Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program

To be eligible, you must: 

• be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen who meets the eligibility requirements to complete the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid. Any program that requires the FAFSA will also accept the Alternative Application.
• be an Illinois resident 
• have a balance remaining on an eligible student loan 
• be a qualifying behavioral health professional who meets licensing requirements of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, holds certification as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor from the Illinois Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association, or has attained the required educational credentials:
  • psychiatrist 
  • advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) 
  • physician's assistant 
  • psychologist (PsyD, PhD) 
  • licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) 
  • licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC)
  • licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) 
  • certified alcohol and drug counselor (CADC) 
  • certified recovery support specialist (CRSS) 
  • professional with a master's degree in counseling, psychology, social work, or marriage and family therapy 
  • professional with a bachelor's degree in counseling, psychology, or social work 
• at the time of application, be currently employed and have worked as a mental health professional for at least 12 consecutive months in a Professional Community Healthcare Center located in an undeserved or rural health professional shortage area, as determined by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Professional Community Healthcare Centers are community mental health centers, behavioral health clinics, substance use treatment centers, or state-operated psychiatric hospitals that are licensed or certified by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Healthcare and Family Services
• must remain employed at a Professional Community Healthcare Center for 12 consecutive months during each year you apply for and receive assistance 
• not be in default on any federal guaranteed educational loan or owe a refund on a grant or scholarship program administered by ISAC

You must work for 12 consecutive months as a behavioral health professional each year you apply for the loan repayment and receive it. 

1. Create a profile in the ISAC Application Portal.
2. Complete and submit the COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT APPLICATION and REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION in the student portal before May 31, 2026 for priority consideration. To complete the application, you must submit 
   1. documents verifying your education and licenses/certification,
   2. the signed COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL PROFESSIONAL LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION FORM, and
   3. current account statements for loans with an outstanding balance.
3. You will get a confirmation email when ISAC receives your application. Applications may take up to 12 weeks to process. ISAC will contact you about whether you are eligible to receive the loan repayment. 
4. If your application is incomplete, ISAC will contact you to provide any missing information. 

Priority consideration will be given to applicants who apply by May 31, 2026. The next round of fund awarding is anticipated in June 2026. 

If there is not enough funding to award all eligible applicants, ISAC will prioritize awards to consider renewal applicants first (applicants who received an award the previous year and are applying again). After all eligible renewal applicants have been considered, eligible new applicants will be considered, with priority given to applicants who work in areas with the greatest mental health professional shortages.
 

We recommend that you gather and organize all the documents needed to complete your application before starting to fill out the application. Acceptable uploaded files must have one of these file extensions: .pdf, .jpg, .jpeg. Review REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION.

The award amount depends on your remaining balance on eligible education loans and varies based on your occupation. Proceeds are paid directly to the holder of the loan(s) to be repaid. Allow a minimum of 8-10 weeks from the date you receive a notification letter to when funds are disbursed.

Award amounts will not exceed: 

• $40,000 per year for a psychiatrist
• $20,000 per year for an advanced practice registered nurse or a physician assistant
• $20,000 per year for a psychologist with a doctoral degree
• $15,000 per year for a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed clinical professional counselor, or a licensed marriage and family therapist
• $12,000 per year for a professional with a master's degree in counseling, psychology, social work, or marriage and family therapy
• $6,000 per year for a professional with a bachelor's degree in counseling, psychology, or social work
• $4,000 per year for certified alcohol and drug counselor, or a certified recovery support specialist