Financial Assistance Programs

Loan Repayment Program Resources

State Loan Repayment Programs

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Student Loan Repayment Program
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving Medi-Cal members and underserved communities.
- Up to $180,000 for LMFTs and AMFTs.
- Service commitment for four years at a Medi-Cal safety net setting such as Federally Qualified Health Centers, Community Mental Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, and others.
- Status: Application opens July 1, 2025 – August 15, 2025.
Allied Healthcare Loan Repayment Program – HCAI
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving County Medical Services Program (CMSP) designated counties in California. CMSP provides health coverage for uninsured low-income, and indigent adults that are not otherwise eligible for other publicly funded health care programs.
- Up to $16,000 for LMFTs.
- Service commitment for one year at a CMSP contracted provider site.
- Refer to the grant guide for more information on eligibility requirements and qualifying sites.
- Status: Application open until June 30, 2025.
California State Loan Repayment Program – HCAI
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving in California Health Professional Shortage Areas.
- Up to $50,000 for LMFTs.
- Service commitment for two years at an eligible site in a federally designated California Health Professional Shortage Area.
- Status: Closed.
Licensed Mental Health Services Provider Education Program – HCAI
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving medically underserved areas and/or in a qualified facility in California.
- Up to $15,000 for LMFTs and AMFTs.
- Service commitment for one year at an eligible geographic area or approved site designation.
- Refer to the grant guide for more information on eligibility requirements and qualifying areas/sites.
- Status: Application open until June 13, 2025.

Federal Loan Repayment Programs

National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program – NHSC
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving in a mental Health Professional Shortage Area.
- Up to $50,000 for LMFTs and AMFTs who meet specific education and certification requirements.
- Service commitment for two years at a National Health Services Corps approved service site located in a Health Professional Shortage Area.
- Status: Closed.
National Health Service Corps Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program – NHSC
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving in an approved substance use disorder treatment facility.
- Up to $75,000 for LMFTs and AMFTs who meet specific education and certification requirements.
- Service commitment for three years at a National Health Services Corps approved substance use disorder treatment facility.
- Status: Closed.

National Health Service Corps Rural Community Loan Repayment Program – NHSC
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving at a rural approved substance use disorder treatment facility.
- Up to $100,000 for LMFTs and AMFTs who meet specific education and certification requirements.
- Service commitment for three years in a rural National Health Services Corps approved substance use disorder treatment facility.
- Status: Closed.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program – HRSA
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving patients with or in recovery from substance use disorder.
- Up to $250,000 for LMFTs.
- Service commitment for six years in an approved substance use disorder treatment and recovery facility.
- Refer to the grant guide for more information on eligibility requirements and qualifying sites.
- Status: Application open until July 10, 2025.
Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program – HRSA
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving child and adolescent behavioral health care, including mental health and substance use disorder prevention and treatment services.
- Up to $100,000 for LMFTs.
- Service commitment for three years at an approved site.
- Status: Application open until July 17, 2025.
Faculty Loan Repayment Program - HRSA
- Reduce educational debt for behavioral health professionals who commit to working as faculty at an eligible health professions school.
- Up to $40,000 for LMFTs and AMFTs.
- Service commitment for two years at an eligible health professions school.
- Refer to the grant guide for more information on eligibility requirements and qualifying areas/sites.
- Status: Application open until June 26, 2025.

State Scholarships

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Scholarship Program – HCAI
- Scholarship opportunity for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving Medi-Cal members and underserved communities.
- Up to $180,000 for LMFTs and AMFTs.
- Service commitment for four years at a Medi-Cal safety net setting such as Federally Qualified Health Centers, Community Mental Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, and others
- Status: Program not yet developed.
Behavioral Health Scholarship Program – HCAI
- Scholarship opportunity for behavioral health professionals who commit to serving individuals with behavioral health needs in underserved communities.
- Up to $35,000 for applicants enrolled in an accredited program that prepares them to become a LMFT.
- Service commitment for one year in an eligible facility or agency that delivers services in an underserved community upon completion of the postgraduate program.
- Status: Closed.
Golden State Social Opportunities Program – HCAI
- Scholarship opportunity for behavioral health professionals who commit to providing direct care at California-based nonprofit organizations.
- Up to $25,000 for applicants enrolled in an accredited graduate program that prepares them to be a LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, PhD or PsyD.&
- Service commitment for two years in a community-based organization upon completion of the postgraduate program.
- Status: Closed.

State Grants to Organizations

Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Recruitment and Retention Program – HCAI
- Grants for provider organizations to provide recruitment and retention bonuses, supervision support for pre-licensure and pre-certification practitioners, and certification/licensure and training supports with the aim of recruiting and retaining behavioral health practitioners to serve the Medi-Cal population.
- Up to $20,000 for recruitment bonuses and $4,000 for retention bonuses, up to $50,000 per individual to support individuals pursuing educational programs and training, up to $1,500 per practitioner pursuing or maintaining licensure or certification, and $35,000 to organizations to support supervision hours of pre-licensure or pre-certificate behavioral health practitioners.
- Service commitment for up to four years at a Medi-Cal safety net setting such as Federally Qualified Health Centers, Community Mental Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, and others.
- Status: Program not yet developed.

Community-Based Organization Behavioral Health Workforce Grant Program – HCAI
- Grants for CBOs to recruit and retain behavioral health personnel, and provide loan repayments, scholarships, and stipends to paid and unpaid CBO behavioral health staff.
- Up to $25,000 in undergraduate educational scholarships, up to $25,000 in clinical master and doctoral graduate education stipends, up to $25,000 in loan repayment, and recruitment and retention bonuses for behavioral health professionals and students.
- Service commitment for one year in a local behavioral health setting.
- Status: Closed.

Federal Grants to Organizations

Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals – HRSA
- Grants for institutions of higher education, governments, 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and others to provide support stipends to increase the supply of behavioral health professionals with a specific focus on understanding the needs of children, adolescents, and young adults at risk for mental health, trauma, and behavioral health disorders.
- Stipend amounts depend on the student’s level of training.
- Service commitment for one to two years at the awarded program.
- Status: Not open.