38 U.S.C. § 7699: Eligibility; agreement

Summary

People can join the Program if the VA’s Readjustment Counseling Service accepts them and they are enrolled in a program that leads to a final degree in psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, or mental health counseling that meets the VA’s education rules. They must sign an agreement with the VA. The VA will give a scholarship for a set number of school years, and the student must then work full time at a Vet Center for six years after finishing school. The VA gives first priority to people who agree to work at a Vet Center in a community officially called medically underserved and in a State where veterans are over five percent of the population, and next priority to veterans. Vet Center is defined in section 1712A(h).

Title 38, §7699

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In General.—

An individual is eligible to participate in the Program, as determined by the Readjustment Counseling Service of the Department, if the individual—

(1)is accepted for enrollment or enrolled (as described in section 7602 of this title) in a program of study at an accredited educational institution, school, or training program leading to a terminal degree in psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, or mental health counseling that would meet the education requirements for appointment to a position under section 7402(b) of this title; and

(2)enters into an agreement with the Secretary under subsection (c).

(b)Priority.—

In selecting individuals to participate in the Program, the Secretary shall give priority to the following individuals:

(1)An individual who agrees to be employed by a Vet Center located in a community that is—

(A)designated as a medically underserved population under section 330(b)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(b)(3)); and

(B)in a State with a per capita population of veterans of more than five percent according to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics and the Bureau of the Census.

(2)An individual who is a veteran.

(c)Agreement.—

An agreement between the Secretary and a participant in the Program shall (in addition to the requirements set forth in section 7604 of this title) include the following:

(1)An agreement by the Secretary to provide the participant with a scholarship under the Program for a specified number of school years during which the participant pursues a program of study described in subsection (a)(1) that meets the requirements set forth in section 7602(a) of this title.

(2)An agreement by the participant to serve as a full-time employee of the Department at a Vet Center for a six-year period following the completion by the participant of such program of study (in this subchapter referred to as the “period of obligated service”).

(d)Vet Center Defined.—

In this section, the term “Vet Center” has the meaning given that term in section 1712A(h) of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Secretary of Veterans Affairs to begin awarding scholarships under this subchapter for programs of study beginning no later than one year after Oct. 17, 2020, see section 502(c) of Pub. L. 116–171, set out as a note under section 7698 of this title.

§7699 Eligibility; Agreement

Summary

Title 38, §7699

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata