SB646 - Relating to repayment of certain mental health professional education loans.

      S.B. No. 646         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 chemical dependency counselor, as defined by   Section 504.001, Occupations Code; [ and ]                (8)  a licensed marriage and family therapist, as   defined by Section 502.002, Occupations Code ;                 (9)     a licensed master social worker, as defined by   Section 505.002, Occupations Code;                 (10)     a person who holds a licensed professional   counselor associate license issued by the Texas State Board of   Examiners of Professional Counselors;                 (11)     a licensed marriage and family therapist   associate, as defined by Section 502.002, Occupations Code; and                 (12)     a school counselor certified under Subchapter B,   Chapter 21, who has earned at least a master's degree related to   counseling from any public or accredited private institution of   higher education .          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)  A mental health professional may also establish   eligibility for the repayment assistance under this subchapter by   satisfying the requirements of this subsection.  To establish   eligibility under this subsection, the mental health professional   must:                (1)  apply to the board;                (2)  provide mental health services to:                      (A)  patients in a state hospital, as defined by   Section 552.0011, Health and Safety Code; [ or ]                      (B)  individuals receiving community-based mental   health services from a local mental health authority that provides   the services in accordance with Subchapter B, Chapter 534, Health   and Safety Code; or                       (C)     students enrolled in a public school in this   state; and                (3)  have completed one, two, or three consecutive   years of practice in this state as described by Subdivision (2).          SECTION 3.  Section 61.604(d), Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (d)   Notwithstanding Subsection (c), if in a state fiscal   year not all funds available for purposes of the program are used,   the  [ 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 [ award a grant under this   subchapter to a mental health professional described by Section   61.601(8) only in accordance with Subsection (e) ].          SECTION 4.  Section 61.607, Education Code, is amended by   amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (b-1) and   (b-2) to read as follows:          (a)  A mental health professional may receive repayment   assistance under this subchapter for each year the mental health   professional establishes eligibility for the assistance in an   amount determined by applying the following applicable percentage   to the [ maximum total ] amount of assistance allowed for the mental   health professional under Subsection (b):                (1)  for the first year, 33.33 percent;                (2)  for the second year, 33.33 percent; and                (3)  for the third year, 33.33 percent.          (b)   Subject to Subsection (b-2), the [ The total ] amount of   repayment assistance received by a mental health professional under   this subchapter may not exceed:                (1)   $180,000 [ $160,000 ], for assistance from the state   received by a licensed physician;                (2)   $100,000 [ $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, 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)   $80,000 [ $60,000 ], for assistance from the state   received by an advanced practice registered nurse;                (4)   $60,000 [ $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   who is not described by Subdivision (2); [ or ]                      (B)  a licensed specialist in school psychology;                       (C)  a licensed master social worker;                       (D)     a person who holds a licensed professional   counselor associate license issued by the Texas State Board of   Examiners of Professional Counselors;                       (E)     a licensed marriage and family therapist   associate; or                       (F)     a certified school counselor described by   Section 61.601(12); [ and ]                (5)   $50,000, for assistance from the state received by   a licensed chemical dependency counselor, if the chemical   dependency counselor has received within the same 12-month period   the counselor's:                       (A)  license; and                       (B)     most recent degree applicable to the   counselor's licensing eligibility requirements; and                 (6)  $15,000 [ $10,000 ], for assistance from the state   received by a licensed chemical dependency counselor, if the   chemical dependency counselor has received at least an associate   degree related to chemical dependency counseling or behavioral   science and if the counselor is not otherwise described by   Subdivision (5) .           (b-1)     Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (b), a mental   health professional who receives repayment assistance under this   subchapter is eligible to receive repayment assistance in addition   to the amount specified by Subsection (b) as follows:                 (1)     a one-time amount of $5,000 for a mental health   professional who is fluent in a language of need in the   professional's practice area as determined by the board;                 (2)     a one-time amount of $10,000 for a mental health   professional who practices in a county with a population of 150,000   or less; and                 (3)     notwithstanding Section 61.604(a), $15,000 per   year for a mental health professional who practices in t [Text truncated for display. 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