By Kyle Davidson

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday launched a program to help nurses repay their student loans and to assist employers in recruiting and retaining nursing staff as facilities across the state face staffing shortages.

The Nurse Loan Repayment Program will provide up to $300,000 in tax-free funds to successful applicants to repay student debt for up to four years for those working at state psychiatric facilities or up to 10 years for individuals working at other eligible sites. There is about $9 million in funding available.

Applicants will compete for two-year agreements from the program, and are required to work a minimum of 40 hours per week for no less than 45 weeks per year at eligible nonprofit practice sites that provide nursing services. Full-time for nurses in public school settings or who teach at a school of nursing are also eligible.

“Nurses are the backbone of the health care system, providing essential care to patients in hospitals, clinics, schools and homes,” DHHS director Elizabeth Hertel said in a statement. “They are often the first point of contact for patients and play a critical role in patient education, advocacy and support. Health care facilities across the state are facing nursing shortages and this loan repayment program will help providers recruit and retain nurses to provide vital care to patients.”

According to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration 74 of Michigan’s 83 counties are experiencing a shortage of primary care providers in at least part of the county.

Nurses applying for the program must hold an active license as either a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse.

Nurses looking to apply to the program must also:

• Hold U.S. citizenship.

• Be committed to providing nursing services in an underserved community, priority site or teaching at a Michigan School of Nursing.

• Have an agreement of employment at a non-profit practice site, with a start date no later than Oct. 1 following the current application period, before applying for the loan repayment program.

• Confirm their employers will support their agreements since employers are required to continue employing the applicant during their two-year agreement.

• Remain with their current employer throughout their two-year loan repayment agreement.

• Learn and comply with the program’s requirements.

Employers may not use payments from the Nurse Loan Repayment Program to offset participating employees’ salaries or other aspects of their compensation packages.

Applications and further information are available at Michigan.gov/NLRP. The deadline is Wednesday, June 4.

–https://michiganadvance.com