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_ 356 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 270. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 § 1-91. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (601) 271. Higher Education Student Financial Assistance (10800) $20,007,021 $20,007,021 $20,107,021 Scholarships (10810) $20,007,021 $20,007,021 $20,107,021 Fund Sources: General $18,321,000 $18,321,000 $18,421,000 Dedicated Special Revenue $85,000 $85,000 Federal Trust $1,601,021 $1,601,021 Authority: §§ 23.1-614 and 32.1-122.5:1 through 32.1-122.10, Code of Virginia. A. This appropriation shall only be used for the provision of loans or scholarships in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Board of Health, or for the administration, management, and reporting thereof. The department may move appropriation between scholarship or loan repayment programs as long as the scholarship or loan repayment is in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the Board of Health. B. Any unexpended balance in this item at the close of business on June 30 each year shall not revert to the general fund, but shall be carried forward and reappropriated. C.1. Out of this appropriation, $7,350,000 the first year and $7,350,000 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to the Virginia Department of Health for the Virginia Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program. Eligible practitioners include: psychiatrists, licensed clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors, child and adolescent psychiatrists, child and adolescent psychiatry Fellows, psychiatric physician assistants, psychiatric pharmacists, psychiatric registered nurses, and psychiatric nurse practitioners. The program shall include a tiered incentive system as follows: (i) Tier I providers: child and adolescent psychiatrists, child and adolescent psychiatry Fellows, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychiatric registered nurses, and psychiatrists; (ii) Tier II providers: licensed clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed professional counselors; and (iii) Tier III providers: mental health service professionals defined in § 54.1-2400.1 of the Code of Virginia who are not set forth in C.1. as Tier I or Tier II providers. 2. For each eligible year of service provided, the practitioner shall receive a year of applicable loan repayment award in return. Loan repayment checks will be submitted at the end of each year of service. Payments will be made directly to the lender. Practitioners must agree to a minimum of two years of practice for the behavioral health provider with the ability for two one-year renewals. The program shall require preference be given to applicants choosing to practice in underserved areas which must be a federally designated mental Health Professional Shortage Area or Medically Underserved Area within the Commonwealth. Practitioners are required to practice at Community Services Boards, behavioral health authorities, state mental health facilities, free clinics, federally qualified health centers, academic medical centers, stand-alone inpatient psychiatric facilities that serve uninsured or medically underserved populations and/or communities, and other similar health safety net organizations in order to be eligible for the program. The award amount is up to 25 percent of student loan debt, not to exceed $50,000 per year for Tier I professionals or $20,000 per year for Tier II professionals. In no instance shall the loan repayment exceed the total student loan debt. 3. No match contribution from practice sites or the community is required. Loan repayment awards shall be tax exempt. 4. The program shall have an Advisory Board, composed of representatives from stakeholder organizations and community members as determined by the department. The Advisory Board will meet annually and provide guidance regarding effective outreach and feedback on both programmatic processes and impact. The department shall provide an annual report to the Advisory Board on successes, challenges and opportunities with the program. 5. The Board of Health shall develop regulations consistent with this language in order for the