FTF Bringing Health Professionals to Kids in Underserved Areas
Therapists Serve in Exchange for Help with Student Loans
PHOENIX – (January 13, 2011) Kids birth to 5 in underserved areas will have access to the therapy services they need, thanks to a new program from First Things First. The Early Childhood Therapist Incentives Program is modeled after state and national programs that have successfully recruited almost 200 medical practitioners to areas in need.
“Children who don’t get the health services they need – such as speech therapy or mental health services – are much more likely to struggle once they enter kindergarten and more likely to need special education services,” said Rhian Evans Allvin, Executive Director of First Things First. “Through this program, we are able to bring these health professionals to the children who need them.”
Approved by Arizona voters in 2006, FTF works to expand or enhance early childhood education and health services for kids 5 and younger. Funding recommendations are made by local volunteer councils who know best what children in their areas need. So far, nine regional councils have identified the need for therapists and have invested almost $1.4 million for the first two years of the incentives program. They include: Cochise County, Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT), Gila County, Graham/Greenlee counties, North Pima County, Northwest Maricopa County, Santa Cruz County, South Phoenix, and Yuma County.
Among the health professionals being recruited are licensed physical therapists, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and mental health specialists (LPC). Successful applicants are provided a stipend and/or partial repayment of student loans in exchange for their agreement to serve in rural or underserved areas.
Through an agreement with FTF, the Arizona Department of Health Services oversees the program, including the application process. Applications are available via a website, www.ftfincentives.com. Once eligibility is established, a health professional may qualify for loan repayment, stipends, or both depending on the ZIP code where services will be provided. The loan repayment program is for qualifying educational loans for undergraduate and graduate education including principal and interest. Subject to the availability of funding and other factors, an applicant may be eligible for the following loan repayment amounts:
|
Loan Repayment Program
Eligible Providers |
1st Year of Service |
2nd Year of Service |
Contingent Upon
Continued Funding |
|
3rd Year of Service |
4th Year of Service |
|
|
Up To |
Up To |
Up To |
Up To |
|
Physical Therapist |
$15,000 |
$20,000 |
$25,000 |
$25,000 |
|
Speech /Language Pathologist |
$10,000 |
$15,000 |
$20,000 |
$20,000 |
|
Occupational Therapist |
$10,000 |
$15,000 |
$20,000 |
$20,000 |
|
Psychologist |
$10,000 |
$15,000 |
$20,000 |
$20,000 |
|
Mental Health Specialist (LPC) |
$5,000 |
$7,500 |
$10,000 |
$10,000 |
The stipend process is similar in that the application is available at www.ftfincentives.com. Once an applicant is approved, the stipend is “service-based” and provides for a regular allowance payment that is not considered employment or part of the professional’s salary. A qualified applicant who provides services in a region within a participating council may be eligible for the following stipend incentives:
|
Moving Expenses** |
Sign on Bonus |
12 Month Service Completion |
24 Month Service Completion |
Additional Incentives (CME, Professional Memberships, Webinars, etc.)** |
|
Up to $3,000 |
$3,000 |
$5,000 |
$7,500 |
Up to $2,500 |
“Really, this is all about the kids, to make sure they are ready for kindergarten. Kids in rural areas face particular challenges, because many of the services they need simply are not available,” said Will Humble, Director of Arizona Department of Health Services. “The stipends and incentives are just one more tool to make sure kids get what they need to arrive at school healthy and ready to succeed.”
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About First Things First
First Things First was created in 2006, when Arizona voters – through the Proposition 203 ballot initiative decided to set aside 80 cents from each pack of cigarettes sold in order to fund the expansion of education and health programs for children 5 and younger. Under the terms of the proposition, decisions about how to best use the funds are made on a per‐region basis by 31 councils made up of local leaders. The statewide board – which has final approval of the councils’ recommendations – is responsible for ensuring that the funds are used on programs proven to work at improving outcomes for children.
About ADHS
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Bureau of Health Systems Development (HSD) was established in 1995 and is the Primary Care Office for Arizona. The Bureau administers primary care programs and provides a complementary focus on improving access to primary health care through primary care workforce recruitment and retention programs, and the designation of medically underserved areas. Its principal focus is to improve access to primary care, particularly among vulnerable and underserved populations.