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Amend the bill by inserting after the enacting clause and before section 1 the following:
‘Sec. 1. 10 MRSA c. 110, sub-c. 2-B, as amended, is repealed.
Amend the bill in section 1 in §12941 by striking out all of subsection 3 (page 1, lines 21 to 28 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
 
‘3.  Mental health provider.     "Mental health provider" means an individual who possesses, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree from a qualified institution of higher education and who practices in the State as:
 
A.  An individual licensed under Title 32, chapter 83; or
 
B. An individual licensed under Title 32, chapter 119.’
Amend the bill in section 1 in §12942 in subsection 2 by striking out all of paragraph D (page 2, lines 12 to 23 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
 
‘D.  Practice in an underserved practice area in the State as defined in rule, including but not limited to the practice of mental health care or social work:
 
(1) In a public or private child welfare or family service agency;
 
(2) In a public or private educational institution, kindergarten to grade 12;
 
(3) In a public or private hospital;
 
(4) In a federally qualified health center;
 
(5) In a community-based behavioral health center;
 
(6) In a public interest law service;
 
(7) In a public child care facility;
 
(8) In a public service for individuals with disabilities;
 
(9) In a public service for the elderly;
 
(10) In a public service for veterans; or
’
 
(11) At an organization exempt from taxation under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6);
Amend the bill in section 1 in §12944 in the first paragraph in the first line (page 3, line 11 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "may" and inserting the following: 'shall'
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MAINE
 
Maine Mental Health Providers Loan Repayment Fund N281
 
Initiative: Provides a one-time appropriation for the repayment of student loans for certain mental health providers who practice in underserved practice areas and to pay the administrative costs of the fund.

GENERAL FUND	2017-18	2018-19	
All Other	$1,000,000	$0	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$1,000,000	$0	
 
’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
The bill establishes the Maine Mental Health Providers Loan Repayment Program, which allows certain types of licensed social workers and professional counselors to apply for loan repayment assistance, as long as the applicants agree to practice for 5 years in one of a list of underserved practice areas in the State. This amendment expands the pool of providers eligible to apply for the program to include all social workers licensed by the State Board of Social Worker Licensure and all counselors licensed by the Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure and expands the categories of underserved practice areas to include federally qualified health centers, community-based behavioral health centers and organizations exempt from taxation under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 501(c)(6).
The amendment further clarifies that the program is funded through a one-time appropriation of $1,000,000, rather than an ongoing appropriation as in the bill.
The amendment also repeals the currently unfunded Social Work Education Loan Repayment Program in the Maine Revised Statutes.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)