State awards $2.8 million in debt relief to employed health care workers

SANTA FE—The New Mexico Higher Education Department (HED) has awarded $2.8 million in student debt relief to doctors, nurses, dentists, and other health professionals working in communities across New Mexico.

According to a news release from the HED, the agency’s Health Professional Loan Repayment Program provided debt relief to 44 health care professionals via state funds, more than double the number of those who benefitted last year.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham approved $1.6 million for the program this year and members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation secured an additional $1.2 million in federal funds via the Health Resources and Services Administration under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which the agency anticipates can benefit up to 16 additional recipients.

“New Mexico is a state that values both a higher education and the critical contributions of health care workers,”Lujan Grisham said. “This program is one part of our strategy to build up a strong health care workforce that serves every community in New Mexico while easing the debt burdens of health care providers."

This year’s program recipients are employed at a wide variety of service sites including hospitals, clinics, mental and behavioral health facilities, and Indian Health Service Sites in 31 communities covering all regions of New Mexico. The average debt held by applicants was $95,000 with some holding as much as $300,000 in cumulative student debt.

The report said the New Mexico Higher Education Department received a record number of applications for the program, seeing a 650 percent increase from the prior year.

The agency is seeking $15 million as part of its budget request for the coming year to fund 400 to 600 working health professionals estimated to be eligible for the program.

The Health Loan Repayment Program is available to working health care professionals covering more than 25 health occupations and licenses in allied health, dental, medical, and mental and behavioral health fields. Included are medical doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and advanced practice nurses, mental health counselors, licensed clinical social workers, speech language pathologists, and occupational therapists.

The HED report outlines recipients must commit to practicing in an area of the state designated as a health professional shortage area for a minimum of two years. Practitioners must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, established New Mexico residents for at least 12 consecutive months, licensed or certified in the State of New Mexico as of July 1, 2022, and employed at least 40 hours per week. Preference is given to graduates of New Mexico colleges and universities.

The application for New Mexico’s Health Loan Repayment Program will reopen on March 15, 2023. To view a full list of eligible professions, visit hed.nm.gov.