Title: Section 47-1.1 - Definitions

Section 47-1.1 Definitions

(a) State Health Service Corps professional shall mean a health professional in any one of the professions listed below or any other health professional, excluding physician or dentist, determined by the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the State Health Service Corps advisory committee to be needed in designated facilities or agencies:

(1) A registered professional nurse;

(2) A registered physician's assistant;

(3) A dental hygienist;

(4) An occupational therapist;

(5) A physical therapist;

(6) A speech-language pathologist;

(7) An audiologist;

(8) A pharmacist;

(9) A midwife; and

(10) Any other health profession identified by participating agencies as being difficult to recruit. Scholarships in these occupations will be offered on a limited basis for no more than two years.

(b) State Health Service Corps advisory committee shall mean a committee composed of the Commissioners of the Departments of Health, Education and Correctional Services, the Commissioners of the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and the Presidents of the Civil Service Commission and the Higher Education Services Corporation or their designees, established to advise the Commissioner of Health on issues related to the State Health Service Corps.

(c) Designated facility or agency shall mean a facility or institution designated by the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the State Health Service Corps advisory committee that is:

(1) operated by:

(i) the Office of Mental Health;

(ii) the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities;

(iii) the Department of Correctional Services; or

(2) not-for-profit and licensed by the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities or the Office of Mental Health or under contract with the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped;

(3) a not-for-profit diagnostic and treatment center, with an operating certificate issued pursuant to section 401.1 of this title, which has a critical shortage of health personnel, as determined by the commissioner, and which serves the medically indigent and Medicaid- eligible persons;

(4) a health care facility or non-profit or public agency which provides care or treatment to persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus or who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and which are currently experiencing a shortage of health personnel to specifically serve such persons, or

(5) in the case of midwives, a not-for-profit facility with an operating certificate issued pursuant to section 401.1 of this title, which serves the medically indigent and Medicaid-eligible women.

(d) Licensure shall mean possession of a license, registration or certificate to practice in one of the professions listed in subsection (a) of this section issued by the appropriate governing agency.

(e) Academic year shall mean the period between July 1 and June 30 of the following year.

(f) Full-time enrollment shall mean matriculation as a college or university student taking at least 12 credits or their equivalent, except that in the final semester of study in which the student must take sufficient credits or their equivalent in order to complete training, but not fewer than six credits.

(g) Scholarship or fellowship award shall mean the sum of the State Health Service Corps funds paid to or on behalf of a State Health Service Corps recipient during one academic year. The award shall not exceed the cost of attendance which shall mean tuition, required fees, books, transportation, and room and board.

(h) Effective date of award shall mean the beginning date of the first semester for which the scholarship or fellowship recipient has received a State Health Service Corps award.

(i) Service obligation shall mean the period of time a State Health Service Corps scholarship or fellowship recipient is required to work a basic work-week as an employee of a designated facility or agency.

(j) Alternative service shall mean working a basic work week as a paraprofessional or in a profession other than the one for which the award was given in fulfillment of the service obligation.

(k) State Health Service Corps recipient shall mean an individual who has signed a service agreement to receive a scholarship or fellowship award under the State Health Service Corps program in return for a service obligation.

(l) Service agreement shall mean the written agreement to be signed by a State Health Service Corps recipient specifying the terms of the award and the service obligation required prior to issuance of an award.

(m) Reporting date shall mean the date upon which a State Health Service Corps recipient is required to begin employment in fulfillment of his/her service obligation.

(n) Rescission shall mean the withdrawal of an award after the signing of the service agreement but before full payment for an award is made to an educational institution. (o) Waiver shall mean full or partial release by the Commissioner of Health, of the service obligation and/or any financial obligation for repayment of scholarship or fellowship award monies incurred by a State Health Service Corps award recipient.

(p) Deferral shall mean a delay or temporary suspension of the award payment and/or service obligation and/or any financial obligation for repayment of award monies incurred by the State Health Service Corps award recipient, with no resulting reduction in service or financial obligation.

(q) Default shall mean the failure to complete program of study, or the failure to begin the service obligation on the reporting date, or the failure of a State Health Service Corps recipient to complete his/her service obligation within the time prescribed by the Commissioner of Health.