Georgia Behavioral Health Provider Loan Repayment Program (GBHPLRP)

Lauren Brenneman
lauren.brenneman1@dch.ga.gov
404.463.1057

The Georgia Behavioral Health Provider Loan Repayment Program (GBHPLRP) offers loan repayment assistance for mental health and substance use professionals in return for practicing in rural and underserved areas of Georgia. The program requires a commitment to practice as a mental health or substance use professional full time for 4 years in a Mental Health-Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) in the state.

Eligibility requirements:

• Be a citizen, legal resident, or foreign national of the United States
• Licensed with no restrictions and in good standing to practice in Georgia by the Georgia Composite Medical Board or the appropriate licensing Board under the Georgia Secretary of State's Office
• Agree to practice full-time (a minimum of forty hours per week) in a Board-approved practice location in an underserved geographic area or community in Georgia designated by the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
• Must work in a qualifying practice that actively treats Medicaid or PeachCare patients
• Be in good standing with regard to meeting the contractual requirements of all existing student loans
• Must not have other current contractual service obligations, such as National Health Service Corps Scholarships or Military Service Obligations
• Must have mental health or substance use professional education or undergraduate loans for repayment in good standing and must not have any loans in default status even if the creditor now considers the defaulted loan to be in good standing

Up to $150,000 in loan repayment in return for a 48-month service commitment.

• $150,000 for psychiatrists
• $80,000 for doctoral degrees:
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed clinical social workers
  • Licensed professional counselors
  • Licensed marriage and family therapists
• $40,000 for those without doctoral degrees:
  • Clinical nurse social workers
  • Licensed professional counselors
  • Licensed specialists in school psychology
  • Licensed marriage and family therapists
• $10,000 for licensed chemical dependency counselors who hold associate degrees or any other behavioral health licensee not listed above

A link to the application materials is available on the program website.

Submit the completed application through the online form.