38 U.S.C. § 7405: Temporary full-time appointments, part-time appointments, and without-compensation appointments

Positions listed in section 7401(1) of this title . Positions listed in section 7401(3) of this title . Librarians. Other professional, clerical, technical, and unskilled personnel (including interns, residents, trainees, and students in medical support programs). Positions listed in section 7401(1) of this title . Positions listed in section 7401(3) of this title . Other professional and technical personnel. shall be in addition to personnel described in section 7306, paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 7401, and section 7408 of this title ; and shall be paid such rates of pay as the Secretary may prescribe. Temporary full-time appointments under this section of persons in positions listed in paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 7401 of this title may be for a period in excess of 90 days only if the Under Secretary for Health finds that circumstances render it impracticable to obtain the necessary services through appointments under that section. a full course of nursing in a recognized school of nursing, approved by the Secretary; or a full course of training for any category of personnel described in paragraph (3) of section 7401 of this title , or as a physician assistant, in a recognized education or training institution approved by the Secretary; and is pending registration or licensure in a State or certification by a national board recognized by the Secretary. Temporary full-time appointments of persons in positions referred to in subsection (a)(1)(D) shall not exceed three years. Temporary full-time appointments under this paragraph may be renewed for one or more additional periods not in excess of three years each. Temporary full-time appointments of other personnel may not be for a period in excess of one year except as authorized in subsection (f). A part-time appointment may not be for a period of more than one year, except for appointments of persons specified in subsection (a)(1)(A) and interns, residents, and other trainees in medical support programs and except as authorized in subsection (f). A student who has a temporary appointment under this section and who is pursuing a full course of nursing in a recognized school of nursing approved by the Secretary, or who is pursuing a full course of training for any category of personnel described in paragraph (3) of section 7401 of this title in a recognized education or training institution approved by the Secretary, may be reappointed for a period not to exceed the duration of the student’s academic program. the Secretary may make temporary full-time appointments of personnel in such category for periods exceeding 90 days if the Under Secretary for Health finds that circumstances render it impractical to obtain the necessary services through appointments under paragraph (3) of section 7401 of this title ; and part-time appointments of personnel in such category may be for periods of more than one year. Except as provided in paragraph (3), employment of a registered nurse on a temporary part-time basis under subsection (a)(1) shall be for a probationary period of two years. no longer be considered temporary; and be considered an appointment described in section 7403(a) of this title ; and the nurse shall be considered to have served the probationary period required by section 7403(b). nurses with a part-time appointment resulting from an academic affiliation or teaching position in a nursing academy of the Department; nurses appointed as a result of a specific research proposal or grant; or nurses who are not citizens of the United States and appointed under section 7407(a) of this title . The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall carry out a national program of outreach to societies, community organizations, nonprofit organizations, and government entities in order to recruit mental health providers who meet the quality standards and requirements of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mental health services for the Department on a part-time, without-compensation basis, under section 7405 of title 38 , United States Code. In carrying out the program required by subsection (a), the Secretary may partner with a community entity or nonprofit organization or assist in the development of a community entity or nonprofit organization, including by entering into an agreement under section 8153 of title 38 , United States Code, that provides strategic coordination of the societies, organizations, and government entities described in subsection (a) in order to maximize the availability and efficient delivery of mental health services to veterans by such societies, organizations, and government entities. In carrying out the program required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide training to mental health providers to ensure that clinicians who provide mental health services as described in such subsection have sufficient understanding of military-specific and service-specific culture, combat experience, and other factors that are unique to the experience of veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operating Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn.”