submitted comments will be 
available to the public in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Denise Sorrell, SDS Project Officer, 
Division of Health Careers and Financial Support, Bureau of Health 
Workforce, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 15N78, Rockville, Maryland 
20857, phone (301) 443-2909, or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: HRSA is considering updating the SDS program 
to increase the impact of the program. The authorizing statute allows 
the Secretary of HHS to make grants to certain health professions and 
nursing schools that are carrying out a program for recruiting and 
retaining students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including students 
who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups, to provide 
scholarships to eligible students (PHS Act, Sec. 737(a), (d)(1)). 
Grantees provide scholarships to individuals who meet the following 
requirements: (1) are from disadvantaged backgrounds; (2) have a 
financial need for a scholarship; and (3) are enrolled (or accepted for 
enrollment) at an eligible health professions or nursing school as a 
full-time student in a program leading to a degree in a health 
profession or nursing (PHS Act, Sec. 737(d)(2)(A-C)). Under the 
statute, priority is given to eligible entities based on the proportion 
of graduating students practicing in primary care settings, the 
proportion of underrepresented minority student enrollees and 
graduates, and the proportion of graduates working in medically 
underserved communities (MUCs) (PHS Act, Sec. 737(c)). The PHS Act 
requires HRSA to award at least 16 percent of the available funds to 
schools of nursing (PHS Act, Sec. 740(a)).
    Eligible applicants are public or non-profit private accredited 
schools of allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, 
nursing, pharmacy, podiatric medicine, optometry, veterinary medicine, 
public health, chiropractic, or allied health; a school offering a 
graduate program in behavioral and mental health practice; or an entity 
providing programs for the training of physician assistants as 
determined in Section 737(d)(1)(A) of the PHS Act. Faith-based and 
community-based organizations, tribes, and tribal organizations are 
eligible to apply if all other eligibility requirements are met. 
Additionally, Section 737(d)(2) requires ``a school must be carrying 
out a recruitment and

[[Page 23572]]

retention program for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.''
    As explained in the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity 
(HRSA-16-069), published on November 25, 2015, HRSA determined at least 
20 percent of a school's enrollees and graduates must be disadvantaged 
individuals. For the purposes of the SDS program, an individual from a 
disadvantaged background is defined as one who: (1) comes from an 
environment that has inhibited the individual from obtaining the 
knowledge, skills, and abilities required to enroll in and graduate 
from a health profession or nursing school, or from a program providing 
education or training in allied health professions; or (2) comes from a 
family with an annual income below the established Census Bureau low-
income thresholds, adjusted by the Secretary of HHS for health 
professions and nursing programs eligibility.
    As explained in the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity, 
(HRSA-16-069), scholarship awards equal an amount no less than 50 
percent of the student's annual tuition costs, up to a maximum amount 
of $30,000 to cover the cost of attendance. Scholarships may be 
expended only for a recipient's cost of tuition expenses, other 
reasonable educational expenses, and reasonable living expenses 
incurred by attendance at the participant's school of enrollment, as 
described in Section 737(a) of the PHS Act. The project period for this 
program may be altered within the range of one to five years. HRSA will 
announce any future changes to the project period for the SDS program 
through the relevant Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program in FY 2020--Proposal 
for Public Comment

    HRSA is seeking comments from interested parties, including current 
and former grant recipients and former applicants to the program, on 
the following proposed changes. In your comments, please address one or 
more of the following proposals. Please reference the section number in 
your comments.
    1. In an effort to combat workforce shortages, HRSA will distribute 
SDS funding to award recipients consistent with promoting health 
professions careers projected to experience the most severe shortages 
as determined by the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. 
Section 740(a) of the PHS Act requires HRSA to distribute at least 16 
percent of the SDS funding to nursing schools. Precise distributions 
for each competition will be announced in the relevant Notice of 
Funding Opportunity. This adjustment of funding would allow HRSA to 
strategically target SDS funding for the health professions with a 
current or projected workforce shortage.
    2. At least 20 percent of the school's full-time enrolled students 
and graduates must be from a disadvantaged background. Institutions are 
required to provide 1 year of data to demonstrate this eligibility 
requirement. The proposal is to require schools to provide the average 
for the most recent 3-year period to demonstrate their eligibility. A 
3-year average is a more accurate portrayal of school enrollment 
patterns than 1 year. This change would allow SDS to support the 
grantees who have demonstrated a commitment over time to serving 
students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Any future changes to the 
disadvantaged student percentage or data collection period will be 
announced through the SDS Notice of Funding Opportunity for the 
relevant grant funding cycle.
    3. HRSA has analyzed SDS award data, compared it with performance 
measures, and discovered providing amounts to students to cover a 
substantial portion of their education costs positively correlates with 
better graduation rates, consistent with the statutory aims. Data 
suggests the availability of scholarships, especially for disadvantaged 
students, continues to limit educational opportunities for students. 
SDS last increased its scholarship amount in 2016. Without sufficient 
financial support, disadvantaged students are much more likely to be 
unable to successfully complete their education. Based on this 
understanding and the steady increase in tuition nationally, HRSA 
proposes to increase the maximum scholarship award to $40,000 per 
student, to ensure the SDS program will continue to impact students who 
receive the awards and ensure their success in completing the program. 
HRSA also reserves the right to adjust the scholarship award amount as 
necessary to accommodate any rise in tuition and will announce any such 
changes in the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the relevant funding 
cycle.
    HRSA will announce any future administrative changes to the SDS 
program through the relevant Notice of Funding Opportunity.

    Dated: May 16, 2019.
George Sigounas,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-10727 Filed 5-21-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-15-P