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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to repayment of certain mental health professional |
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education loans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.601, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.601. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "mental |
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health professional" means: |
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(1) a licensed physician who is: |
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(A) a graduate of an accredited psychiatric |
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residency training program; or |
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(B) certified in psychiatry by: |
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(i) the American Board of Psychiatry and |
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Neurology; or |
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(ii) the American Osteopathic Board of |
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Neurology and Psychiatry; |
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(2) a psychologist, as defined by Section 501.002, |
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Occupations Code; |
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(3) a licensed professional counselor, as defined by |
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Section 503.002, Occupations Code; |
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(4) an advanced practice registered nurse, as defined |
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by Section 301.152, Occupations Code, who holds a nationally |
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recognized board certification in psychiatric or mental health |
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nursing; |
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(5) a licensed clinical social worker, as defined by |
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Section 505.002, Occupations Code; |
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(6) a licensed specialist in school psychology, as |
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defined by Section 501.002, Occupations Code; |
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(7) a school counselor certified under Subchapter B, |
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Chapter 21; |
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(8) a chemical dependency counselor, as defined by |
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Section 504.001, Occupations Code; and |
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(9) [(8)] a licensed marriage and family therapist, as |
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defined by Section 502.002, Occupations Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.603, Education Code, as amended by |
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Chapters 678 (H.B. 1211), 705 (H.B. 2100), and 1069 (S.B. 532), Acts |
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of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, is reenacted and |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.603. ELIGIBILITY. (a) Except as provided by |
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Subsection (b), to be eligible to receive repayment assistance |
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under this subchapter, a mental health professional must: |
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(1) apply to the board; |
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(2) have completed one, two, or three consecutive |
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years of practice in a mental health professional shortage area |
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designated by the Department of State Health Services; and |
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(3) provide mental health services in this state to: |
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(A) recipients under the medical assistance |
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program authorized by Chapter 32, Human Resources Code; |
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(B) enrollees under the child health plan program |
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authorized by Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code; or |
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(C) persons committed to a secure correctional |
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facility operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department or persons confined in a secure correctional |
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facility operated by or under contract with any division of the |
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Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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(b) To be eligible to receive repayment assistance under |
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this subchapter, a mental health professional described by Section |
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61.601(6) or (7) must: |
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(1) apply to the board; |
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(2) be employed by: |
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(A) a school district all or part of which is |
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located in a federally designated mental health care health |
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professional shortage area; |
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(B) an open-enrollment charter school that is |
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located in a shortage area described by Paragraph (A); or |
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(C) a public school that receives federal funding |
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under Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 |
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U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.); |
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(3) provide mental health services to students |
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enrolled in that district or school, as applicable; and |
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(4) have completed one, two, or three consecutive |
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years of practice in this state as described by Subdivisions (2) and |
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(3). |
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SECTION 3. Sections 61.604(d) and (e), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) The board may award a grant under this subchapter to a |
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mental health professional described by Section 61.601(9) |
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[61.601(8)] only in accordance with Subsection (e). |
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(e) If in a state fiscal year there are funds available for |
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purposes of the program after funding grants to all eligible mental |
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health professionals described by Sections 61.601(1)-(8) |
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[61.601(1)-(7)], the board may allocate any unused funds to award |
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repayment assistance grants to mental health professionals in any |
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of the professions listed in Section 61.601 except that priority |
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must be given to awarding grants to mental health professionals |
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described by Sections 61.601(1)-(8) [61.601(1)-(7)]. The |
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limitations prescribed by Subsections (b) and (c) do not apply to |
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grants awarded under this subsection. |
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SECTION 4. Section 61.607(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The total amount of repayment assistance received by a |
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mental health professional under this subchapter may not exceed: |
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(1) $160,000, for assistance from the state received |
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by a licensed physician; |
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(2) $80,000, for assistance from the state received |
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by: |
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(A) a psychologist; |
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(B) a licensed clinical social worker, if the |
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social worker has received a doctoral degree related to social |
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work; |
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(C) a licensed professional counselor or |
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certified school counselor described by Section 61.601(7), if the |
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counselor has received a doctoral degree related to counseling; or |
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(D) a licensed marriage and family therapist, if |
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the marriage and family therapist has received a doctoral degree |
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related to marriage and family therapy; |
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(3) $60,000, for assistance from the state received by |
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an advanced practice registered nurse; |
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(4) $40,000, for assistance from the state received |
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by: |
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(A) a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed |
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marriage and family therapist, [or] a licensed professional |
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counselor, or a certified school counselor described by Section |
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61.601(7) who is not described by Subdivision (2); or |
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(B) a licensed specialist in school psychology; |
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and |
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(5) $10,000, for assistance from the state received by |
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a licensed chemical dependency counselor, if the chemical |
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dependency counselor has received an associate degree related to |
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chemical dependency counseling or behavioral science. |
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SECTION 5. (a) The changes in law made by this Act to |
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Sections 61.603 and 61.607, Education Code, apply only to a person |
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who first establishes eligibility for loan repayment assistance |
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under Subchapter K, Chapter 61, Education Code, as amended by this |
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Act, on the basis of an application submitted on or after September |
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1, 2025. A person who first establishes eligibility on the basis of |
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an application submitted before September 1, 2025, is governed by |
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the law in effect at the time the application was submitted, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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(b) The changes in law made by this Act to Section 61.604, |
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Education Code, apply beginning with the state fiscal year |
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beginning September 1, 2025. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |