For Immediate Release: Sept. 25, 2024
Contact: Tia Kafka - DOHMedia@state.sd.us

Department of Health Opens Applications for Year Three of the State Loan Repayment Program

PIERRE, S.D. – On Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, the South Dakota Department of Health (DOH) will open the 2024 application period for the State Loan Repayment Program. This program is designed to improve access to healthcare services by assisting underserved communities with recruiting and retaining care providers.

"This program plays a vital role in strengthening healthcare access to rural South Dakota by providing essential support to healthcare providers," said Melissa Magstadt, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Health. "By offering loan repayment assistance, we are not only helping providers reduce their financial burdens and fill workforce gaps but also ensuring underserved communities have access to the quality care they deserve. It's a win-win for both our workforce and our communities."

The DOH awarded 18 applicants funding last year. Eligible disciplines include physician, dentist, dental hygienist, nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, physician assistant, health service psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, psychiatric nurse specialist, licensed professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, registered nurse, pharmacist, and alcohol/substance abuse counselor.

In 2022, DOH received a three-year grant for $1,509,000 to administer the State Loan Repayment Program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Each grant year, DOH is allotted $503,000 to award eligible healthcare professionals with student loan reimbursement for a two-year service commitment at an eligible healthcare practice site in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) in South Dakota.

Applications are available online starting Oct. 1, 2024, at 8 a.m. CST, and will be reviewed and approved on a first-come, first-served basis. The application period will close on Oct. 31, 2024, at 5 p.m. CST. Application requirements include:

• U.S. Citizen (U.S. born or naturalized) or U.S. National;
• Licensed to practice in South Dakota;
• Applying to, accepted to, or currently working at an eligible site that is located in a federally designated HPSA;
• Unpaid government or commercial loans for school tuition, reasonable education, and living expenses related to the education of the participant; and
• Loans must be segregated from all other debts (that is, not consolidated with non-educational loans).

For more information about the program and eligibility requirements, please visit our website.

At the heart of the Department of Health’s mission is a simple goal: to protect and improve the health of all South Dakotans. The department is entrusted with the vital task of promoting wellness, preventing disease, and ensuring access to quality healthcare for all South Dakotans.

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