SS-A - 0906-0058_BHW_ STAR LRP + Ped Spec LRP_12182025

Health Resources and Services Administration

Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR)

Loan Repayment Program (LRP) and the Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (LRP)

OMB Control No. 0906-0058 – Revision

Supporting Statement A

A. Justification

1. Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary

This is a request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the revision of the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) to add the new Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (PS LRP) application. The STAR LRP is authorized by Section 781 of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. § 295h). The PS LRP is authorized by Section 775 of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. § 295f) The current OMB approval number for the STAR LRP and PS LRP applications (including the Authorization for Disclosure of Loan Information Form, the Privacy Act Release Authorization Form, and the Employment Verification Form) is OMB No. 0906–0058, expiring on 07/31/2026. The Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) in the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) administers the STAR LRP and PS LRP.

Under the STAR LRP, HHS will continue to enter into contracts with selected individuals (awardees) including behavioral health providers and paraprofessionals who are working in a fulltime substance use disorder treatment job that involves direct patient care in either a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), or a county (or municipality, if not contained within any county) where the mean drug overdose death rate per 100,000 people over the past three years for which official data is available from the State, is higher than the most recent available national average overdose death rate per 100,000 people, as reported by the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC). In return for working in such areas and specialties of need, HHS will assist the awardees in their repayment of outstanding qualifying educational loans. Under the legislation, HHS agrees to provide up to $250,000.00 in loan repayment in exchange for 6 years of full-time eligible employment.

Under the PS LRP, HHS will provide the repayment of education loans to pediatric medical subspecialist, pediatric surgical specialist, and child and adolescent mental and behavioral health care providers working full-time in or serving a HPSA, medically underserved area (MUA), or medically underserved population (MUP). In return for working in such areas and specialties of need, HHS will offer up to $100,000 in return for 3 years of full-time service obligation through the PS LRP.

Updates to this information collection request include the following:

• The FY25 applications for STAR LRP and PS LRP, replaced the word gender with sex to comply with EO 14168.

• The application portal account name was changed to My BHW account.  

2. Purpose and Use of Information Collection

The need and purpose of this information collection is to obtain information that is used to assess an applicant’s eligibility and qualifications for the STAR LRP and the PS LRP programs, and to obtain information for eligible facilities or sites. Individuals must apply to the STAR LRP or the PS LRP to participate. Additionally, health care facilities located in a high overdose death rate area or mental health HPSAs must submit the facility type and the site point(s) of contact(s) for HRSA to determine the facility’s eligibility to participate in the STAR LRP. Similarly, sites located in or serving a HPSA, MUA, or MUP must submit the site type and the site point(s) of contact(s) for HRSA to determine the sites’ eligibility to participate in the PS LRP. The STAR LRP and the PS LRP application asks for personal, professional, and financial information needed to determine the applicant's eligibility to participate in either of the programs. In addition, applicants must provide information regarding the loans for which repayment is being requested.

3. Use of Improved Information Technology and Burden Reduction

This information collection activity will be fully web-based. The STAR LRP and the PS LRP application, application instructions and program information will leverage the existing application database through the My BHW Account available at https://programportal.hrsa.gov/extranet/landing.seam. Additionally, information about each program will be available on the BHW website https://www.hrsa.gov/about/organization/bureaus/bhw/index.html.

Facilities or sites approved for the STAR LRP and/or the PS LRP will be listed online and fully accessible through https://connector.hrsa.gov/connector/. HRSA will approve eligible facilities for the STAR LRP if the facility submits to HRSA the facility type and the recruitment contact(s) through the My BHW Account and be located in either a county (or municipality, if not contained within any county) where the mean drug overdose death rate per 100,000 people over the past three years for which official data is available from the State, is higher than the most recent available national average overdose death rate per 100,000 people, as reported by the CDC, or in a mental health HPSA. Similarly, HRSA will approve and activate eligible sites for the PS LRP if: (1) The facility is already approved for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), Nurse Corps, or STAR LRP and located in or serves a HPSA, MUA or MUP; or (2) During the PS LRP application cycle, the facility submits to HRSA the site type and the point of contact(s), (POC) to [email protected].

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication and Use of Similar Information

The information requested in the STAR LRP, and the PS LRP application are specific to the applicant and unique to this program. Collection of the facility or site name and POC information during the application cycle for the STAR LRP and the PS LRP will be the only known mechanism for collecting site specific information that can be used for determining site eligibility.

