SACRAMENTO – The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) announced it issued 2,230 awards worth $61 million to students and health professionals in 53 counties. These awards support behavioral health students and professionals in advanced practice, nursing, behavioral health, and allied health professions.
“Growing access to behavioral health services, especially for our youngest Californians, is a top priority, and these awards are a great first step in putting more than 2,200 future and current health professionals in underserved areas that need these types of services and supports,” said HCAI Director Elizabeth Landsberg.
“We are continuing to follow through on our commitment to improve access to equitable and affordable behavioral health services and supports,” said California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “This includes increasing the number of professionals providing behavioral health services. I’m pleased to see so many receiving the financial assistance they need to provide vital care to their fellow residents of the Golden State.”
The scholarship and loan repayment awards are issued to students and professionals in return for a one-, two-, or three-year service commitment to work in underserved communities throughout California. The latest awards are part of the following programs:
- Advanced Practice Healthcare Scholarship
- Allied Healthcare Scholarship
- Licensed Mental Health Services Provider Education
- Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment
- Allied Healthcare Loan Repayment
- Bachelor of Science Nursing Loan Repayment
- Licensed Vocational Nurse Loan Repayment
In 2022, more than 46 percent of the awards supported behavioral health students and professionals using funding from the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative to augment the existing scholarship and loan repayment programs. The $4.7 billion initiative aims to transform California’s behavioral health system into an innovative ecosystem where all children and youth from birth to age 25 have access to services for emerging and existing behavioral health needs, regardless of health payer. See the HCAI website to learn more about the initiative.