Chapter21.StudentServices
SubchapterP. LoanRepaymentProgramforMentalHealthProfessionals
Section
21.490.AuthorityandPurpose.
21.491.Definitions.
21.492.EligiblePracticeSpecialties.
21.493.EligibilityforConditionalApprovalofApplications
21.494.SelectionofEligibleApplicantsandLimitations.
21.495.EligibilityforDisbursementofLoanRepaymentAssistance.
21.496.EligibleLenderandEligibleEducationLoan.
21.497.AmountofRepaymentAssistance.
21.498.DisseminationofInformation.
21.490.AuthorityandPurpose.
(a)Authority.AuthorityforthissubchapterisprovidedintheTexasEducationCode, SubchapterK,RepaymentofCertainMentalHealthProfessionalEducationLoans.Theserulesestablish procedurestoadministerthesubchapterasprescribedintheTexasEducationCode,Sections61.601 through61.609.
(b)Purpose.TheprimarypurposeoftheLoanRepaymentProgramforMentalHealth Professionalsistoencouragequalifiedmentalhealthprofessionalstopracticeinamentalhealth professionalshortageareadesignatedbytheU.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,and providementalhealthcareservicestorecipientsunderthemedicalassistanceprogramauthorizedby theTexasHumanResourcesCode,Chapter32,andtoenrolleesunderthechildhealthplanprogram authorizedbytheTexasHealthandSafetyCode,Chapter62.
21.491.Definitions.
Thefollowingwordsandterms,whenusedinthissubchapter,shallhavethefollowingmeanings, unlessthecontextclearlyindicatesotherwise:
(1)Board--TheTexasHigherEducationCoordinatingBoard.
(2)CHIP--TheChildren’sHealthInsuranceProgram,authorizedbytheTexasHealthand
SafetyCode,Chapter62.
(3)Full-timeService -- Employed or contracted full-time (at least 32 hours per week) by an agency or facility in a mental health professional shortage area for the primary purpose of providing direct mental health services to:
(A) Medicaid recipients;
(B) CHIP enrollees;
(C) persons in facilities operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; and/or,
(D)persons in facilities operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
(4)MHPSAs--MentalHealthProfessionalShortageAreas(MHPSAs)aredesignatedbytheU. S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices(HHS)ashavingshortagesofmentalhealth providersandmaybegeographic(acountyorservicearea),demographic(lowincome population)orinstitutional(comprehensivehealthcenter,federallyqualifiedhealthcenteror
otherpublicfacility).DesignationsmeettherequirementsofSec.332ofthePublicHealthService
Act,90Stat.2270-2272(42U.S.C.254e).TexasMHPSAsarerecommendedfordesignationby
HHSbasedonanalysisofdatabytheDepartmentofStateHealthServices.
(5)Medicaid--ThemedicalassistanceprogramauthorizedbyChapter32,HumanResources
Code.
(6)ServicePeriod--Aperiodof12consecutivemonthsqualifyingamentalhealthprofessional forloanrepayment.
(7)Psychiatrist--alicensedphysicianwhoisagraduateofanaccreditedpsychiatric residencytrainingprogram.
21.492.EligiblePracticeSpecialties.
Forpurposesofthissubchapter,thefollowingmentalhealthprovidersmayapplyforenrollment intheprogram:
(1)apsychiatrist;
(2)apsychologist,asdefinedbySection501.002,OccupationsCode;
(3)alicensedprofessionalcounselor,asdefinedbySection503.002,OccupationsCode;
(4)anadvancedpracticeregisterednurse, asdefinedbySection301.152,OccupationsCode, whoholdsanationallyrecognizedboardcertificationinpsychiatricormentalhealthnursing;and
(5)alicensedclinicalsocialworker,asdefinedbySection505.002,OccupationsCode.
21.493.EligibilityforConditionalApprovalofApplications.
