Sec. 746. Scholarship-for-service pilot program for civilian behavioral health providers
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Commencing not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pilot program under which— the Secretary may provide— scholarships to cover tuition and related fees at an institution of higher education to an individual enrolled in a program of study leading to a graduate degree in clinical psychology, social work, counseling, or a related field (as determined by the Secretary); and student loan repayment assistance to a credentialed behavioral health provider who has a graduate degree in clinical psychology, social work, counseling, or a related field (as determined by the Secretary); and in exchange for such assistance, the recipient shall commit to work as a covered civilian behavioral health provider in the direct care component of the military health system in accordance with subsection (c).
The Secretary of Defense shall carry out the pilot program under subsection
(a)during the 10-year period beginning on the commencement of the pilot program. Subject to paragraph (2), as a condition of receiving assistance under subsection (a), the recipient of such assistance shall enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense pursuant to which the recipient agrees to work on a full-time basis as a covered civilian behavioral health provider in the direct care component of the military health system for a period that is at least equivalent to the period during which the recipient received assistance under such paragraph. An agreement entered into pursuant to paragraph
(1)may include such other terms and conditions as the Secretary of Defense may determine necessary to protect the interests of the United States or otherwise appropriate for purposes of this section, including terms and conditions providing for limited exceptions from the post-award employment obligation specified in such subparagraph. An individual who receives assistance under subsection
(a)and does not complete the employment obligation required under the agreement entered into pursuant to subsection
(c)shall repay to the Secretary of Defense a prorated portion of the financial assistance received by the individual under subsection (a). The amount of any repayment required under paragraph
(1)shall be determined by the Secretary. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representative a plan for the implementation of this section. Not later than each of one year, five years, and nine years after the commencement of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representative a report on the pilot program. Each report under paragraph
(1)shall include, with respect to the pilot program under subsection (a), the following: The number of students receiving scholarships under the pilot program. The locations of such students. The amount of total scholarship money expended per academic school year under the pilot program. The average scholarship amount per student under the pilot program. The number of students hired as behavioral health providers by the Department of Defense under the pilot program. Any recommendations for terminating the pilot program, extending the pilot program, or making the pilot program permanent. In this section: The term behavioral health includes psychiatry, clinical psychology, social work, counseling, and related fields. The term civilian behavioral health provider means a behavioral health provider who is a civilian employee of the Department of Defense. The term covered civilian behavioral health provider means a civilian behavioral health provider whose employment by the Secretary of Defense involves the provision of behavioral health services at a military medical treatment facility. The term institution of higher education has the meaning given that term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1001 ).
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Sec. 746
Scholarship-for-service pilot program for civilian behavioral health providers
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