Governor Hochul Announces $9 Million Loan Repayment Program for Mental Health Workers

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $9 million in state funding for a loan repayment program to help community mental health agencies recruit and retain psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Administered by the New York State Office of Mental Health, the Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program will provide loan repayments of up to $120,000 for psychiatrists and $30,000 for psychiatric nurse practitioners, provided they remain employed by licensed community mental health programs for three years.

"Part of the largest ever investment in health care, the Community Mental Health Loan Repayment Program will allow us to build a more equitable health care system," Governor Hochul said. "This funding will provide our partners in communities across the state with the resources they need to attract top-tier workers and then keep them employed in our state, so we can grow our workforce and ensure all New Yorkers have access to the highest quality of care."

Both newly hired psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners and those existing on staff -including part-time employees -at licensed community mental health programs are eligible to receive repayment awards. Workers awarded funds through the loan repayment program must fulfill a three-year service obligation to their employer and will receive one-third of their total award annually over those three years.

Click here to read more.