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Other Small Entities

The information collection will not have a significant impact on small entities.

6. Consequences of Collecting the Information Less Frequently

The selection process for the STAR LRP and the PS LRP applicants necessitates the collection of required data prior to HHS entering a contract for repayment of qualifying education loans. In the absence of collecting these data, review, selection, and approval of qualified applicants cannot be carried out. The STAR LRP and the PS LRP request the information once during the application cycle.

The selection process for STAR LRP and the PS LRP sites necessitates the collection of required data prior to STAR LRP, and the PS LRP participants being allowed to serve at eligible sites. If the information were collected less frequently, the STAR LRP and the PS LRP could not adequately evaluate sites and determine their eligibility for STAR LRP and the PS LRP participant placement or transfer.

7. Special Circumstances Relating to the Guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.5

This information collection is consistent with 5 CFR 1320.5 (d)(2).

BHW is postured to obtain full compliance with SPD-15 standards and is currently planning to deploy the necessary updates no later than February 2026. BHW will update databases and front end screens to combine race and ethnicity, update All LRP and SP Applicants and Participants demographic content including data collection and profile pages, update all export functionality, and update all reports, dashboards, and DataMart processes.

8. Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice/Outside Consultation

Section 8A:

A 60-day Federal Register Notice was published in the Federal Register on August 13, 2025, vol. 90, No. 154; pp. 38983-38985. HRSA received one public comment.

• The commenter expressed concern with aspects of both the application and the employment verification forms including the provision of, and training in, primary care as well as references related to working in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and/or Medically Underserved Areas and Populations (MUA/Ps), hour requirements, telehealth attestation and missing site types.

• The commenter encouraged HRSA to consider recommendations for forms to be streamlined and/or should be modified to ensure that eligible providers can benefit from the program.

HRSA appreciates the views shared and the willingness to support the PSLRP/STAR programs and will take these comments into consideration during the next form review process in Fall 2029 as we continue future program development.

A 30-day Federal Register Notice was published in the Federal Register on December 22, 2025, vol 90; No.243; pp X-Y.

Section 8B:

The program surveyed partnering stakeholders in 2024 to obtain constructive feedback to improve the application, improve efficiency, and minimize the collection burden. There were no suggestions for changes or revisions.

9. Explanation of any Payment/Gift to Respondents

Respondents will not receive any payments or gifts.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality Provided to Respondents

Data collected on the individual STAR LRP, and the PS LRP application are stored in a system of records as defined under the Privacy Act of 1974. The information is protected by the Privacy Act, but it may be disclosed outside the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services, as permitted by the Privacy Act and Freedom of Information Act, to Congress, the National Archives, and the

Government Accountability Office, and pursuant to court order and various routine uses as described in the System of Record Notice 09-15-0037. Information provided on each selected application will be maintained for at least 2 years and up to 10 years to permit the monitoring participants through the completion of their service commitments.

The Right to Financial Privacy Act (RFPA), P.L. 95-630, regulates the Federal Government's access to the financial records of individuals maintained by a financial institution. Section 1102(a) prohibits Government access to financial records unless one of five procedures is used, and the records are "reasonably described." The procedure being used by the STAR LRP, and the PS LRP is described in Section 1104(a), which provides that an individual may authorize disclosure of his financial records if he signs a statement identifying the records and specifying the recipient and purpose of the disclosure. The relevant financial information collected through this application package complies with this requirement.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions

Questions regarding race and ethnicity are asked in the online application; however, responses to these questions are optional. The disclosure of the applicant's Social Security Number (SSN) is required by Section 4 of the Debt Collection Act of 1982 (26 U.S.C. 6103) and the applicant provides this information on his/her lender statement(s). The disclosure of the SSN is required for participation in the program, since the amounts repaid to lenders must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service as "other income" on IRS Form 1099. Safeguards are followed concerning the use of the SSN in the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a note).

12. Estimates of Annualized Hour and Cost Burden

12A. Estimated Annualized Burden Hours

The program estimates that the number of STAR LRP applicants/respondents will average approximately 1,700 and that the PS LRP applicants/respondents will average approximately 500. The number of STAR LRP respondents is an average based on data collected over a period of two years. The PS LRP average is based on the number of applications we would need to review to make 150 awards. Each applicant must complete an online application once. The application consists of general information (name, address, school attended, degree obtained, employer, etc.) and information for each loan to be repaid. Information from different applicants may vary; however, it appears that the burden estimates for the forms remain reasonable based on consultation with previous respondents.

