“To amend title VII of the Public Health Service Act to strengthen the mental health workforce, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes a mental health provider loan deferment and forgiveness program in the Public Health Service Act. Under the program, the Secretary of Health and Human Services must enter into contracts with eligible individuals—defined as students or trainees at minority-serving institutions eligible for funding under section 371 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 in mental or behavioral health programs (including substance use) who accept qualifying employment post-graduation—under which principal payments on eligible loans (i.e., certain federal student loans and others for mental health training) are deferred with interest accruing during full-time service as a qualified mental health provider, and up to $200,000 (or 100%) of outstanding principal and interest is forgiven after 5 consecutive years of such service without default. Qualifying service is as a solo provider or at an institution serving patients in a mental health professional shortage area designated under section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (i.e., areas lacking sufficient mental health professionals); qualified providers include psychiatrists, health service psychologists, psychiatric nurse specialists, marriage and family therapists, certain physician assistants and nurse practitioners, clinical social workers, clinical psychologists, and mental health counselors (as defined in specified Social Security Act provisions).