The Iowa Senate has unanimously endorsed the idea of adding mental health professionals who have a master’s degree to a state program that helps nurses and physicians assistants repay their college loans.
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That’s Republican Senator Tim Kraayenbrink of Fort Dodge. The loan repayment program is ONLY available to those who work full-time in a rural community and the state grants are NOT subject to income taxes. Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, says there’s bipartisan support for this move.
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The current program offers state grants to nurses and P-As and the money is to be used to repay student loans. It’s only available to those who are working in a rural area with “diminishing” health care services.
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