Bureau of Health Workforce
Nurse Corps Supplemental Funding Evaluation
New
collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
No
Regular
09/08/2023
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
7,359
0
3,110
0
0
0
The Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA) is requesting OMB approval for a new
information collection request to evaluate HRSA’s Nurse Corps Loan
Repayment and Scholarship Programs. HRSA is obligated to collect
performance information on its grants and cooperative agreements as
mandated in the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993
(GPRA) and the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA) . The Nurse
Corps Programs are governed by Section 846 of the Public Health
Service Act as amended (42 U.S.C. 297n) and Section 846(d)-(i) of
the Public Health Service Act, as amended (42 U.S C. 297n(d)-(i)),
which define specific reporting requirements. HRSA’s Bureau of
Health Workforce seeks to improve the health of underserved and
vulnerable populations by strengthening the nation’s health
workforce and connecting skilled professionals to communities in
need. The Bureau administers the Nurse Corps Loan Repayment
Programs and Scholarship Program to improve the distribution of
nursing graduates and professionals. The Nurse Corps Programs
support nursing education and training by providing recruitment and
retention incentives to nurses committed to a career in medically
underserved communities. These incentives include either a loan
repayment or a scholarship award in exchange for service in a
health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses that is
located in a Health Professional Shortage Area. The Nurse Corps
Loan Repayment Program also extends loan repayments to nurse
faculty serving in accredited schools of nursing. In Fiscal Year
2023, the Nurse Corps Programs had an annual budget of $92.6
million. Through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the Nurse
Corps Programs received supplemental funding to carry out section
846 of the Public Health Service Act. The supplemental funding was
intended to increase the number of clinicians supported across all
Nurse Corps Programs with a special focus on specialty areas
including psychiatric nurse practitioners and women’s health. HRSA
last conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the Nurse Corps
Programs in 2006. This information collection request describes
plans for conducting an updated program evaluation to understand
more recent program successes and challenges, including how
COVID-19 affected the programs. Additionally, HRSA seeks to
understand the impact of additional funding for the Nurse Corps
Programs from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The evaluation
will seek information from participants and alumni of the Nurse
Corps Programs from 2017-2023 and will assess program outcomes from
before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the
impact of the American Rescue Plan funds. This mixed-methods
evaluation will have three major components: analysis of existing
information, a national survey of Nurse Corps participants and
alumni, and in-depth interviews with participants and
alumni.
US Code:
42
USC 297n Name of Law: Public Health Service Act
US Code:
42 USC 297n(d)-(i)) Name of Law: Public Health Service Act
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.