Frequently Asked Questions

To be eligible to apply you must certify you hold an amount of debt equal to or exceeding the award, be willing to sign a contract for a one-year service obligation to an underserved area of West Virginia, must be a graduate of an accredited program, having obtained a degree from an institution of higher education and you must be currently licensed in one of the following:

• Licensed doctoral clinical psychologist (PsyD)
• Master’s level licensed psychologist (Psy M)
• Licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW)
• Licensed certified social worker (LCSW)
• Licensed professional counselor (LPC)
• Licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT)
• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

Other mental health disciplines which are experiencing a shortage of practitioners will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Senior Director of Health Sciences.

The deadline for the application will be announced on this website. All application materials must be postmarked or received via fax by posted due date.

The maximum amount of each award this year will be $10,000. The total award must go towards qualified educational debt in return for a service obligation of one year in an underserved area in West Virginia. The award can be renewed up to three times for additional service obligations in underserved areas in West Virginia if you have additional qualified educational debt and are rewarded.

If you need assistance on looking up your site to see if it qualifies, use this HPSA Search Tool. Please note that even if your county is not a Health Professional Shortage Area county, please double-check with the search function. An example would be Monongalia Co. We have two eligible sites even though the county itself is not a HPSA county. Additional resources can be found by emailing BehavioralHealth@wvhepc.edu.

Complete an application found here and two professional references. The reference forms will be emailed to you after you have completed your online application. If selected for an award, you will be required to provide proof of licensure and your educational degree.

Unfortunately, at this time those with the license level of LGSW are not eligible. If you would like to join a contact list for updates and announcements about the Mental Health Loan Repayment Program, please send an email to BehavioralHealth@wvhepc.edu.

If you are a school counselor who holds a LPC or LMFT license and the majority of your time is spent providing therapy to groups or individuals in an approved underserved area, you would be eligible to apply. Due to the requirement that the majority of your practice be therapy, we do not anticipate many school counselors will meet the eligibility requirements.

At this time psychiatry professionals are not included in this program’s eligible mental health professions. If you would like to join a contact list for updates and announcements about the Mental Health Loan Repayment Program, please send an email to BehavioralHealth@wvhepc.edu.

Unfortunately, you will need to be licensed to qualify for this program. The population we are trying to reach and retain within Mental and Behavioral Health are those who are currently licensed in their field and providing therapy directly to the underserved populations in eligible sites at this time.

The award will not count as income. Please direct any other questions about awards to a tax professional for advisement.

Yes, private practice can qualify as long as they are within a Health Professional Shortage Area and accept Medicaid.

If you need assistance on looking up your site to see if it qualifies, use this HPSA Search Tool. Please note that even if your county is not a HPSA county, please double-check with the search function. An example would be Monongalia Co. We have two eligible sites even though the county itself is not a HPSA county.

Yes, correctional counselors would be eligible as long as they are providing therapy/counseling services for the majority of their time. It can be both individual and/or group sessions. The population must meet eligibility requirements as underserved.

No. You must have already graduated and be licensed and practicing in one of the approved disciplines. This program is designed for professionals who have graduated vs a traditional scholarship program which would pay a portion of tuition or make payment to the school for tuition.