Recruitment Contacts
MONTANA PRIMARY CARE RECRUITMENT CONTACTS
The Montana Primary Care Association works to improve access to primary care for all Montanans through policy advocacy, education, training, technical assistance, and information dissemination activities at local, state, regional, and national levels. MCPA assists communities in the initiation of Community Health Centers (CHC’s) and provide ongoing support for existing Centers, including recruitment assistance. MPCA maintains a job listing for its members on the website (www.mtpca.org) and also connects its members with the regional CHAMPS employment opportunities. Contact Paula Block at 442-2750 or email pblock@mtpca.org.
The Montana Primary Care Office (PCO) located in the Montana Department of Health and Human Services assists sites with designations needed for federal programs and recruitment of primary care (primary care physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners), dentists and dental hygienists and mental health providers for underserved areas of Montana. The PCO is the state contact for Shortage Designations, the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Recruitment and Retention programs and the J-1 Visa Waiver Program. John Schroeck at 444-3934; jschroeck@mt.gov or Jim Nybo at 406-444-3574; jnybo@mt.gov at the Primary Care Office.
A. NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE CORPS OPPORTUNITIES
The NHSC website has information on the NHSC Scholarship, Loan Repayment, SEARCH, and Ready Responder Programs - http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/ . Call the NHSC Support program at 866-897-7872 ext 3001 or you can also contact the Montana PCO (contact info above).
The National Health Service Corps Program supports primary care physicians and psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, nurse mid-wives, physician assistants, dentists, dental hygienists, and mental health professionals in their loan repayment program and physicians, dentists and mid-level providers in the scholarship program. The deadline for scholarship and loan repayment applications is usually in March.
The NHSC Ready Responder Program is a special group of 80 clinicians including primary care physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers and clinical psychologists who will be assigned by the NHSC to serve for 3 years in the neediest Health Professional Shortage Areas through the Nation. In addition to providing essential primary care to people in need, the NHSC Ready Responders will be part of a mobile team trained to respond quickly and effectively in the event of a large-scale regional or national medical emergency. For more information, call the NHSC help line at 1-800-221-9393 or visit the website: http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/join_us/ready_comm.asp.
Technical assistance is also available to NHSC sites on a variety of clinic management, staffing and practice models, community assessment, and other site development areas. Contact John Schroeck 444-3934 (jschroeck@mt.gov) or Jim Nybo at 444-3574 or jnybo@mt.gov for a TA request form and more information.
Montana NHSC SEARCH Program arranges community-based preceptorships in underserved areas for medical students and residents, mid-level students , dental and dental hygienist, and mental health students. Contact Paula Maulolo, Program Coordinator, Montana Family Practice Residency Program, 406-247-3291, PaulaC@ycchd.org
B. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS
Federal designations for health professional shortage areas (HPSA) or medically underserved areas (MUA) qualify sites for eligibility for several federal programs, including the National Health Service Corps, Medicare Bonus Payments, Rural Health Clinics, and Community health center grants. The searchable website http://hpsafind.hrsa.gov/ identifies areas which have current and past federal shortage designations. Guidelines and regulations regarding designations may be obtained from: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/shortage/ Assistance with designations is available from the Montana PCO.
C. RURAL RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION NETWORK
The Montana Office of Rural Health/Area Health Education Center maintains a listing of health professional opportunities in Montana. This list is available at the website: www.3rnet.org. The 3R Network is a not for profit organization helping health professionals find professional opportunities in rural areas. You may contact Rebekah Brown at 406-994-6001 or email rmb@montana.edu for information on 3Rnet or a list of providers who have indicated an interest in Montana opportunities.
D. INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Opportunities with the Indian Health Service can be found on the website: http://www.ihs.gov/JobsCareerDevelop/ProfRec/ihsindex.cfm or call Audrey Jones, Billings Area IHS Physician Recruiter at 800-277-5997. The Indian Health Service has loan repayment information available at http://www.ihs.gov/JobsCareerDevelop/DHPS/LRP/lrpsc.asp
E. MONTANA RURAL PHYSICIAN INCENTIVE PROGRAM/WICHE/WWAMI PROGRAMS
The Montana Rural Physician Incentive Program provides educational loan repayment for primary care physicians who practice in medically underserved areas of rural Montana. More information is available from Laurie Tobol, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, 406-444-6570, E-mail: ltobol@oche.montana.edu.
