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Application Deadline Extended to March 16 for State Mental Health Loan Assumption Program
As an objective of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), the California Department of Mental Health (DMH) has partnered with the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development/ Health Professions Education Foundation (Foundation) to develop and implement a statewide loan repayment program, which aims to strengthen California’s Public Mental Health System (PMHS). The Mental Health Loan Assumption Program (MHLAP) provides up to $2.5 million annually to individuals employed in California’s hard to fill or retain mental health professions. Eligible Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, Social Workers, Psychiatrists, or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners may receive up to $10,000 in exchange for a one-year service commitment in the Public Mental Health System.
Due to available funding, the Health Professions Education Foundation has announced a deadline extension of the State Mental Health Loan Assumption Program and is inviting eligible mental health service providers to submit application materials. The extended application postmark deadline is March 16, 2010. The eligibility criteria and selection and notification timelines remain the same as the earlier January 24, 2010 deadline.
Many ACBHCS staff submitted applications by the January deadline; the Foundation will contact these individuals about the status of their applications by March 2, 2010. Eligible providers who did not submit an earlier application are also invited to apply. More detailed information follows in the message below. For questions, contact Judith Melson, Foundation Program Officer, at JMelson@oshpd.state.ca.us or 1(800)773-1669 or Toni Tullys, BHCS Workforce Development Manager, at ttullys@acbhcs.org or (510)639-1209.
Program Information:
The MHLAP is jointly administered by the Health Professions Education Foundation (Foundation) and the California Department of Mental Health (DMH) and is funded $2.5 million annually by the Mental Health Services Act. Applicants may apply for up to $10,000 in exchange for a 12-month service obligation, working or volunteering in a position within the public mental health system that is deemed as hard to fill or hard to retain by the County Mental Health Director or his/her designee.
Am I eligible to apply?
Eligible professions include: psychologists, psychiatrists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and postdoctoral psychological trainees and assistants. Eligible employers include: "publicly-funded mental health programs/services that are administered, in whole or in part, by the Department of Mental Health or County. This does not include publicly-funded programs and/or services administered, in whole or in part, by correctional entities or services provided in correctional facilities."
Where can I apply?
A copy of the updated application and application instructions is available at the following website: http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/HPEF/MHLAP.html. Previously, applicants were required to submit the County Employment or Volunteer Verification Form directly to their County Mental Health Director. To facilitate the application process, applicants are now required to submit all forms to the Foundation and the Foundation will forward the appropriate forms to the County Mental Health Director. Please read the application instructions carefully and postmark all required materials by March 16, 2010 to:
Health Professions Education Foundation
Mental Health Loan Assumption Program
400 R Street, Room 460
Sacramento, CA 95811
What if I already submitted an application by the original January 24, 2010 postmark deadline?
The Foundation will inform you of your application status via telephone and/or email by March 2, 2010. If you do not receive a notice stating that your application is either complete, incomplete, or ineligible by March 3, please email JMelson@oshpd.state.ca.us with a subject line of "Application Status" and include your name, county of employment and phone number.
Questions?
On the Foundation website (http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/HPEF/MHLAP.html), please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions, the application instructions or call 1(800)773-1669
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