Title 25IndiansRelease 119-73

§1621p American Indians Into Psychology Program

Title 25 › Chapter CHAPTER 18— - INDIAN HEALTH CARE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - HEALTH SERVICES › § 1621p

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Makes grants of up to $300,000 each to nine colleges and universities to set up and run programs that recruit American Indian students into psychology and other behavioral health careers. These programs must be placed around the country so they are easy for Indian students to reach, and new sites can be added over time. One grant must fund the Quentin N. Burdick American Indians Into Psychology Program at the University of North Dakota. That program should, as much as possible, work with related Quentin N. Burdick health and nursing programs and with existing university research and communication networks. The Secretary must create rules for a competitive grant process. Grant applicants must run outreach to schools and colleges, have an advisory board with tribal and community representatives, offer summer enrichment and research/clinical experiences, give stipends to students, make agreements with tribal colleges and other partners, use campus support services when possible, and hire qualified Indians when feasible. Students who get stipends must meet the active duty service obligation in Indian health programs, in programs assisted under subchapter IV, or in private practice serving many Indians in a shortage area as the Secretary’s guidelines allow. Congress authorized $2,700,000 for fiscal year 2010 and each year after to carry out these grants.

Full Legal Text

Title 25, §1621p

Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary, acting through the Service, shall make grants of not more than $300,000 to each of 9 colleges and universities for the purpose of developing and maintaining Indian psychology career recruitment programs as a means of encouraging Indians to enter the behavioral health field. These programs shall be located at various locations throughout the country to maximize their availability to Indian students and new programs shall be established in different locations from time to time.
(b)The Secretary shall provide a grant authorized under subsection (a) to develop and maintain a program at the University of North Dakota to be known as the “Quentin N. Burdick American Indians Into Psychology Program”. Such program shall, to the maximum extent feasible, coordinate with the Quentin N. Burdick Indian health programs authorized under section 1616j(b) 11 See References in Text note below. of this title, the Quentin N. Burdick American Indians Into Nursing Program authorized under section 1616h(e) 1 of this title, and existing university research and communications networks.
(c)The Secretary shall issue regulations pursuant to this chapter for the competitive awarding of grants provided under this section.
(d)Applicants under this section shall agree to provide a program which, at a minimum—
(1)provides outreach and recruitment for health professions to Indian communities including elementary, secondary, and accredited and accessible community colleges that will be served by the program;
(2)incorporates a program advisory board comprised of representatives from the tribes and communities that will be served by the program;
(3)provides summer enrichment programs to expose Indian students to the various fields of psychology through research, clinical, and experimental activities;
(4)provides stipends to undergraduate and graduate students to pursue a career in psychology;
(5)develops affiliation agreements with tribal colleges and universities, the Service, university affiliated programs, and other appropriate accredited and accessible entities to enhance the education of Indian students;
(6)to the maximum extent feasible, uses existing university tutoring, counseling, and student support services; and
(7)to the maximum extent feasible, employs qualified Indians in the program.
(e)The active duty service obligation prescribed under section 254m of title 42 shall be met by each graduate who receives a stipend described in subsection (d)(4) that is funded under this section. Such obligation shall be met by service—
(1)in an Indian health program;
(2)in a program assisted under subchapter IV; or
(3)in the private practice of psychology if, as determined by the Secretary, in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the Secretary, such practice is situated in a physician or other health professional shortage area and addresses the health care needs of a substantial number of Indians.
(f)There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $2,700,000 for fiscal year 2010 and each fiscal year thereafter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1616j(b) of this title, referred to in subsec. (b), does not authorize the Quentin N. Burdick Indian health programs. For provisions authorizing the Quentin N. Burdick Indian Health Programs, see section 1616g(b) of this title. section 1616h(e) of this title, referred to in subsec. (b), does not authorize the Quentin N. Burdick American Indians Into Nursing Program. For provisions authorizing the Quentin N. Burdick American Indians Into Nursing Program, see section 1616e(e) of this title. This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 94–437, Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1400, known as the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1601 of this title and Tables. Codification Amendment by Pub. L. 111–148 is based on section 132 of title I of S. 1790, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, as reported by the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate in Dec. 2009, which was enacted into law by section 10221(a) of Pub. L. 111–148.

Amendments

2010—Pub. L. 111–148 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section authorized Secretary to provide grants to at least 3 colleges and universities for purpose of developing and maintaining American Indian psychology career recruitment programs to encourage Indians to enter mental health field.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

25 U.S.C. § 1621p

Title 25Indians

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73