Eligible healthcare facilities can apply to become National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved sites. NHSC-approved sites provide outpatient, primary health care services to people in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) Sites must contact their State Primary Care Office (PCO) when applying for, or inquiring about, a HPSA designation.

We require behavioral and mental health providers to practice in a community-based setting that provides access to comprehensive mental and behavioral health services.

NHSC sites that don’t offer all required services must demonstrate a formal affiliation with a facility that provides these services.

Application Cycles | Before You Apply | Application Sections | Application Edits | After You Apply

What are the benefits of becoming an NHSC site?

As an NHSC-approved site, we can assist you in your efforts to recruit, hire, and retain clinicians.

When do site application cycles open?

We open a new site application cycle every year. The new site application cycle is for sites that:

• have never been approved for NHSC, including sites that have applied and had their application denied or cancelled
• are currently inactive for NHSC due to expiration or past compliance issues.

How long is the application cycle?

In a typical cycle, you have six to eight weeks to submit your site application.

What should I do before I apply?

• Read our Site Reference Guide (PDF – 1 MB). It details everything we expect of NHSC-approved sites.
• Read the NHSC Site Agreement (PDF – 254 KB)
• Gather or create all required documentation.
• Create an account or log into the BHW Customer Service Portal.

What are the sections of the application?

The NHSC Site Application contains eleven sections. Contact your state primary care office (state PCO) if you have questions.

Note: If your organization has multiple sites in multiple Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), you must submit a separate application for each location. We review/approve each site individually.