F. NURSING EDUCATION LOAN REPAYMENT AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
The NELRP is designed to assist in the recruitment and retention of registered nurses who are working full time in eligible facilities with preference given to critical nurse shortage facilities and areas. The website http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/ (or phone 1-877-464-4772) will provide you information on this program.
G. HEALTH CAREERS FOUNDATION
The Health Careers Foundation awards scholarship/low interest loans to nursing and allied health students for educational expenses with emphasis on non-traditional students. Call 314-770-1626 or http://www.hcfinfo.org.
H. MONTANA STATE INCOME TAX CREDIT
The State of Montana provides an income tax credit of $5,000 a year to offset tax liability of rural physicians practicing in an area without a 60-bed hospital located within a 30 mile radius for a four year period. SB 408 will allow exclusion of up to $5000 from taxpayer’s adjusted gross income if health professions taxpayer is receiving loan repayment and meets certain criteria. The Montana Income Tax booklet has a description of these incentives http://www.discoveringmontana.com/revenue/legislativeinformation/taxreform/ind_inc_tax_credits.doc
or email jnybo@mt.gov for a description. Call the Department of Revenue Information Center at 444-6900 if you have questions.
I. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT EXCLUSION
Health professionals working in shortage areas can exclude up to $5,000 in loan repayment income. See Line 34 in Exclusions and Reductions to Income Section of State Income Tax booklet: http://www.mt.gov/revenue/formsandresources/04forms/Individual%20Income%20Tax/04_IT%20book.pdf
J. MONTANA RECRUITMENT ALLIANCE
The Alliance is a program committed to attracting and recruiting a high-quality workforce to Montana’s healthcare organizations. The program is currently available to any MHA facility; however there are plans to expand services to additional facilities in the near future. Contact Lisa Helle, Recruiter, toll-free #: 866-312-0061, phone: 406-683-0400 or email at lisa@mtha.org or website: www.findmedicaljobs.com
K. MONTANA AIR NATIONAL GUARD
For information on the Montana Air National Guard Program--Cash Bonus, Medical Stipend and Medical Student Loan Repayment Program , contact SMSgt Angie Lamie, 406-324-3027, email: angelika.lamie@mtgrea.ang.af.mil
L. LINKS TO HRSA STUDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
The Bureau of Health Professions’ Division of Health Careers Diversity and Development has a website with helpful information on financial assistance programs for health professional students: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/dsa/pages/links.htm or http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/StudentGuide/1998-9/finding.html The “Discover Nursing Scholarship Search” has a database of over 300 nursing scholarships: http://www.discovernursing.com/scholarship_search.asp
M. FOREIGN MEDICAL GRADUATES- J-1 VISA WAIVER PROGRAM
Foreign medical graduates with J-1 visas may request a waiver from their home country requirement to practice in underserved areas of the U.S. States may request up to 30 waivers through the State Conrad Program. Contact Jim Nybo at 406-444-3574 or email jnybo@mt.gov for information regarding the status of this program.
N. OTHER MONTANA CONTACTS
- Family Medicine Residency Program, Roxanne Fahrenwald, M.D., RoxanneF@ycchd.org, 406-247-3306
- WWAMI Medical Education Program, Linda Hyman, Ph.D., Vice Provost, Division of Health Sciences and Director, MSU WWAMI Program, 406-994-4411, lhyman@montana.edu
- Montana Nurses Association, 442-6710
- Montana Health Care Association, 444-6594
Provider Recruitment Websites
www.3Rnet.org
www.findmedicaljobs.com
www.npcentral.net
www.midlevelpractitioners.com
Useful Recruitment Websites
Montana Primary Care Association
Montana Dental Association
Montana Family Practice Residency
Montana Medical Association
Montana Primary Care Office
Montana Recruitment Alliance, MHA Ventures
National Health Service Corps
Physician Assistant Program, Rocky Mountain College, Billings
Montana Primary Care Association
1805 Euclid Avenue
Helena, MT 59601
Phone: (406) 442-2750
Fax: (406) 449-2460
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