Friday, July 13, 2007
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Signs Legislation to Expand Student Loan Forgiveness for Nurses
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation to help ensure Missouri's underserved areas have access to care providers by expanding the nurse loan forgiveness program.
"We must find ways to ensure high quality health care remains accessible for all Missourians," Gov. Blunt said. "Missouri's nurse student loan program helps ensure that our people have access to qualified nurses when and where they need them. This legislation allows for greater flexibility and will help to fill gaps in care."
"As we face nursing shortages and great health care needs in our state, it is very important that we do everything we can to educate the next generation of medical professionals and encourage those professionals to practice in our state's underserved areas," Sen. Dan Clemens said.
Senate Bill 513, sponsored by Sen. Dan Clemens, expands the professional and practical nurse student loan program allowing nurses to earn forgiveness on their nursing loans by working in additional facilities in defined areas of need. The previous law allowed nurses who participated in Missouri's loan-forgiveness program to work in a public or non-profit facility located in an area of need, but excluded all for-profit facilities except hospitals.
The Professional and Practical Nursing student loans provide financial aid to students pursuing careers as licensed practical nurses or professional nurses in underserved areas of Missouri. The financial aid provided to nursing students consists of loans for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate training that may be forgiven in exchange for service in an underserved area.
"The nurse loan program expansion will give nursing students greater flexibility in finding employment in the geographical area they are interested in, as well as the type of facility they want to work in," Department of Health and Senior Services Director Jane Drummond said. "We are pleased to be able to implement this change."
To be eligible for the student loan program, the applicant must:
- be a Missouri resident who has been accepted as a full-time student in a formal course of instruction leading to an associate degree, a diploma, a bachelor of science, or a master of science in nursing or leading to the completion of educational requirements for a license practical nurse
- attend a Missouri institution. Missouri residents are those who lived in this state for more than one year for any purpose other than to attend an educational institution
- have been accepted by or currently attending a nursing program approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing for participation in the program who in the previous year had at least an 80% pass rate
For more information or to apply for the program, visit the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' Web site at www.dhss.mo.gov/HealthProfStudentLoans/. To view the health professional shortage areas go to www.hpsafind.hrsa.gov.