The IHS is one of 8 agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).  DHHS regulations prohibit the IHS from sponsoring J-1 visa waivers for direct care providers.  For further inquiries, regarding this regulation, you may contact DHHS Executive Secretary, Exchange Visitor Waiver Review Board at (202) 690-6174 or write to the Executive Secretary, Exchange Visitor Waiver Review Board, Room 627-H, Humphrey Building, Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. We are only aware of one DHHS agency, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), that is granting J-1 visa waivers only to those individuals involved in research of national and/or international importance. You may contact NIH at (301) 496-6166.

You may want to explore opportunities for employment with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) at (202) 884-7680; for federal employment with the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) through your local VA office by checking your local listings for telephone number, the Department of Agriculture (DA) at (301) 504-5605, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHUD) at (202) 708-0030; or for state employment through the Department of Public Health or the Department of Rural Health in each of the 50 states, Guam, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, or Washington, DC., by checking your local listings for telephone numbers.

The following Internet sites may also offer assistance:

More information for physicians with J-1 visas.
http://www.3rnet.org/docs/j1.asp

J-1 Visa Waiver Information for the State of Minnesota.
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/j1main.htm

Alabama Office of Rural Health.
http://www.alapubhealth.org/opcrh/