New State Loan Repayment Program assists healthcare professionals

from ADPH press release

The Alabama Department of Public Health Office of Primary Care and Rural Health is seeking applicants for a new Alabama State Loan Repayment Program which will assist more than 20 qualified healthcare professionals in exchange for two years of service in a health professional shortage area.

The Health Resources and Services Administration designate most of Alabama as a health professional shortage area for primary care, dental care and mental health care. The purpose of the loan repayment program is to promote recruitment and retention of critical healthcare practitioners, particularly in rural Alabama.

Program goals are to increase the number of licensed healthcare professionals in HPSA designated areas each year, to increase workforce diversity to better reflect racial and ethnic populations in those areas, and to expand the healthcare workforce in health professional shortage areas by prioritizing applications from those areas with the greatest need and monitoring the locations of awards.

Qualified candidates will compete for awards totaling up to $35,000 per year for two years of service, with 50 percent of the award ($17,500) being funded by a federal grant and 50 percent of the award being matched with payment from the employing public or nonprofit agency. Twoyear contracts are required between the applicant and the employing agency.

Licensed healthcare professionals who may apply are the following:

• M.D. or D.O. primary care physician (family practice, general internist, pediatrician,

Obstetrician/gynecologist, psychiatrist)

• General practice dentist

• Primary care physician assistant

• Licensed clinical social worker

• Clinical or counseling psychologist

• Primary care nurse practitioner

• Psychiatric clinical nurse specialist

• Licensed professional counselor

• Marriage and family therapist

• Mental health counselor

• Certified nurse-midwife

For more information please visit www.adph.org/ruralhealth/ or call Carolyn Bern, 1-800-255 -1992 or (334) 206-5436.