Guam § 52106 - Program and Eligibility.

§ 52106. Program and Eligibility.

(a) There is established medical debt repayment awards for eligible

participants selected under the Physician Recruitment and Retention

Education Debt Repayment Program. Prior to the initial consideration of

applications for the awards, the Board, in conjunction with the

Committee, shall determine health professional shortage areas by

establishing a Physician Specialty Priority Listing based on the greatest

medical need of the community, with the Board having final approval.

The list shall be updated every two (2) years, and shall be posted on the

websites of the Department of Public Health and Social Services, the

Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, the Guam Memorial

Hospital Authority, and the University of Guam. The Committee shall

provide a written report and analysis on the basis of each Physician

Specialty Priority Listing recommended to the Board, and shall post said

report and analysis with the Physician Specialty Priority Listing. The

awards provided in this Chapter are subject to the following limitations:

(1) the applicant must be an eligible credentialed health

professional, and must have a degree in a health care program, and

have completed an approved graduate training program, and have a

current and valid license to practice such health profession in Guam

by the time of execution of contract; and

(2) the applicant must not owe any form of service obligation

for health professional service to the federal government, any state,

or other entity unless that obligation will be completely satisfied

prior to the beginning of service under this Program. If the applicant

has been awarded funds under Chapter 15 of Title 17, Guam Code

Annotated, for the individual’s approved graduate training program,

the individual shall not be eligible until he or she fulfills his or her

service obligations required under Chapter 15 of Title 17, GCA.

(b) The Committee shall select participants of the awards based

upon criteria that shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

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(1) Applicant training. The individual’s training is in a health

profession or specialty needed to fulfill a health professional

shortage area.

(2) Applicant qualifications. The individual’s academic

standing, prior professional experience in a medically underserved

area or health personnel shortage area, board certification, residency

achievements, peer recommendations, depth of past residency

practice experience, and other criteria related to professional

competence or conduct.

(3) Applicant service commitment.

(A) The individual’s commitment to serve in Guam;

(B) the availability of the individual for service, with

highest consideration being given to individuals who will be

available for service at the earliest dates; and

(C) the length of the individual’s proposed service

obligation to be contracted, with greatest consideration being

given to persons who agree to serve for longer periods of time.

(4) Applicant residency. First priority shall be given to

individuals who have resided on Guam for a period of not less than

ten (10) consecutive years in such individual’s life time. Should no

applicants meet the residency requirement, the Board may grant an

award to applicants who do not meet the residency requirement as

required within this Subsection, subject to meeting all other

requirements under this Chapter. Proof of residency shall be

determined through providing the Committee and the Board any two

(2) of the following that would constitute ten (10) consecutive years

of Guam residency:

(A) Copies of filed income tax returns of the applicant or

copies of the applicant’s parent(s) income tax returns in which

the applicant was claimed as a dependent that were filed with

the Department of Revenue and Taxation for a period of ten

(10) consecutive years;

(B) Certification from the Director of Revenue and

Taxation of the applicant’s income tax returns filed for a period

of ten (10) consecutive years;

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(C) Certified statement from the Guam Election

Commission on voter registration for five (5) general elections;

(D) Statement of mortgage on principal residence from a

financial institution over a consecutive ten (10) year period; or

(E) Official school transcripts from schools attended on

Guam for a period not less than five (5) years.

2013 NOTE: Pursuant to P.L. 32-024:2 (May 6, 2013) which renamed the

Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (DMHSA) to the Guam

Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, all references to DMHSA were altered to

the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center.