Join The Colorado Health Service Corps
Provide care for the medically underserved and geographically isolated across Colorado
Application Basics
The work of the Colorado Health Service Corps (CHSC) to help provide access to health care for Coloradans with the greatest need is challenging and important. Clinicians who have the ability, compassion, and commitment to work with medically underserved and geographically isolated populations are needed to increase equitable health access in every Colorado community. The application cycle for CHSC is open every March and September.
The application for the next round will open September 1st, 2024.
Basic Eligibility
Clinicians may be eligible to receive repayment of qualified student loans if they practice in a health professional shortage area, delivering health care services to medically underserved and geographically isolated patients and communities.
To serve in the Colorado Health Service Corps, a clinician must be employed at a certified site.
Certified sites:
Are located in a designated health professional shortage area.
Provide comprehensive primary medical, oral health, behavioral health, pain management, or substance use disorder treatment services.
Accept all patients regardless of ability to pay and offer a sliding fee scale for those at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
Accept patients on public insurance, including Medicare, Medicaid/HealthFirst Colorado, and CHP+, and uninsured patients.
Note: Applicants must be employed at an approved site by the first day of the application cycle.
CHSC Eligible Clinicians, Service Obligations, and Award Amounts
Eligible Health Professions
Doctors of osteopathic or allopathic medicine (family medicine, geriatrics, general internal medicine, general psychiatry, general child psychiatry, general pediatrics, general obstetrics and gynecology, addiction medicine, or pain management).
Clinical pharmacists (PharmD).
Dentists (general and pediatric).
Licensed clinical or counseling psychologists (Ph.D., Psy.D.).
Licensed clinical social workers (master’s or doctoral degree in social work).
Licensed professional counselors (master’s or doctoral degree with a major study in counseling).
Licensed marriage and family therapists (master’s or doctoral degree with a major study in marriage and family therapy).
Certified nurse-midwives.
Nurse practitioners.
Advanced practice nurses with specific training in substance use disorders or pain management.
Physician assistants.
Physician assistants with specific training in substance use disorders.
Psychiatric nurse specialists.
Licensed addiction counselors.
Certified addiction counselors.
Registered dental hygienists.
Award Amounts
Full-time (at least 40 hours per week) obligation:
$120,000 for physicians and dentists.
$90,000 for physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, clinical pharmacists, licensed mental health providers, licensed addiction counselors, dental hygienists, and certified addiction counselors.
3/4-time (at least 30 hours per week) obligation:
$90,000 for physicians and dentists.
$67,500 for physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, clinical pharmacists, licensed mental health providers, licensed addiction counselors, dental hygienists, and certified addiction counselors.
Part-time (at least 20 hours per week) obligation:
$60,000 for physicians and dentists.
$45,000 for physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, clinical pharmacists, licensed mental health providers, licensed addiction counselors, dental hygienists, and certified addiction counselors.
Dentists and dental hygienists may be eligible for the state dental loan repayment program.
A clinician working in the treatment of substance use disorder may apply if the applicant has completed a clinical degree and is actively pursuing supervised clinical hours to obtain full licensure and is a licensed candidate.
Those pursuing licensure as a certified addiction technician, certified addiction specialist, or licensed addiction counselor may be eligible for the CHSC Scholarship Program for Addiction Counselors. Accepted applicants can receive a scholarship of up to $5,000 to be applied to the tuition and fees of an approved clinical addiction counseling training program.
Service Obligation Requirements:
Agree to work for a term of three years at the approved site.
Work full time, 3/4 time, or part time with a minimum of direct clinical contact hours.
Meet the hourly requirements for direct clinical care during the entire commitment.
Click here for additional eligibility details, including qualifying loans, licensure, employment status, and competing service obligations.
Approved Sites
There are 540+ CHSC-certified sites across Colorado. Find a list of sites on the Colorado Department of Public Health website and more information about eligibility for site certification.
Public, Nonprofit, or Private Pain Management or Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs:
Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP).
Office-based Opioid Treatment Programs (OBOT).
Medication-Assisted Treatment Programs (MAT).
Non-opioid Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs (SUD).
Public, Nonprofit, Outpatient Safety Net Clinics:
Federally Qualified Health Centers.
Rural Health Clinics.
Community Mental Health Centers.
Community-Funded Safety Net Clinics.
Hospital-affiliated Outpatient Clinics.
Free Clinics.
Year-round School-based Health Centers.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment Clinics.
State Correctional Facilities.
Colorado Mental Health Institutes.
Tribal Health Clinic.
