The Minnesota Rural Mental Health Professional Loan Forgiveness Program provides funds for repayment of Qualified Educational Loans. Qualified Educational Loans include government, commercial, and foundation loans for actual costs paid for tuition, reasonable education and living expenses related to the past graduate or undergraduate education of the Mental Health Professional. Credit card debt or loans from family members do not qualify. Parent PLUS loans do not qualify. Loans in current or active default are not eligible for forgiveness in this program, even if considered in good standing with the collections agency. Previously defaulted loans that have since been completely rehabilitated and are not currently in active default status are eligible. The program is offered to licensed mental health professionals as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 245.462, subdivision 18, which includes independent clinic social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional clinical counselors, and licensed alcohol and drug counselors. Participants are required to practice for at least 30 hours per week, for at least 45 weeks per year, for a minimum of three years in a designated rural area. Selected participants shall provide direct patient care hours/client-centered services. Participants must live and work in Minnesota. Participants are eligible to participate for up to four years in the program as a mental health professional in a designated rural area. ORHPC will make an annual payment to the participant in the amount of up to (1) $29,000, not to exceed $116,000 for Psychologists and (2) $11,000, not to exceed $44,000 for licensed independent clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed professional clinical counselors, and licensed alcohol and drug counselors for the maximum four-year period or the balance of the designated loan(s), whichever is less subject to the availability of funds appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature for the loan forgiveness program. Please visit the award's website or contact the Office of Rural Health and Primary Care at the Minnesota Department of Health for more information.