Total Estimated Annualized Burden – Hours for the STAR LRP

Form Name	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Total Responses	Average Burden per Response (in hours)	Total Burden Hours
STAR LRP Application	1,700	1	1,700	0.50	850
Authorization for Disclosure of Loan Information Form	1,700	1	1,700	0.50	850
Privacy Act Release Authorization Form	1,700	1	1,700	0.50	850
Employment Verification Form	1,700	1	1,700	0.50	850
Total	1,700	----	6,800	----	3,400

Total Estimated Annualized Burden – Hours for the PS LRP

Form Name	Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Total Responses	Average Burden per Response (in hours)	Total Burden Hours
PS LRP Application	500	1	500	0.50	250
Authorization for Disclosure of Loan Information Form	500	1	500	0.50	250
Privacy Act Release Authorization Form	500	1	500	0.50	250
Employment Verification Form	500	1	500	0.50	250
Total	2,000	----	2,000	----	1,000

Total Estimated Annualized Burden – Hours for the STAR and PS LRP

Number of Respondents	Number of Responses per Respondent	Total Responses	Average Burden per Response (in hours)	Total Burden Hours
3,700	1	8,800	0.5	4,400

12B. Estimated Annualized Burden Costs

Type of Respondent	Total Burden Hours	Hourly Wage Rate1	Total Respondent Costs
STAR LRP Applicants	1700	*$77.64	$131,988
PS LRP Applicants	500	**$93.16	$46,580
Total	2200		$178,568

*Based on Family and General Practitioners data, Occupation Code: 29-0000

**Based on Medical and Health Service Manager data, Occupation Code: 11-9111

(https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/industry/621300)

13. Estimates of other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Recordkeepers/Capital Costs

All equipment and software are internally maintained at the STAR LRP and PS LRP as part of its normal business practice. There will be no operation or maintenance costs to lenders; all information is maintained for usual business purposes. Other than their time, there is no cost to respondents.

14. Annualized Cost to Federal Government

Instrument	Base Pay Rate2	Project Time per FTE	Number of FTEs	Total Annual Cost
STAR LRP and PS LRP Online Application Contract	$152,101.50/ (GS-12, Step 1)	0.25	26	$988,659.75
STAR LRP and PS LRP Facility or Site Information Review	$152,101.50/ (GS-12, Step 1)	0.025	41	$155,904.04
Total				$ 1,144,563.79

Processing of the STAR LRP and the PS LRP applications and supporting forms are handled internally through the BHW Business Management Information System Solution (BMISS) and by HRSA staff. There are 26 full-time equivalents (FTEs) involved in the processing of the applications. The cost for staff to process the applications and facilitate the loan repayment process for 2025 GS-12, Step 1 employees at 0.25 FTE rate is $988,659.75.

HRSA regional staff will review the STAR LRP Site Information with an average pay rate of $155,904.04 equivalent to a GS-12, Step 1 at 2025 pay rate level). Approximately 41 DRO staff participate in reviewing site applications.

The total estimated annual cost to the Government for the STAR LRP and the PS LRP application and supporting forms is $1,144,563.79.

15. Explanation for Program Changes or Adjustments

The total estimated annualized burden hours have decreased for the STAR LRP due to a fewer number of respondents for this program.

The FY25 applications for STAR LRP and PSLRP, replaced the word gender with sex. The application portal account name was changed to My BHW account.

16. Plans for Tabulation, Publication, and Project Time Schedule

Statistical data for STAR LRP has been published and can be obtained at the following website: https://data.hrsa.gov/data/download?data=SCH#SCH. Data is published at the end of each fiscal year upon reconciliation of awards data on October 1st.

17. Reason(s) Display of OMB Expiration Date is Inappropriate

No exemption is requested.

18. Exceptions to Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

There are no exceptions to the certification.

1 Hourly Wage Rate based on the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics released for May 2024. Hourly median wage doubled to account for benefits.

2 The rate used is a base rate according to the OPM salary table for 2025 (annual rates and step)

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2025/DCB.pdf. Wage has been multiplied by 1.5 to account for overhead costs.

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