Loan Forgiveness

The Massachusetts State Loan Repayment Program (MSLRP)
from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health:

• The purpose of this program is to recruit and retain health professionals in qualified public or not for profit health care settings by offering education loan repayment incentives.
• The program is funded by a grant from the federal Bureau of Health Professionals and state money from DPH.
• The program is open to health professionals providing primary care including physicians, nurse practitioners, oral health and behavioral health.  Behavioral health providers are categorized as Social Workers, Psychologists, Mental Health Counselors, Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists.
• Social workers (master’s or doctoral degree in social work) are eligible for up to $20,000 per year ($40,000 total over two years). 
• Providers must be employed by eligible health care organizations located in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). 
• Current HPSA’s open to behavioral health professionals include community health centers, correctional facilities and qualified locations providing services to homeless populations in Boston.
• Providers applying for this program can not apply for or benefit for any other loan repayment at the same time they are receiving funds from this program.
• Loan repayments received cannot exceed the amount of the provider’s qualified educational debt.
• Providers applying for the program must be willing to make a contractual agreement with DPH and their employer to work full time (40 hours/week) for two years at the approved HPSA.

Applications:

• Are currently accepted on an open enrollment basis and are reviewed quarterly.
• Must be submitted jointly by the provider as well as the employer.
• Applicant must be a US citizen.
• Applicant must be licensed in Massachusetts.

Steps to access the application and further information:

1. Go to www.mass.gov/osd
   
2. Scroll down the right hand side of the page and click under ONLINE SERVICES, click on Find Contracts and Bids.
   
3. Scroll down the center of the page and click on "Search for solicitations"
   
4. Enter the document number (904215) in the document number field in the top center of the page.
   
5. Click on the Search button.
   
6. Click on the blue sentence about "there are 1 solicitation...." at the top of the page.
   
7. Click on the View icon.
   
8. Select the Specifications tab to view a copy of program documents.
   
9. Select the Forms and Terms tab for a copy of the forms and application.

For more information about the DPH loan forgiveness program or NASW’s continued efforts to pass loan forgiveness for social workers in human service and child welfare work, please contact Julie Balasalle, NASW Government Relations and Political Action Associate at 617-227-9635 ext. 20, or Nicole Watson at the Department of Public Health, at 617-624-6051.