No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes a loan repayment program for mental health professionals serving in shortage areas designated under section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (i.e., Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) for mental health) or as otherwise determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Under the program, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Secretary enters agreements to repay up to 1/6 of the principal and interest on an individual's eligible loans (i.e., mental health-related graduate or postgraduate loans; Federal Direct, PLUS, Unsubsidized Stafford, Consolidation, or Perkins Loans; or other federal loans as determined) for each of up to 6 years of full-time service (with no more than 1 year between service years), plus the remainder after the sixth year, not to exceed $250,000 total per individual. (Thus, participants receive prorated repayment during service, with full payoff upon completion.) The section prohibits double benefits with other federal loan forgiveness programs (e.g., National Health Service Corps under PHSA §338B); authorizes liquidated damages for breaches (excluding good-faith partial completion); requires biennial reports to Congress starting 5 years after enactment; and authorizes $25 million annually for FY2026 through FY2035.