Rural Healthcare Facility Recruitment
Assistance Program
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of the Rural Healthcare Facility Recruitment Assistance Program?
The program is intended to help recruit certain health professions by providing a financial incentive for them to fill vacancies in health care facilities.
How does the program work?
The program provides $10,000 directly to each health professional who has entered into a contract and completed a three-year service obligation. The professional must provide full-time services within their occupation at an employing facility in South Dakota.
The payment each health professional receives is split between the state and the employing facility. The proportion each pays is dependent on the size of the community in which the facility is located. Communities of 2500 or less pay 25% of the $10,000. Communities over 2500 pay 50% of the $10,000. The community portion of the payment can be made any time; the state payment occurs only after completion of the three-year service obligation.
Are there any other program requirements?
Yes. The health professional must either be a new employee at an employing facility or plan to fill a budgeted vacancy for that occupation. A new employee is defined as an eligible health professional who has been employed within their occupation at this facility for no longer than nine months prior to the date the Department receives the application. The eligible facility must be located in a community with a population of 10,000 or less.
Who can submit an application and when can it be submitted?
Health professionals cannot submit applications. Rather, South Dakota licensed hospitals, nursing facilities, federally certified home health agencies, licensed chemical dependency treatment facilities, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, community support providers, community mental health centers, ESRD facilities or community health centers must submit applications on behalf of the health professional. The facility must submit the application to the Office of Rural Health, South Dakota Department of Health. Applications will be accepted beginning May 1, 2013. Beginning July 1, 2013, applications will be selected on a first come, first served basis. (Applications will be accepted May 1, 2013 through the last business day in December or until the annual quota has been met, whichever comes first.)
Is every applicant guaranteed success?
No. Applications are selected on a "first come - first served basis" through the last business day in December or until the annual quota has been met, whichever comes first. In addition, an eligible rural health care facility may only have up to three selected health professionals participate in the program per program year. Therefore, our advice is to send applications in as soon as possible.
What types of health professionals are eligible for the program?
In order to enter into a Rural Healthcare Facility Recruitment Assistance Agreement, the health professional must either a) have an unrestricted South Dakota license within the following professions:
Dietitian or Nutritionist
Pharmacist
Nurse (LPN or RN)
Physical Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Paramedic
Respiratory Therapist
or b) be fully certified as either a Medical Technologist / Laboratory Technologist, Clinical Laboratory Scientist or Medical Lab Scientist (by ASCP, AMT, or AAB) or a Radiologic Technologist (by ARRT, ARDMS, NMTC, or MDCB).
What do you mean by full-time?
Full-time is not less than 36 hours of professional services weekly for a minimum of 48 weeks per year.
If I have been working at an eligible facility for more than nine months, do I still qualify for the program?
No, an eligible health professional must be a "new employee", meaning that the individual cannot have been employed for more than nine months at the facility prior to the Department's receipt of the application.
How will I know if my facility has been selected for the program?
The facility submitting the application will be notified if an application has been selected starting in July. The next step in the process involves the three-party Recruitment Assistance Agreement which will need to be signed by an authorized representative of the facility, the health professional receiving payment, and the state..
Do I have to pay taxes on the payments I received from the facility and the state?
Yes, the payments made to participants are regarded as income by the IRS.
Where can one get an application for the program?
Applications will be available on the Department of Health website, ruralhealth.sd.gov, beginning in May 2013. You can also request an application from the Office of Rural Health, South Dakota Department of Health, 600 E. Capital Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 or by phone at 605-773-2679.
Who do I contact for more information?
Please contact Karen Cudmore, Recruitment Program Coordinator, Office of Rural Health at the above phone number for additional information.
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