Members of the Florida Senate have passed a bill that would reimburse student loans for behavioral health professionals across the state, the Tampa Bay Times reported Jan. 18.
If approved by the House, SB 7016 would offer up to $75,000 over four years for Florida psychologists, counselors and social workers. To qualify for reimbursement, these behavioral health professionals must work in underserved areas, including public health programs, correctional facilities and rural hospitals.
The total package of the bill includes hundreds of millions of state and federal dollars to address the state's shortage of healthcare workers and expand access to care across Florida, the report said.