Applicant Information Bulletin: Leaving the CSF (Changing Jobs)

The NELRP expects that participants will fulfill their service commitment at their initial CSF site. Should a participant become unable to complete the obligation at the initial service site, he/she must submit a written request to the Division of Scholar and Clinician Support (DSCS) for approval to transfer to another eligible CSF before the participant leaves his/her current service site. The participant must also obtain and submit a letter/certification from the desired transfer site as set forth in Section L.4 of this Bulletin, which documents the CSF’s status. If a participant transfers to a new location, moving expenses will not be paid.

1) Transfers

A participant must receive PRIOR WRITTEN APPROVAL from the DSCS before transferring to another site to fulfill his/her service obligation. Participants will receive an official written decision from the DSCS regarding the approval or denial of a transfer request. Failure to receive prior written approval from the DSCS will result in immediate suspension of payments until the DSCS (a) receives all required forms and supporting documentation verifying the transfer site’s CSF status and the participant’s full-time employment, and (b) approves the participant’s transfer request. Continued failure to document full-time employment at an approved eligible CSF may result in the participant being placed in default of his/her contract.

The following requirements apply to participants who request a transfer:

• In order for the DSCS to approve a participant’s transfer request, the participant must transfer to one of the types of CSFs that is included in the first funding preference at the time the participant makes the transfer request.
• If there is no break in service between the initial site and the approved transfer site, the NELRP will continue to make loan repayments to the participant. However, if the participant fails to resume service within 30 days of the stop-work date at the initial CSF, the NELRP will stop all loan repayments. Once the participant has commenced full-time service at another approved CSF, loan repayments will be resumed as appropriate and the service end date will be extended to account for the entire service obligation period.
• If a NELRP participant ceases full-time employment at the initial site and does not resume service at an eligible approved CSF within 60 days, the participant will be recommended for default of his/her NELRP obligation.
• A participant’s request to transfer must be submitted to the DSCS in writing. The request should include the reason for the transfer, a letter/certification from the CSF verifying the CSF’s status (see Section L.4 of this Bulletin) as a first funding preference facility and indicating if the facility is a private nonprofit, private for profit, or public/government owned. The request must be mailed to the following address:

  U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
  Health Resources and Services Administration
  Bureau of Clinician Recruitment and Service
  Division of Scholar and Clinician Support
  5600 Fishers Lane; Room 8-15
  Rockville, MD 20857

Participants with questions may call 1-800-221-9393. TTY line for hearing impaired: 1-877-897-9910 or email: callcenter@hrsa.gov.

2) Members of a Reserve Component of the Armed Forces

Individuals in a Reserve component of the Armed Forces or National Guard are eligible to participate in the NELRP. However, reservists should understand the following:

• If a reservist is away from the NELRP service site due to military training and/or service, the time away will be combined with the participant’s other absences from the service site during that service year. If the reservist’s military training and/or service in combination with all other absences from the service site does not exceed 7 weeks per service year, no further action is necessary.
• If a reservist’s military training and/or service (including a call to active duty), in combination with all other absences from the NELRP service site, will exceed 7 weeks per service year, the reservist must notify the DSCS immediately and submit a written request for a suspension of the NELRP service obligation (see Section K of this Bulletin).  The suspension request should include documentation of the reservist’s training or call to active duty orders. The NELRP payments will be stopped while the reservist is on an approved suspension and will resume when the reservist returns to full-time service. The NELRP service obligation will be extended to account for the break in service due to the reserve or active duty obligation.
• If the CSF where the reservist was serving at the time of deployment is unable to reemploy that reservist, the reservist will be expected to complete his/her NELRP service obligation at another eligible approved CSF. The reservist must contact the DSCS and request a transfer, and receive approval, in accordance with the
  transfer policy (see Section I.1 of this Bulletin) prior to commencing employment at the facility. If the reservist fails to resume service at an eligible approved CSF within 60 days of the end of the deployment or such longer time as law may allow, the reservist will be recommended for default of his/her NELRP obligation.

Next Section - J. Breaching the NELRP Contract