§17.551. Agreement and obligated service.
38 C.F.R. § 17.551
Agreement. Each participant who accepts funds from the RCSSP will enter into an agreement with VA where the participant agrees to the following:
Maintain enrollment, attendance, and an acceptable level of academic standing as defined by the school;
Obtain a terminal degree in psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, or professional mental health counseling; and
Be employed as a full-time VA employee at a Vet Center for a period of six-years as a psychologist, social worker, marriage and family therapist, or professional mental health counselor following the completion of such program of study.
Psychologists must complete a one-year internship at either an American Psychological Association (APA) or Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) accredited program. Obtaining an APA or CPA accredited internship requires that an individual participate in the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) process. If a scholarship participant does not participate in an APA or CPA accredited internship, they are in breach of their agreement.
Obligated service—
Determination of service commencement date. VA will notify the participant of the commencement date of the period of obligated service no later than 60 days before such date.
Commencement date of obligated service—
General. A participant's period of obligated service will begin on the date the participant begins full-time permanent employment at a Vet Center as a psychologist, social worker, marriage and family therapist, or professional mental health counselor, but no later than 180 days after the date that the participant completes a terminal degree in one of the identified disciplines. Psychology participants will commence their period of obligated service no later than 180 days after completion of their one-year APA or CPA internship, which requires completion of all academic requirements to obtain a terminal doctorate degree.
Independent practice. Upon receipt of the terminal degree, participants will enter VA employment at the entry level until full licensure at the independent practice level has been attained. Independent practice licensure is a requirement for all scholarship participants. Non-licensed psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional mental health counselors are required to serve under the supervision of a licensed health care professional of their profession and must be independently licensed by a State within the time frame specified in VA qualification standards.
VA monitoring of participants. VA will actively assist and monitor participants to ensure State licenses are obtained in a minimal amount of time following graduation and the required period of supervision for their profession. If a participant fails to obtain their terminal degree or fails to obtain licensure in a State at the independent practice level no later than 180 days after the required period of supervision for their profession, the participant is considered to be in breach of the acceptance agreement.
Location and position of obligated service. VA reserves the right to make final decisions on the location and position of the obligated service. A participant who receives an RCSSP must be willing to relocate to another geographic location to carry out their service obligation in accordance with the participant's agreement. The requirement for participants to receive supervision from a licensed staff within their respective professions, as a condition for their own licensure, is a critical point for the consideration of the potential location of the obligated service.
Notes, amendments, and revision history
Source
Source: Sections 17.545 through 17.553 appear at 87 FR 71256, Nov. 22, 2022 unless otherwise noted.
Authority
Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, and as noted in specific sections. Section 17.30 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701. Section 17.32 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 7331-7334. Section 17.35 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1724. Section 17.37 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 101, 1701, 1705, 1710, 1720J, 1721, 1722. Section 17.38 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701 and 1703. Section 17.43 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 109, 1784, 8111, and 8153. Section 17.44 also issued under E.O. 10122, 15 FR 2173, 3 CFR, 1949-1953 Comp., p. 313, E.O. 10400, 17 FR 8648, 3 CFR, 1949-1953 Comp., p. 900, and E.O. 11733, 38 FR 20431, 3 CFR, 1971-1975 Comp., p. 792. Section 17.46 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1710. Section 17.47 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701, 1710, 1721, 1722, 1729, 3104(a)(9), 7333, Pub. L. 99-272; 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq. Section 17.52 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701, 1703, 1710, 1712, and 3104. Section 17.55 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 513, 1703, and 1728. Section 17.56 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1703 and 1728. Sections 17.61 through 17.74 are also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1730. Section 17.86 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1785. Section 17.101 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 101, 1701, 1705, 1710, 1721, 1722, 1729. Section 17.102 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 109, 1711, 1729, 1784, 1784A, 1785, 8111, 8153. Section 17.105 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 501, 1721, 1722A, 1724, and 1725A. Section 17.108 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 501, 1703, 1710, 1725A, 1720J, and 1730A. Section 17.110 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 501, 1703, 1710, 1720D, 1720J, 1722A, and 1730A. Section 17.111 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 101(28), 501, 1701(7), 1703, 1710, 1710B, 1720B, 1720D, 1722A, and 1730A. Section 17.125 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 7304. Sections 17.156 and 17.157 are also issued under 38 U.S.C. 3901 and 3902. Section 17.158 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 3902 and 3903. Section 17.169 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1712C. Sections 17.243 through 17.248 are also issued under 38 U.S.C. 7302 note. Sections 17.270, and 17.272 through 17.277 are also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1781. Section 17.271 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1720G(a)(7)(A) and 1781. Section 17.278 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1781 and 42 U.S.C. 2651. Section 17.279 is also issued under 5 U.S.C. 552 and 552a; 38 U.S.C. 1781, 5701, and 7332. Sections 17.380, 17.390 and 17.412 are also issued under sec. 260, Pub. L. 114-223, 130 Stat. 857, and sec. 236, Public Law 115-141, 132 Stat. 348, and sec. 236, div. J, Pub. L 115-141, 132 Stat. 348. Section 17.395 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1788. Section 17.410 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1787. Section 17.415 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 7301, 7304, 7402, and 7403. Section 17.417 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701 (note), 1709A, 1712A (note), 1722B, 1730C, 7301, 7306, 7330A, 7331, 7401-7403, 7405, 7406, 7408. Section 17.419 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701 (note), 7301, 7306, 7330A, 7401-7403, 7405, 7406, 7408). Section 17.450 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1703E. Sections 17.525 through 17.531 are also issued under 38 U.S.C. 7691 through 7697. Sections 17.545 through 17.553 are also issued under 38 U.S.C. 7698, 7699, 7699A, and 7699B. Sections 17.600 through 17.612 are also issued under 38 U.S.C. 7601-7619, 7633, 7634, 7636, and sec. 104(a), div. V, Public Law 117-328. Sections 17.613 through 17.618 are also issued under Pub. L. 115-182, sec. 304. Sections 17.640 and 17.647 are also issued under sec. 4, Pub. L. 114-2, 129 Stat. 30. Sections 17.641 through 17.646 are also issued under 38 U.S.C. 501(a) and sec. 4, Pub. L. 114-2, 129 Stat. 30. Section 17.655 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 501(a), 7304, 7405. Sections 17.1200 through 17.1230 are also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1720J. Section 17.3200 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1162, 1701, 1707, 1710, 1714, 1717, 3901. Section 17.3210 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701, 1710. Section 17.3220 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701(6)(F), 1710. Section 17.3230 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701(6)(F), 1710, 1714(a). Section 17.3250 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1701, 1710, 1725, 1728. Section 17.3500 is also issued under Pub. L. 102-139 sec. 101. Sections 17.4000 through 17.4040 also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1703, 1703B, and 1703C. Section 17.4100 et seq. is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1703A. Section 17.4600 is also issued under 38 U.S.C. 1725A and 1730A.