Washington State Health Professional Loan Repayment

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Washington State Health Professional Loan
Repayment Scholarship ProgramDecember 9,
2008Kris Sparks
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HEALTH PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

• Purpose - increase access to primary care health
  care in Washington.
• Helps recruit and retain providers in high need
  communities in Washington state.
• Run collaboratively by the Rural Health Programs
  and the Higher Education Coordinating Board.
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HEALTH PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

• Eligible Professions
• Physician (MD or DO) (Loan Repayment includes ND)
• Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner
• Licensed Nurse (any licensed level)
• Midwife (certified-nurse or licensed)
• Pharmacist
• Dentist
• Dental Hygienist
• Nursing Faculty
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FUNDS

• Current two year budget is 8.7 mil
• Loan Repayment
• State Funds 3,687,500.00 annually
• Federal Funds 525,000.00 annually
• Usually paid out over a three-year period. Part
  time is pro-rated up to six years. And providers
  can extend for 2 years beyond the initial 3 year
  commitment.
• Scholarship
• State Funds 562,500.00 annually
• Funds are allocated annually for the academic
  year. Renewing student
• awards are priority, remaining funds used to make
  new applicant awards.
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LOAN REPAYMENT

• The Loan Repayment program is a two step process.
  
• 1. We identify eligible sites annually.
• 2. Providers apply for those eligible sites.
• We have two types of awards
• Recruitment
• Retention
• Awards are made in two cycles. The first cycle
  mostly recruitment. Second cycle retention and
  those not awarded in the first cycle are
  reviewed.
• The funds for the award are dedicated to that
  participant and set aside. Payments can be from a
  minimum of three years to six years for part time
  service.
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Application submitted first or second cycle
Program staff reviews Application and makes
recommendations to Advisory Committee
Applicant awarded first or second cycle
Applicant not awarded first or second cycle
Applicant returns signed contract
Not awarded letter sent
Recipient returns completed Quarterly Service
Verification Form signed by site administrator
Program staff review quarterly form (and payment
history if applicable) for approval

• Loan
• Repayment

A-19 prepared. Payment information entered into
AFRS. Payment generated and check is mailed or
sent EFT to recipient
Recipient completes service obligation
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SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

• Students enrolled in an eligible health
  profession program any where in the country that
  leads to licensure in Washington state.
• Not need-based.
• Not limited to only Washington schools and can be
  less than full time status.
• Graduate and undergraduate students can apply.
  (Prerequisite courses must be completed.)
• Awards are made annually. Application period is
  from January through April.
• Students may renew for up to a total of five
  years of funding.
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New applications renewal requests received by
end of April
New applications reviewed scored by Advisory
Committee
Renewal requests reviewed by staff
Non-award letter sent
Award notification sent to recipient
institution
Renewal award notification sent to recipient
institution
Disbursements made quarter/semester sent to school
Recipient graduates and enters nine-month grace
period
Recipient begins service obligation at eligible
site

• SCHOLARSHIP
• PROGRAM

Recipient submits quarterly Service Confirmation
Form
Recipient completes Service obligation
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DEFAULT

• Scholarship
• failure to complete their course
• do not obtain a license
• do not fulfill the service obligation
• Must pay back all funds disbursed with double
  penalty plus 8 interest.
• Loan Repayment
• do not complete their service obligation
• Must pay back all funds disbursed with double
  penalty. May withdraw professional license.
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PROGRAM STATISTICS
Numbers are snapshot in time, status can change
daily
Scholarship 5 other
(Deceased, Disabled, other) as of
9/30/08
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Policy Questions

• How much goes to Scholarship vs. Loan Repayment
• Should new professions be added Mental Health
• How we use community matching dollar
• Site Application process
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Keys to Success

• Getting out to communities having a face for
  the program
• Collaboration with Higher Education Coordinating
  Board
• Advocates in the provider community and key
  policy positions
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Washington State Health Professional Loan
Repayment and Scholarship ProgramContact
Information

• Department of Health Rural Health
• Kris Sparks [phone] or kris.sparks_at_doh.wa.
  gov
• Higher Education Coordinating Board
• Chris Wilkins [phone] or
  chris.wilkins_at_doh.wa.gov
• www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/ocrh
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