ANNOUNCEMENT

Mental Health Loan Assumption Program

Submitted by Meg Sandow, Ph.D.

Here is some information that may be useful to some members or people they know. The website is http://www.oshpd.ca.gov/HPEF/MHLAP.html.

Mental Health Loan Assumption Program: The MHLAP was created by the Mental Health Services Act (Act), passed by California voters in November 2004. The Act provided funding to develop a loan forgiveness program in order to retain qualified mental health professionals working within the Public Mental Health System (PMHS). Through the Workforce, Education and Training component of the Act, $2.5 million is allocated yearly to loan repayment awards. As determined by the California Department of Mental Health, these funds are further allocated specifically to each County, as defined in the following link: County Allocations.

Please note: The County Employment Verification Form must be postmarked by December 10, 2009 and signed by both your direct supervisor as well as your County's Mental Health Director, in order to verify employment in a hard to fill or hard to retain position in the Public Mental Health System. A complete list of Directors can be found at http://www.dmh.ca.gov/docs/CMHDA.pdf. If you have any questions about where to send the County Employment Verification Form, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Who may apply?
Registered or Licensed Psychologists, Registered or Licensed Psychiatrists, Postdoctoral Psychological Assistants, Postdoctoral Psychological Trainees, Registered or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Registered or Licensed Clinical Social Workers, and Registered or Licensed Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners in California.

An award recipient may receive up to $10,000 to repay educational loans over a one-year period. An awardee commits to providing direct care in a hard-to-fill or -retain position within the PMHS.