PRIA Logo™
Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110

§12592 Selection of National Service Participants

Title 42 › CHAPTER 129 — NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER I — NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE STATE GRANT PROGRAM › Part III — National Service Participants › § 12592

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Organizations that get national service funding must do the recruiting and pick people for the service jobs they run. The picks must follow nondiscrimination and nonpolitical rules. People can only be accepted for a second term if they did a satisfactory job in their first term. The Corporation and each State Commission must run systems to find people who want to serve and help place them in approved positions, which can include jobs under titles I and II of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973. They must share info through schools, colleges, job offices, State vocational rehabilitation agencies, and other groups that help disadvantaged youth and people with disabilities. The Corporation may pick some recruits for special leadership training. Training can be run by the Corporation or paid for by a grant or contract. The Corporation should try to pick former Peace Corps or VISTA volunteers, past national service participants (especially those who were disadvantaged youth), people from certain earlier programs (as of September 21, 1993), and honorably discharged military members. Trained leaders can be assigned to work in programs in higher-level roles and will be counted as program participants. The Corporation must issue rules on how to evaluate a participant’s service for second-term eligibility or for a national service education award.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §12592

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Selection process
Subject to subsections (b) and (c) and section 12583(f) of this title, the actual recruitment and selection of an individual to serve in a national service program receiving assistance under section 12571 of this title or to fill an approved national service position shall be conducted by the entity to which the assistance and approved national service positions are provided.
(b)Nondiscrimination and nonpolitical selection of participants
The recruitment and selection of individuals to serve in national service programs receiving assistance under section 12571 of this title or to fill approved national service positions shall be consistent with the requirements of section 12635 of this title.
(c)Second term
Acceptance into a national service program to serve a second term of service under section 12593 of this title shall only be available to individuals who perform satisfactorily in their first term of service.
(d)Recruitment and placement
The Corporation and each State Commission shall establish a system to recruit individuals who desire to perform national service and to assist the placement of these individuals in approved national service positions, which may include positions available under titles I and II of the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4951 et seq. [and 5000 et seq.]). The Corporation and State Commissions shall disseminate information regarding available approved national service positions through cooperation with secondary schools, institutions of higher education, employment service offices, State vocational rehabilitation agencies within the meaning of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) and other State agencies that primarily serve individuals with disabilities, and other appropriate entities, particularly those organizations that provide outreach to disadvantaged youths and youths who are individuals with disabilities.
(e)National leadership pool
(1)Selection and training
From among individuals recruited under subsection (d), the Corporation may select individuals with significant leadership potential, as determined by the Corporation, to receive special training to enhance their leadership ability. The leadership training shall be provided by the Corporation directly or through a grant or contract.
(2)Emphasis on certain individuals
In selecting individuals to receive leadership training under this subsection, the Corporation shall make special efforts to select individuals who have served—
(A)in the Peace Corps;
(B)as VISTA volunteers;
(C)as participants in national service programs receiving assistance under section 12571 of this title, particularly those who were considered, at the time of their service, disadvantaged youth;
(D)as participants in programs receiving assistance under part D of this subchapter, as in effect on the day before September 21, 1993; or
(E)as members of the Armed Forces of the United States and who were honorably discharged from such service.
(3)Assignment
At the request of a program that receives assistance under the national service laws, the Corporation may assign an individual who receives leadership training under paragraph (1) to work with the program in a leadership position and carry out assignments not otherwise performed by regular participants. An individual assigned to a program shall be considered to be a participant of the program.
(f)Evaluation of service
The Corporation shall issue regulations regarding the manner and criteria by which the service of a participant shall be evaluated to determine whether the service is satisfactory and successful for purposes of eligibility for a second term of service or a national service educational award.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973, referred to in subsec. (d), is Pub. L. 93–113, Oct. 1, 1973, 87 Stat. 394. Titles I and II of the Act are classified generally to subchapters I (§ 4951 et seq.) and II (§ 5000 et seq.), respectively, of chapter 66 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 4950 of this title and Tables. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, referred to in subsec. (d), is Pub. L. 93–112, Sept. 26, 1973, 87 Stat. 355, which is classified generally to chapter 16 (§ 701 et seq.) of Title 29, Labor. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 701 of Title 29 and Tables. Part D of this subchapter, as in effect on the day before September 21, 1993, referred to in subsec. (e)(2)(D), means former part D of this subchapter prior to the general amendment of subtitle D of title I of Pub. L. 101–610 [former part D of this subchapter] by Pub. L. 103–82, title I, § 102(a), Sept. 21, 1993, 107 Stat. 816.

Amendments

2009—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–13, § 1313(1), substituted “conducted by the entity” for “conducted by the State, subdivision of a State, Indian tribe, public or private nonprofit organization, institution of higher education, Federal agency, or other entity”. Subsec. (e)(2)(C). Pub. L. 111–13, § 1313(2), inserted “, particularly those who were considered, at the time of their service, disadvantaged youth” before semicolon at end.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2009 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–13 effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as a note under section 4950 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1993, see section 123 of Pub. L. 103–82, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1993 Amendment note under section 1701 of Title 16, Conservation.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 12592

Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110