HB 1309 creates a new pediatric mental health professional recruitment pilot program within the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. The program is designed to increase access to pediatric mental health services by offering scholarships to students preparing for careers in pediatric mental health fields, including physicians, nurses, psychologists, physician assistants, school psychologists, behavior analysts, developmental therapists, and other behavioral health professionals who will primarily serve children.
The bill limits participation to students who are Indiana residents, or nonresidents intending to remain in Indiana, who are nearing completion of an eligible program and remain in good standing. Scholarship awards are capped at the lesser of $20,000 per year or full tuition, and recipients may receive aid for no more than two school years. In exchange, recipients must sign a written agreement to work in a pilot program county for at least four years after graduation, or repay the scholarship with interest if they do not comply.
Impact
The bill adds a new chapter to Indiana Code Title 21 governing higher education and creates a state-funded scholarship and service-obligation program. It appropriates $1 million per fiscal year from the general fund for fiscal years beginning after June 30, 2025 and before July 1, 2029, sets a yearly scholarship cap of $1 million, requires annual reporting by the Commission and the Indiana Department of Health, and sunsets the chapter on January 1, 2030. The pilot targets Lake County, Marion County, and rural counties with populations under 65,000, and it is intended to improve pediatric mental health workforce availability in those areas.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally supportive and workforce-oriented, with a clear public health and access-to-care rationale. Even without recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the structure of the proposal suggests a consensus approach focused on recruiting and retaining mental health professionals for underserved communities. The inclusion of a pilot design, reporting requirements, and a sunset date indicates an effort to test the program before any broader expansion.
Contention
The main likely points of contention are the cost of the program, the use of state general fund dollars, and the geographic targeting of benefits. Some may question whether limiting the pilot to Lake County, Marion County, and rural counties is the best way to address statewide pediatric mental health shortages, while others may view the service commitment and repayment provisions as necessary safeguards. There may also be debate over whether scholarship incentives are sufficient to recruit professionals into pediatric mental health fields and whether the program could affect other financial aid packages, though the bill specifies that the scholarship is supplemental and may not reduce other aid.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 33; Title 36; Title 49; Title 52; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to professional counselors.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 33; Title 36; Title 49; Title 52; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to professional counselors.
Occupations: individual licensing and registration; licensure of professional guardians and conservators; require. Amends sec. 303a of 1980 PA 299 (MCL 339.303a) & adds art. 14A.