TobeeligiblefortheBoardtoreserveloanrepaymentfunds,amentalhealthprofessionalmust:
(1)ensurethattheBoardhasreceivedthecompletedapplicationbytheestablisheddeadline, whichwillbepostedontheprogramwebpage;
(2)beaU.S.citizenoraLegalPermanentResidentandhavenolicenserestrictions;
(3)notbecurrentlyfulfillinganotherobligationtoprovidementalhealthservicesaspartofa scholarshipagreement,astudentloanagreement,oranotherstudentloanrepayment agreement;
(4)agreetoprovidefiveconsecutiveyearsofeligibleserviceinaMentalHealthProfessional ShortageArea,withtheunderstandingthattheprofessionalwillbereleasedfromtheagreement iffundingforcontinuedloanrepaymentisnotappropriated;
(5)agreetoprovidementalhealthservicesto:
(A)individuals enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP or both, or
(B)personscommittedtoasecurecorrectionalfacilityoperatedbyorundercontract withtheTexasJuvenileJusticeDepartmentorpersonsconfinedinasecurecorrectional facilityoperatedbyorundercontractwithanydivisionoftheTexasDepartmentof
CriminalJustice.
(6)theBoardmaymakefinancialcommitmentsforserviceperiodsendingbyAugust31of thetwo-yearperiodfollowingthebienniumforwhichtheprogramfundsareappropriated.
21.494.SelectionofEligibleApplicantsandLimitations.
(a)Eachfiscalyearanapplicationdeadlinewillbepostedontheprogramwebpage.
(b)Notmorethan10percentofthenumberofrepayment assistance grantspaidunderthis subchaptereachyearmaybeawardedtomentalhealthprofessionalsprovidingmentalhealthservices topersonscommittedtoasecurecorrectionalfacilityoperatedbyorundercontractwiththeTexas JuvenileJusticeDepartment orpersonsconfinedinasecurecorrectional facilityoperatedbyorunder contractwithanydivisionoftheTexasDepartmentofCriminalJustice. Applications from these professionals will be selected on a first-come-first-served basis.
(c)Notmorethan30percentofthenumberofrepaymentassistancegrantspaidunderthis subchaptereachfiscalyearmaybeawardedtomentalhealthprofessionalsinanyoneoftheeligiblepracticespecialties.
(d)For each practice specialty, applications will be ranked in order of the following priorities:
(1)providers who benefitted from awards the previous year;
(2)providers whose employers are located in areas having MHPSA scores that reflect the highest degrees of shortage. If a provider works for an agency located in an MHPSA that has satellite clinics and the provider works in more than one of the clinics, the highest MHPSA score where the provider works shall apply. If a provider travels to make home visits, the provider’s agency base location and its MHPSA score shall apply. If a provider works for different employers in multiple MHPSAs having different degrees of shortage, the location having the highest MHPSA score shall apply;
(3)providers whose employers are located in rural areas, if, in the case of providers serving at multiple sites, at least 75% of their work hours are spent serving in those areas; and
(4)providers whose applications were received on the earliest dates.
21.495.EligibilityforDisbursementofLoanRepaymentAssistance
Tobeeligibletoreceiveloanrepaymentassistance,amentalhealthprovidermust:
(1)havecompletedone,two,three,four,orfiveconsecutiveyearsofpracticeinanMHPSA providing direct patient care to Medicaid enrollees and/or CHIP enrollees, if the practice serves children,orto persons committed to asecurecorrectionalfacilityoperatedbyorundercontract withtheTexasJuvenileJusticeDepartmentoritssuccessororinasecurecorrectionalfacility operatedbyorundercontractwithanydivisionoftheTexasDepartmentofCriminalJusticeorits successor;
(2)afteranawardisdisbursedforathirdconsecutiveyearofservice,apsychiatristmust haveearnedcertificationfromtheAmericanBoardofPsychiatryandNeurologyortheAmerican OsteopathicBoardofPsychiatryandNeurologytoqualifyforcontinuedloanrepayment assistance.
21.496.EligibleLenderandEligibleEducationLoan.
