---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 254v"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "254v"
heading: "Clarification regarding service in schools and other community-based settings"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/254v"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties"
  - "Part D — Primary Health Care"
  - "Subpart iii — scholarship program and loan repayment program"
---

# §254v. Clarification regarding service in schools and other community-based settings

- (a) **Schools and community-based settings—** An entity to which a [participant](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11) in the Scholarship [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) or the Loan Repayment [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) (referred to in this section as a “[participant](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11)”) is assigned under [section 254f of this title](/usc/42/254f.md) may direct such [participant](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11) to provide [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) as a behavioral or mental health professional at a [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) or other community-based setting located in a health professional shortage area.
- (b) **Obligated service—**
  - (1) **In general—** Any [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) described in [subsection (a)](#a) that a [participant](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11) provides may count towards such [participant](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11)’s completion of any obligated [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) requirements under the Scholarship [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) or the Loan Repayment [Program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), subject to any limitation imposed under [paragraph (2)](#b-2).
  - (2) **Limitation—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may impose a limitation on the number of hours of [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) described in [subsection (a)](#a) that a [participant](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11) may credit towards completing obligated [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) requirements, provided that the limitation allows a member to credit [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) described in [subsection (a)](#a) for not less than 50 percent of the total hours required to complete such obligated [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) requirements.
- (c) **Rule of construction—** The authorization under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be notwithstanding any other provision of this subpart or subpart II.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 338N, as added Pub. L. 115–271, title VII, § 7072, Oct. 24, 2018, 132 Stat. 4030.)