SB1849 - Relating to repayment of certain mental health professional education loans.

  89R9783 AND-F     By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1849       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to repayment of certain mental health professional   education loans.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 61.601, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 61.601.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "mental   health professional" means:                (1)  a licensed physician who is:                      (A)  a graduate of an accredited psychiatric   residency training program; or                      (B)  certified in psychiatry by:                            (i)  the American Board of Psychiatry and   Neurology; or                            (ii)  the American Osteopathic Board of   Neurology and Psychiatry;                (2)  a psychologist, as defined by Section 501.002,   Occupations Code;                (3)  a licensed professional counselor, as defined by   Section 503.002, Occupations Code;                (4)  an advanced practice registered nurse, as defined   by Section 301.152, Occupations Code, who holds a nationally   recognized board certification in psychiatric or mental health   nursing;                (5)  a licensed clinical social worker, as defined by   Section 505.002, Occupations Code;                (6)  a licensed specialist in school psychology, as   defined by Section 501.002, Occupations Code;                (7)   a school counselor certified under Subchapter B,   Chapter 21;                 (8)   a chemical dependency counselor, as defined by   Section 504.001, Occupations Code; and                 (9)  [ (8) ]  a licensed marriage and family therapist, as   defined by Section 502.002, Occupations Code.          SECTION 2.  Section 61.603, Education Code, as amended by   Chapters 678 (H.B. 1211), 705 (H.B. 2100), and 1069 (S.B. 532), Acts   of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, is reenacted and   amended to read as follows:          Sec. 61.603.  ELIGIBILITY. (a) Except as provided by   Subsection (b), to be eligible to receive repayment assistance   under this subchapter, a mental health professional must:                (1)  apply to the board;                (2)  have completed one, two, or three consecutive   years of practice in a mental health professional shortage area   designated by the Department of State Health Services; and                (3)  provide mental health services in this state to:                      (A)  recipients under the medical assistance   program authorized by Chapter 32, Human Resources Code;                      (B)  enrollees under the child health plan program   authorized by Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code; or                      (C)  persons committed to a secure correctional   facility operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile   Justice Department or persons confined in a secure correctional   facility operated by or under contract with any division of the   Texas Department of Criminal Justice.          (b)  To be eligible to receive repayment assistance under   this subchapter, a mental health professional described by Section   61.601(6) or (7) must:                (1)  apply to the board;                (2)  be employed by:                      (A)  a school district all or part of which is   located in a federally designated mental health care health   professional shortage area;                      (B)  an open-enrollment charter school that is   located in a shortage area described by Paragraph (A); or                      (C)  a public school that receives federal funding   under Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20   U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.);                (3)  provide mental health services to students   enrolled in that district or school, as applicable; and                (4)  have completed one, two, or three consecutive   years of practice in this state as described by Subdivisions (2) and   (3).          SECTION 3.  Sections 61.604(d) and (e), Education Code, are   amended to read as follows:          (d)  The board may award a grant under this subchapter to a   mental health professional described by Section 61.601(9)   [ 61.601(8) ] only in accordance with Subsection (e).          (e)  If in a state fiscal year there are funds available for   purposes of the program after funding grants to all eligible mental   health professionals described by Sections 61.601(1)-(8)   [ 61.601(1)-(7) ], the board may allocate any unused funds to award   repayment assistance grants to mental health professionals in any   of the professions listed in Section 61.601 except that priority   must be given to awarding grants to mental health professionals   described by Sections 61.601(1)-(8) [ 61.601(1)-(7) ].  The   limitations prescribed by Subsections (b) and (c) do not apply to   grants awarded under this subsection.          SECTION 4.  Section 61.607(b), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (b)  The total amount of repayment assistance received by a   mental health professional under this subchapter may not exceed:                (1)  $160,000, for assistance from the state received   by a licensed physician;                (2)  $80,000, for assistance from the state received   by:                      (A)  a psychologist;                      (B)  a licensed clinical social worker, if the   social worker has received a doctoral degree related to social   work;                      (C)  a licensed professional counselor or   certified school counselor described by Section 61.601(7) , if the   counselor has received a doctoral degree related to counseling; or                      (D)  a licensed marriage and family therapist, if   the marriage and family therapist has received a doctoral degree   related to marriage and family therapy;                (3)  $60,000, for assistance from the state received by   an advanced practice registered nurse;                (4)  $40,000, for assistance from the state received   by:                      (A)  a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed   marriage and family therapist, [ or ] a licensed professional   counselor , or a certified school counselor described by Section   61.601(7) who is not described by Subdivision (2); or                      (B)  a licensed specialist in school psychology;   and                (5)  $10,000, for assistance from the state received by   a licensed chemical dependency counselor, if the chemical   dependency counselor has received an associate degree related to   chemical dependency counseling or behavioral science.          SECTION 5.  (a) The changes in law made by this Act to   Sections 61.603 and 61.607, Education Code, apply only to a person   who first establishes eligibility for loan repayment assistance   under Subchapter K, Chapter 61, Education Code, as amended by this   Act, on the basis of an application submitted on or after September   1, 2025. A person who first establishes eligibility on the basis of   an application submitted before September 1, 2025, is governed by   the law in effect at the time the application was submitted, and the   former law is continued in effect for that purpose.          (b)  The changes in law made by this Act to Section 61.604,   Education Code, apply beginning with the state fiscal year   beginning September 1, 2025.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.