§1616h — Title 25 Indians | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary, through the Service, must give grants to community colleges to create health training programs that lead to a degree or diploma for people who want to work on an Indian reservation or in a tribal clinic. The first-year grant to a college cannot be more than $100,000. The Secretary must also fund colleges that already have those programs to help keep them running and to recruit students. Grants can only go to colleges that meet certain rules: they are accredited; they can use a hospital or Service facility for training; they have an agreement with an accredited college or medical school to help students move into higher programs and to approve internships at Service or tribal facilities; they have qualified certified staff; and they can get state or regional accreditation for the program. The Secretary must encourage these colleges by providing Service staff to teach and by giving technical help. Programs that get help must also offer advanced training for health workers who already have a degree or diploma and who provide clinical services on a reservation, at a Service facility, or in a tribal clinic. Definitions: "community college" means either a tribally controlled college or university, or a regular junior/community college. "Tribally controlled college or university" and "junior or community college" are defined elsewhere in federal law.

Title 25, §1616h

Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Secretary, acting through the Service, shall award grants to community colleges for the purpose of assisting the community college in the establishment of programs which provide education in a health profession leading to a degree or diploma in a health profession for individuals who desire to practice such profession on an Indian reservation or in a tribal clinic.

(2)The amount of any grant awarded to a community college under paragraph (1) for the first year in which such a grant is provided to the community college shall not exceed $100,000.

(b)(1)The Secretary, acting through the Service, shall award grants to community colleges that have established a program described in subsection (a)(1) for the purpose of maintaining the program and recruiting students for the program.

(2)Grants may only be made under this section to a community college which—

(A)is accredited,

(B)has access to a hospital facility, Service facility, or hospital that could provide training of nurses or health professionals,

(C)has entered into an agreement with an accredited college or university medical school, the terms of which—

(i)provide a program that enhances the transition and recruitment of students into advanced baccalaureate or graduate programs which train health professionals, and

(ii)stipulate certifications necessary to approve internship and field placement opportunities at service unit facilities of the Service or at tribal health facilities,

(D)has a qualified staff which has the appropriate certifications, and

(E)is capable of obtaining State or regional accreditation of the program described in subsection (a)(1).

(c)The Secretary shall encourage community colleges described in subsection (b)(2) to establish and maintain programs described in subsection (a)(1) by—

(1)entering into agreements with such colleges for the provision of qualified personnel of the Service to teach courses of study in such programs, and

(2)providing technical assistance and support to such colleges.

(d)Any program receiving assistance under this section that is conducted with respect to a health profession shall also offer courses of study which provide advanced training for any health professional who—

(1)has already received a degree or diploma in such health profession, and

(2)provides clinical services on an Indian reservation, at a Service facility, or at a tribal clinic.

(e)For purposes of this section—

(1)The term “community college” means—

(A)a junior or community college that is a tribally controlled college or university, or

(B)a junior or community college.

(2)The term “tribally controlled college or university” has the meaning given to such term by section 1801(a)(4) of this title.

(3)The term “junior or community college” has the meaning given to such term by section 1058(e) 11 See References in Text note below. of title 20.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 1058 of title 20, referred to in subsec. (e)(3), was amended by Pub. L. 105–244, title III, § 303(b)(1), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1639, which redesignated subsecs. (d) and (e) as (e) and (f), respectively.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (e)(1)(A). Pub. L. 110–315, § 941(k)(2)(I)(ii)(I), substituted “a junior or community college that is a tribally controlled college or university” for “a tribally controlled community college”. Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 110–315, § 941(k)(2)(I)(ii)(II), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “The term ‘tribally controlled community college’ has the meaning given to such term by section 1801(4) of this title.” 1998—Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 105–244 made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to section 1801(4) of this title. 1992—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 102–573 struck out subsec. (f) which authorized appropriations for fiscal years 1990 to 1992.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–244 effective Oct. 1, 1998, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 105–244, see section 3 of Pub. L. 105–244, set out as a note under section 1001 of Title 20, Education.

§1616h Health Training Programs of Community Colleges