(a)TheBoardshallretaintherighttodeterminetheeligibilityoflendersandholdersof educationloanstowhichpaymentsmaybemade.Aneligiblelenderorholdershall,ingeneral,makeor holdeducationloansmadetoindividualsforpurposesofundergraduate,graduate,andprofessionaleducationof the mental health professionalandshallnotbeanyprivateindividual.Aneligiblelenderor holdermaybe,butisnotlimitedto,abank,savingsandloanassociation,creditunion,institutionof highereducation,secondarymarket,governmentalagency,orprivatefoundation.A creditcarddebtis notconsideredaneducationalloaneligibleforrepayment.
(b)Tobeeligibleforrepayment,aneducationloanmust:
(1) beevidencedbyapromissorynoteforloanstopayforthecostofattendancefor theundergraduate,graduate,orprofessionaleducationoftheindividualapplyingfor repaymentassistance;
(2) nothavebeenmadeduringresidencyortocovercostsincurredaftercompletion ofgraduateorprofessionaleducation;
(3)notbeindefaultatthetimeoftheprofessional’sapplication;
(4)nothaveanexistingobligationtoprovideserviceforloanforgivenessthrough anotherprogram;
(5)notbesubjecttorepaymentthroughanotherstudentloanrepaymentorloan forgivenessprogramorasaconditionofemployment;and
(6)iftheloanwasconsolidatedwithotherloans,theapplicantmustprovide documentationoftheportionoftheconsolidateddebtthatwasoriginatedtopayforthe costofattendanceforhisorherundergraduate,graduate,ormedicaleducation.
21.497.AmountofRepaymentAssistance.
Loanrepaymentawardswillbedisburseddirectlytolendersinbehalfofeligiblementalhealth professionalsand:
(1)Repayment assistanceforeachyearoffull-timeservicewillbeinanamountdetermined byapplyingthefollowingapplicablepercentagetothemaximumtotalamountof assistanceallowedfortheprofessional:
(A)forthefirstyear,10percent;
(B)forthesecondyear,15percent;
(C)forthethirdyear,20percent;
(D)forthefourthyear,25percent;and
(E)forthefifthyear,30percent.
(2)Thetotalamountofrepaymentassistancereceivedbyamentalhealthprofessionalunder thissubchaptermaynotexceed:
(A)$160,000,forapsychiatrist;
(B)$80,000,for:
(i)apsychologist;
(ii)alicensedclinicalsocialworker,ifthe socialworkerhasreceivedadoctoral
degreerelatedtosocialwork;or
(iii)alicensedprofessionalcounselor,ifthecounselorhasreceivedadoctoral degreerelatedtocounseling;
(C)$60,000,forassistanceanadvancedpracticeregisterednurse;and
(D)$40,000,foralicensedclinicalsocialworkeroralicensedprofessionalcounselor whohasnotreceiveda doctoraldegreerelatedtosocialworkorcounseling.
(3) If a mental health provider’s total student loan indebtedness is less than the total amount of repayment assistance allowed for the provider’s practice specialty, the annual loan repayment award amounts based on full-time service will be the following percentages of the student loan debt owed at the time of application for enrollment in the program: 10% for year one, 15% for year two, 20% for year three, 25% for year four, and 30% for year five.
(4)Aneligibleprofessionalmayreceiveproratedloanrepaymentassistancebasedonthe percentageoffull-timeserviceprovidedforeachserviceperiod, for a minimum of 20 hours per weekifemployed or contracted by an agency or facility in a mental health professional shortage area for the primary purpose of providing direct mental health services to:
(A) Medicaid recipients;
(B) CHIP enrollees;
(C) persons in facilities operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile JusticeDepartment; and/or,
(D) persons in facilities operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
(5) Failuretomeettheprogramrequirementswillresultinnon-paymentfortheapplicable serviceperiod(s)and,exceptundercircumstancesdeterminedbytheBoardtoconstitutegoodcause, removalfromtheprogram.
21.498.DisseminationofInformation.
TheBoardshalldisseminateinformationabouttheMentalHealthProfessionalEducationLoan Repaymentprogramtoeachinstitutionofhighereducationorprivateorindependentinstitutionof highereducationandtoanyappropriatestateagencyandprofessionalassociation.