HSB 690 (LSB 6284YC (5) 90)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BILL BY CHAIRPERSON MEYER)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the inclusion of psychiatrists in the mental health professional loan repayment program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.225, subsection 1, paragraph e, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   e.  “Mental health professional” means a either of the following:
   (1)  A nonprescribing individual who meets all of the following qualifications:
   (1)  (a)  The individual holds at least a master’s degree from an eligible institution in a mental health field, including psychology, counseling and guidance, social work, marriage and family therapy, or mental health counseling.
   (2)  (b)  The individual holds a current Iowa license if practicing in a field covered by an Iowa licensure law.
   (3)  (c)  The individual has at least two years of post-degree clinical experience, supervised by another individual in the mental health field, in assessing mental health needs and problems and in providing appropriate mental health services.
   (4)  (d)  The individual is not eligible for the rural Iowa advanced registered nurse practitioner and physician assistant loan repayment program established pursuant to section 261.114
health care award program pursuant to section 256.224.
   (2)  An individual who is a psychiatrist who holds a current Iowa license.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.225, subsection 3, paragraph c, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   c.  The commission shall give priority to mental health professionals who are residents of Iowa and, if the mental health professional is a psychiatrist, the commission shall give priority to a psychiatrist who attended and earned a medical degree from a medical school or college of osteopathic medicine and surgery in Iowa, or who completed an accredited graduate medical education residency program in Iowa. Additionally, if requested by the adjutant general, the commission shall give priority to mental health professionals who are members of the Iowa national guard.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256.225, subsection 5, Code 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   5.  Loan repayment amounts.  The annual amount of loan repayment the commission may make to a mental health professional who enters into a program agreement pursuant to subsection 3, if the mental health professional is in compliance with obligations under the agreement, shall be eight
as follows:
   a.  Eight thousand dollars for an eligible loan for a mental health professional who is a nonprescribing individual as specified in subsection 1, paragraph “e”, subparagraph (1). The total amount of loan repayments from the commission to a mental health professional under this subsection paragraph shall not exceed forty thousand dollars.
   b.  Fifty thousand dollars for an eligible loan for a mental health professional who is a psychiatrist as specified in subsection 1, paragraph “e”, subparagraph (2). The total amount of loan repayments from the commission to a psychiatrist under this paragraph shall not exceed two hundred thousand dollars.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the inclusion of psychiatrists in the mental health professional loan repayment program.
   The bill amends the definition of “mental health professional” under Code section 256.225 (mental health professional loan repayment program) to mean either a current nonprescribing individual who meets specified conditions, or an individual who is a psychiatrist who holds a current Iowa license.
   Under current law, the college student aid commission (commission) is to give priority under the program to mental health professionals who are residents of Iowa and, if requested by the adjutant general, to mental health professionals who are members of the national guard. The bill provides that if the mental health professional is a psychiatrist, the commission shall give priority to a psychiatrist who attended and earned a medical degree from a medical school or college of osteopathic medicine and surgery in Iowa, or who completed an accredited graduate medical education residency program in Iowa.
   The bill provides that the annual loan repayment amount for a psychiatrist under the bill is $50,000 for an eligible loan and the total amount of loan repayments from the commission to a psychiatrist under the program shall not exceed $200,000.