Sec. 13b.08.14.11. Service Obligation

A. Applicants offered an award shall sign and return a promissory note agreeing to begin fulfillment of the service obligation in the area/field for which the award was received within 1 year of completing the degree for which they received assistance.

B. The service obligation begins after completion of the degree program and may not be fulfilled prior to completion.

C. If a recipient holds a Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant with any other State award requiring a service obligation, the obligations shall be served in consecutive years.

D. If a recipient works full-time, the service obligation shall be fulfilled at a rate of 1 year for each year that the award was received, even if the student was enrolled on a part-time basis for some semesters.

E. If a recipient works part-time, the obligation shall be fulfilled at a rate of 2 years for each year the scholarship was received, even if the student was enrolled on a part-time basis.

F. Full-time employment is at least 35 hours per week, and part-time employment is at least 20 hours per week.

G. If a student receives a degree in a major that falls into more than one specified service area, the student may fulfill the service obligation in either area.

H. Eligible Employment by Service Area.

(1) Service Area A. The recipient shall be employed in the State of Maryland as a director or senior staff member in a licensed Maryland childcare center or as a licensed family day care provider in Maryland. The recipient may not work as an elementary school teacher to fulfill this obligation.

(2) Service Area B.

(a) The recipient shall be employed in a Maryland community-based program that is:

(i) Licensed by the Developmental Disabilities Administration;

(ii) Approved by the Mental Hygiene Administration; or

(iii) Certified by the Office of Health Care Quality;

(b) The recipient shall be employed in a residential program that is licensed by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Juvenile Justice;

(c) The recipient shall be a direct service employee or provide first-line supervision of employees who provide habilitation, rehabilitation, residential, or related community support services to individuals:

(i) With developmental disabilities;

(ii) With mental health disorders; or

(iii) Who are dependent on alcohol or drugs;

(d) The recipient shall be a direct service employee or provide first-line supervision of employees who serve children in:

(i) The custody of a local department of social services; or

(ii) Any residential childcare program licensed by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Juvenile Justice;

(e) The recipient shall be employed by a State or local government entity in Maryland as a direct care service employee or provide first-line supervision of employees who provide habilitation, rehabilitation, residential, or related community support services to individuals:

(i) With developmental disabilities;

(ii) With mental health disorders; or

(iii) Who are dependent on alcohol or drugs; or

(f) The recipient shall be employed by a State or local government entity in Maryland as a direct care service employee or provide first-line supervision of employees who serve children in the custody of a local residential childcare program.

(3) Service Area C.

(a) The recipient shall become a certified teacher in Maryland:

(i) In the certification area applied for and awarded, and be employed in a Maryland public or private elementary or secondary school as a teacher in that area; or

(ii) In any teaching field if the individual commits to working in a Title I school or a school designated for improvement.

(b) The Office of Student Financial Assistance shall forgive a teacher recipient of a Workforce Shortage Student Assistant Grant for their service obligation for up to 2 years if the recipient has failed the teacher certification examination, approved by the Maryland State Board of Education, in 2 consecutive years and the recipient fails to pass the teacher certification examination within the time period specified by the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

(4) Service Area D.

(a) The recipient shall be employed as a therapist or therapy assistant to children with disabilities in a public school in Maryland;

(b) The recipient shall be employed as a therapist or therapy assistant to children with disabilities placed in an approved nonpublic education program; or

(c) The recipient shall be employed as a therapist or therapy assistant to provide physical or occupational therapy in a State therapeutic hospital determined by the Secretary of Health to have a severe shortage of physical or occupational therapists.

(5) Service Area E.

(a) The recipient shall be engaged in eligible employment in Maryland in public service to assist in providing legal services to low-income residents in the State.

(b) Eligible employment is defined as employment in government at any level, public interest organization, public school, or nonprofit organization under §501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(6) Service Area F. The recipient shall be employed as a social worker in the public or nonprofit sectors under §501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in which there is a shortage of qualified practitioners for low-income or underserved residents or areas of the State.

(7) Service Area G. The recipient shall be employed as:

(a) A nurse in a Maryland licensed hospital, adult day care center, nursing home, public health agency, home health agency, an eligible institution of postsecondary education that awards nursing degrees or diplomas, or another organization authorized by the Secretary of Health; or

(b) A nurse in the public or nonprofit sectors under §501(c)(3) or (4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in which there is a shortage of qualified practitioners to low-income or underserved residents or areas of the State.