Kaiser Permanente Educational Loan Repayment for Safety Net Clinical Support Staff Program

The Kaiser Permanente Educational Loan Repayment for Safety-Net Clinical Support Staff Program is no longer accepting applications.

 

Application Cycle Closed as of November 14, 2016

 

Background: Colorado Community Health Network (CCHN) was funded by the Kaiser Permanente Community Health Fund to administer a loan repayment program for clinical support staff as part of the Preparing the Safety Net for the Future of Health Care initiative. Clinical support staff do not qualify for loan repayment programs available to clinical staff at safety net clinics, so this loan repayment program will help close this gap. Clinical support staff will play an essential role in implementing health care reform, and safety net clinics benefit from retaining high performing staff. Loan repayment will help ease the burden of prior educational debt for clinical support staff in exchange for a one year service commitment to the safety net clinic. 

About CCHN: CCHN represents Colorado’s 20 Community Health Centers (CHCs) that together are the backbone of the primary health care safety net in Colorado. Since its inception in 1982, CCHN has made significant strides in ensuring that Colorado’s low income residents have access to affordable, high quality, primary health care. CCHN is committed to 1) educating policy makers and stakeholders about the unique needs of Community Health Centers and their patients, 2) providing resources to ensure that CHCs are strong organizations, and 3) supporting CHCs in maintaining the highest quality care.

Purpose: The Kaiser Permanente Educational Loan Repayment for Safety Net Clinical Support Staff program (KPLRP) will help modernize and expand the safety net workforce by supporting recruitment and retention of high performing clinical support staff committed to serving in underserved areas.

Eligibility: Applicant must be clinical support staff who has worked at least six months at a safety net clinic in Colorado. Applicant must have successfully completed a certificate or degree at an accredited health professional training institution. Loan repayment requests must be for educational expenses related to the health professions training and the applicant’s current position. Applicants who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to apply.

Safety Net Clinic Requirements: Applicants who work at ClinicNET clinics, Rural Health Clinics, and Community Health Centers in Colorado are eligible to apply.

Clinic site must:

        • be in a federally designated health professions shortage area (HPSA);
        • provide primary care medical, dental, or mental and behavioral health services;
        • provide services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay;
        • accept Medicaid, Medicare, and the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHP+); and
        • have a sliding fee scale that includes providing services on a free or reduced schedule basis to individuals at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

 

Employment Requirements: Application is open to clinical support staff. Clinical support staff work directly with patients to provide medical, dental, and behavioral health procedures.

Additionally, applicant must:

        • be a current full-time employee in good standing at a safety net clinic in Colorado, working at least 40 hours per week;
        • have completed at least six months of employment;
        • be working in a position relevant to their certificate or degree;
        • spend at least 70 percent of the work week providing direct patient care.

 

Clinical support staff may include professions such as dental assistant, dental hygienist, expanded duties dental assistant, lab technician, licensed practical nurse, medical assistant, nursing aide, pharmacy technician, phlebotomist, licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, ultrasound technician, and x-ray technician. (Please note that this is not an exhaustive list; however, CCHN cannot issue loan repayment for positions higher than a registered nurse or requiring more than a bachelor’s degree).

Education Requirements: Applicants must have successfully completed a certificate or degree at an accredited health professions training institution. Degree programs currently in progress are not eligible for repayment. Education programs higher than a bachelor’s degree are not eligible. Education expenses must be health-related and essential to the applicant’s current position.

Loan Requirements: Loan repayment requests must be for education expenses related to the health professions training and the applicant’s current position.

Additionally, the following requirements apply for loan repayment requests:

        • Educational loans must be in the applicant’s name and in good standing.
        • Only educational debt from a completed degree or certificate program will be eligible.
        • CCHN will make loan repayments directly to the lending institution or loan servicing organization and will not make payments to private parties or debt collectors.
        • Educational loans must be current. CCHN will not reimburse loans that have already been successfully paid off.

 

Applicants are eligible for up to $10,000 in loan repayment, dependent on their completed years of service at their place of employment. Loan repayment awards will be made using the following tiered approach based on length of employment:

        • 6-12 months will be eligible for up to $6,000
        • 1-3 years will be eligible for up to $7,500
        • 3+  years will be eligible for up to $10,000

 

For more information about eligibility, click here to visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Selection Process: All applicants will be reviewed and scored by a selection committee comprised of association staff representing the safety net. Applications will be considered based on criteria specified in the application document. Applications considered strong will be those with a commitment to serving the underserved as demonstrated through a written personal statement and supervisor letter of support. Applications must be complete to be considered, and applicants must be in good standing with their employer.

Application Process Overview:

        • Applicants will have from October 17-November 14, 2016 to submit all required paperwork to be considered for loan repayment.
        • Applicants will be notified by the end of December, 2016 of loan repayment award decisions.
        • Loan repayment will be made directly to the loan servicing companies in one lump sum in January, 2017.

Requirements and Terms

      • Applicant must be a current employee at a safety net clinic and be in good standing with the employer and must have completed at least six (6) months of employment.
      • Applicant must have successfully completed a certificate or degree at an accredited health professional training institution.
      • The applicant is required to complete an employment commitment to the safety net clinic of one year, upon receipt of the award and as specified in a contract.
      • Loan repayment requests must be for education expenses related to the health professions training and the applicant’s current position.
      • Debt must be in good standing and in the applicant’s name. CCHN will make loan repayments directly to the lending institution or loan servicing organization. Payments will not be made to private parties or debt collectors.
      • Awardees who do not complete a year of service to their safety net clinic after their award for any reason other than death, disability or the written permission of CCHN, will be required to pay full loan award plus a 10% administrative fee back to CCHN.

Application Materials & Preparation

Applicants will be required to submit the following documents with their application. While the application and personal statement questions will not be released until October 17th, applicants may begin to collect other application materials before applying.  Applications without any of the following items will be considered incomplete and will not be considered.

      • Applicant information and employment information – to be completed in the application document, available in October at the start of the application round.
      • Loan repayment information and proof of educational debt – please obtain a recent statement of debt from your loan servicing company as proof of your educational debt.
      • One supervisor letter of recommendation – this letter should include information supporting your loan repayment application detailing how you are committed to working with your safety net clinic.
      • Signed and dated personal statement – one page response to questions about your commitment to your safety net clinic, your role at your safety net clinic, and why you chose a career in medicine. Exact guidelines will be released in October at the start of the application round.
      • Documentation of successful completion of education/training program (such as copy of diploma/certificate or transcripts) – please supply a diploma or copy of final transcripts as proof of completion.
      • Signed and dated applicant obligation statement – as part of the application, applicants will sign an agreement stating that they agree with loan repayment terms and conditions.

 

Applications can be emailed to loanrepayment@cchn.org, or mailed to the address below.

Mail completed applications with all application materials by midnight November 14, 2016 to:

Colorado Community Health Network

c/o Margaret Davidson

600 Grant Street, Ste. 800

Denver, CO 80203

 

Frequently Asked Questions: for FAQ information about the KPLRP, click here.

 

For other questions, please contact:

Margaret Davidson at 303-867-9514 or at MDavidson@cchn.org or contact Angela Rose at 303-867-9511 or at Angela@cchn.org.