The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is offering student loan repayment assistance to physicians, counselors, case workers and other providers who begin offering or expanding on their opioid addiction treatment programs.
The program, called the Michigan Opioid Treatment Access Loan Repayment Program, aims to increase access to treatment programs for those with substance use disorder, or SUD.
Through the initiative, providers are eligible for repayments between $15,000 and $30,000, if they add or expand SUD treatment programs.
According to an MDHHS press release, since the repayment program began in 2018, it has allowed for 8,000 additional people to get treatment for SUD.
“We always hope to see more benefit for Michiganders, more people receiving the treatment that they desperately need,” MDHHS Access Analyst Megan Linton said.
Linton said access to SUD treatment resources is an issue in the state, with Michigan ranked 40th in the country in terms of access to SUD counselors.
She added that access to these resources is especially difficult in non-urban areas.
"It's just harder to receive care when you live in a rural area, transportation times, the whole variety of issues."
Linton said high costs for education and certifications have prevented many from going into SUD treatment and eventually offering these services, adding that she hopes the repayment plan will ease the future burden of those who go into these fields.
“We hope that it can encourage people to go into these SUD treatment fields, knowing that there are programs that could help them after they graduate.”
Applications for the program close at the end of the month.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
