Student Loan Repayment for Mental Health Professionals in Texas

[sanantone]

When CLEP3705 posted a link to an article on new Texas laws that included a law on the acceptance of AP scores, I looked through the whole list and came across one I found to be very valuable. Around 200 of Texas' 254 counties are designated as having a Mental Health Professional Shortage.

That’s a federal classification meaning there are more than 30,000 people per psychiatrist — the threshold at which it becomes nearly impossible for the average person to get a referral to a mental health specialist, experts say.

Texas Hopes to Attract More Mental Health Care Workers | The Texas Tribune

Additionally, 185 of Texas' 254 counties do not have one psychiatrist! In an attempt to attract more mental health professionals to shortage areas, Texas is offering loan repayment to psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed professional counselors, advanced practice registered nurses certified in psychiatric or mental health nursing, and licensed clinical social workers. I think they could have expanded the list to include LMFTs since they have a broad scope of practice and licensed psychological associates since they can do about as much as psychologists as long as they are working for a practice or organization with a supervising psychologist.

10% for the first year
15% for the second year
20% for the third year
25% for the fourth year
30% for the fifth year

This totals 100% of your loans if you work five consecutive years in a shortage area and accept Medicaid and CHIP or work in a Texas Juvenile Justice Department or Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility. There are caps, however.

$160,000 for a psychiatrist
$80,000 for a psychologist, nurse practitioner, or LPC
$40,000 for an LCSW

I don't know why the cap is so much lower for LCSWs vs. LPCs.

84® SB 239 - Introduced version - Bill Text

New Mexico and Louisiana also have similar programs.

[SweetSecret]

I saw that too, but I wonder how easy it will actually be for professionals to access. I went through the process of getting a state certification in NM (which in WA holds a counselor certification) for a medicaid billable service... except then I could never get a direct answer from the state or medicaid on how to bill for it. So it's great that this stuff is being put in place, but its a matter of actually accessing it. That's the problem with so many government programs though, they are hard to access the benefits of.

[sanantone]

I saw that too, but I wonder how easy it will actually be for professionals to access. I went through the process of getting a state certification in NM (which in WA holds a counselor certification) for a medicaid billable service... except then I could never get a direct answer from the state or medicaid on how to bill for it. So it's great that this stuff is being put in place, but its a matter of actually accessing it. That's the problem with so many government programs though, they are hard to access the benefits of.

You probably don't have to worry about it as long as you work for someone or an organization that accepts Medicaid/CHIP.

[CM1999]

I'm in WA and I don't know if it differs from state to state but I know someone here who assumed her loans would be repaid because she read about the loan repayment program. When she was done with school she found out that, to get the repayment benefit, she had to get a job at particular places and those places had certain number of "slots" that were available. So, even though most of the counties around is SEEMED like they would qualify, she was out of luck as she was applying for jobs that many many people wanted.
In the end it's not as magical as they make it seem.

[sanantone]

I'm in WA and I don't know if it differs from state to state but I know someone here who assumed her loans would be repaid because she read about the loan repayment program. When she was done with school she found out that, to get the repayment benefit, she had to get a job at particular places and those places had certain number of "slots" that were available. So, even though most of the counties around is SEEMED like they would qualify, she was out of luck as she was applying for jobs that many many people wanted.
In the end it's not as magical as they make it seem.

I linked to the Texas law (I'm not sure if it's the final version). It's not all that particular where you work as long as you are in those counties and accepting Medicaid and CHIP.

[CM1999]

That is how it seemed for the WA ones too ----until you contacted the state and found out the additional layers of red tape. They are not paying for EVeRYONE who qualifies and works in the right kind of place. They pay for "slots" and they allocate those slots to entities that apply for them (work locations).
I looked into it when I heard about it because I thought for sure my friend was wrong. But I quickly found out she was correct.
Just be sure to make calls to double check that ANY job/position in the right field and location will work....and not just certain slots.

[SweetSecret]

I linked to the Texas law (I'm not sure if it's the final version). It's not all that particular where you work as long as you are in those counties and accepting Medicaid and CHIP.

I was working for a place that accepted Medicaid. It seems to me that sometimes government passes this stuff but then doesn't tell anyone how to actually access it. Another example is the TVPA, which is supposed to provide all of these great services to victims of trafficking, except again the social service agencies aren't taught HOW to direct survivors through, especially domestics. So its great that they pass it, but I want to see it actually used before I get excited.

[sanantone]

That is how it seemed for the WA ones too ----until you contacted the state and found out the additional layers of red tape. They are not paying for EVeRYONE who qualifies and works in the right kind of place. They pay for "slots" and they allocate those slots to entities that apply for them (work locations).
I looked into it when I heard about it because I thought for sure my friend was wrong. But I quickly found out she was correct.
Just be sure to make calls to double check that ANY job/position in the right field and location will work....and not just certain slots.

Washington has an eligible sites list. So far, I haven't seen that Texas limits funding to those who work at certain sites.
http://www.wsac.wa.gov/sites/default/fil...g.docx.pdf

[SweetSecret]

Washington has an eligible sites list. So far, I haven't seen that Texas limits funding to those who work at certain sites.
http://www.wsac.wa.gov/sites/default/fil...g.docx.pdf

I actually found it at: Loan Repayment Program - NHSC
They at least have a link, with a formal application. My certification isn't a listed type though, which isn't a big deal. WA seems to be a bit more organized, as NM I could never get the medicaid billing code for my certification, though we regularly billed for counselor hours.

[sanantone]

I actually found it at: Loan Repayment Program - NHSC
They at least have a link, with a formal application. My certification isn't a listed type though, which isn't a big deal. WA seems to be a bit more organized, as NM I could never get the medicaid billing code for my certification, though we regularly billed for counselor hours.

I think these might be two different things. The National Health Service Corps is a federal program, but Washington has its own repayment program.

Health sites apply annually to participate in the program. The eligible site list is posted in January. The loan repayment portion of the program is composed of two separate programs:
1. The Federal-State Loan Repayment Program (FSLRP) which uses matching federal grant funds for awards.
2. The Health Professional Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP) which uses state dollars only for awards.

Health Professionals | WSAC

Texas' program, while able to apply for federal grants, does not rely on any federal program.