Up To $180K In Student Loan Help Available For These NJ Professionals

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey residents working in the behavioral healthcare field can get up to $180,000 from the state to help pay their student loans, as officials work to address a shortage of providers.

This "critical" workforce shortage for mental and behavioral healthcare providers is not unique to New Jersey, according to the state's Department of Children and Families.

"Caregiver fatigue, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, is impacting workforce morale, and contributing to individual worker burnout," the DCF website states.

Now, the state is hoping to incentivize people working in nine different roles across the behavioral health landscape, so they will continue serving in this much-needed field.

The state's Behavioral Healthcare Provider Loan Redemption Program offers $50,000 towards outstanding student loan balances in exchange for every two years that a professional has worked for an approved employer — including community providers of behavioral and mental health services, school districts, nonprofits, and any local, county, state, or federal agency.

There is a maximum of $150,000 in student loan redemption available, for up to six years of service. And, program participants who mostly work with children and adolescents are eligible to receive up to six individual incentive grants of up to $5,000 annually.

Eligible professionals include certified behavior analysts, licensed associate counselors, licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselors, licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors, licensed psychologists, licensed social workers, psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists, and psychiatrists. These applicants must live in New Jersey, and maintain one or more applicable licenses to provide mental or behavioral healthcare in the state.

Applications opened Oct. 1 and are due on the 31st. The 2025 state budget allocated $7 million to this program, which is administered by the NJ Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA).

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