LANSING, MI – Michigan is offering to repay student loans for health care professionals who provide opioid addiction treatment programs.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services aims to expand substance abuse disorder treatment by providing between $15,000 and $30,000 in student loan repayments to eligible health care providers.
The program is available to medical doctors, osteopathic doctors, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and substance use disorder counselors who begin offering opioid treatment or expand existing programs.
“This program has helped expand life-saving treatment to those suffering from opioid and substance use disorders, particularly in areas where treatment is difficult to access,” said MDHHS director Elizabeth Hertel in a statement. “It also eases the financial burden for providers working in this field and offers an incentive for those considering entering this vital workforce.”
An estimated 1.3 million Michigan residents need substance abuse treatment but aren’t receiving it, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
A needs assessment conducted by the state health department found workforce shortages are the leading cause of this gap, with Michigan ranked 40th for the number of qualified counselors per adult with a substance abuse disorder.
This is partly driven by high costs and barriers to education, according to MDHHS.
The opioid loan repayment program is being funded by Michigan Opioid Healing and Recovery Fund, which gets payments through a nationwide settlement with three pharmaceutical distributors and manufacturer Johnson & Johnson.
To date, the program has repaid more than $2.5 million in student loans for 138 providers.
Applications must be submitted by Monday, May 19.
