42 U.S.C. § 254v — Clarification regarding service in schools and other community-based settings

(a) Schools and community-based settings An organization that a Scholarship Program or Loan Repayment Program participant is assigned to may direct that participant to work as a behavioral or mental health professional at a school or another community-based setting, as long as it is in a health professional shortage area. (b) Obligated service (1) In general: Any service the participant provides under (a) can count toward finishing their required service under the Scholarship or Loan Repayment Program, subject to the limit in (2). (2) Limitation: The Secretary may limit how many hours of this school or community service count toward the required service. But the limit can't be so strict that it stops a participant from crediting at least 50 percent of their total required hours this way. (c) Rule of construction This permission applies "notwithstanding" any other provision of this subpart or subpart II — meaning it overrides any conflicting rule elsewhere in those parts.