Project Grant H5655603

The Mississippi State Department of Health received a $654,990 Project Grant award from the Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of Health Professionals under the Grants to States for Loan Repayment program (CFDA 93.165), effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. This award supports Mississippi's establishment and operation of an educational loan repayment program designed to increase the availability of primary healthcare clinicians in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). The grant enables the state to provide loan repayment assistance to eligible healthcare providers—including physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, mental health professionals, registered nurses, and pharmacists—in exchange for service commitments in designated underserved communities.

The primary deliverables under this award include administering loan repayment awards to qualified primary care providers practicing in HPSAs throughout Mississippi and maintaining comprehensive accounting records documenting program implementation, provider selections, and fund utilization over the three-year project period. The program directly supports healthcare workforce development and retention in medically underserved areas by reducing the financial burden of educational debt for clinicians committed to serving vulnerable populations in rural and urban shortage areas.