Federal program offers Alaska SUD workers up to $250,000 in loan repayment

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is offering substance use disorder treatment workers in Alaska up to $250,000 toward student loans in exchange for a six-year service commitment, according to a notice the Alaska Department of Health's Division of Behavioral Health published Tuesday.

The Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program is accepting applications now and will close on Tuesday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, HRSA said in the announcement the state agency relayed.

Eligible applicants include licensed substance use disorder treatment clinicians and community health workers. To qualify, an applicant must be a United States citizen, national, or permanent resident; fully licensed and credentialed in an eligible discipline, or registered as a substance use disorder professional; and a full-time employee at a STAR-approved facility.

In exchange for the loan repayment, recipients commit to six years of full-time service at an approved facility.

Information about the program and applications is available on HRSA's STAR Loan Repayment Program website. The Division of Behavioral Health can be reached at 907-465-3370 or [email protected].