Applications Being Accepted for SUD Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program

The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) announced this week that it is now accepting applications for its $28 million Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program (STAR LRP) that will provide up to $250,000 in eligible education loan repayment funds for those working in the field of addiction treatment.

Award recipients must be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident; full licensed, credentialed in an eligible discipline or a registered SUD professional; and a full-time employee at a STAR LRP facility. Recipients must also commit to working full-time at a STAR LRP-approved facility for at least 6 years.

HRSA has designated 2 tiers for funding priority. Individuals are classified as Tier I if they work in a STAR LRP-approved facility in a county with a drug overdose rate for the past 3 years that is higher than the most recent national average. Tier II applicants are those who work in an approved facility in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area. Applicants are also ranked by outstanding debt-to-income ratio and their employment start date.

“By incentivizing more students and professionals to specialize in the prevention and treatment of addiction, [the] launch of the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program signals a major step forward in the effort to broaden access to treatment for all Americans affected by substance misuse and addiction,” William Haning, MD, DLFAPA, DFASAM, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, said in a statement. “This benefit will be felt particularly by high-need communities.”

The deadline to apply is 7:30 p.m. ET on July 22. Additional information about the program is available on the HRSA website.