Minnesota Nurses in Long Term Care Loan Forgiveness Guidelines

The purpose of Minnesota’s Loan Forgiveness program is to recruit and retain health care professionals to needed areas and facilities within Minnesota. Loan forgiveness is an important benefit for health care professionals as well as health care facilities and communities experiencing a shortage of access to primary health care services.

The Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC), Minnesota Department of Health administers this program. It is funded by the State of Minnesota. Program eligibility requirements and benefits are established by state statute, 144.1501 authorizing the health professional education loan forgiveness program.

This program is offered to licensed practical or registered nurse students, who plan to practice in a licensed nursing home or intermediate care facility for persons with developmental disabilities, or a hospital that owns/operates a licensed nursing home where a minimum of 50 percent of the hours worked is in a nursing home in Minnesota. A prospective participant must submit an application to ORHPC during the open application cycle as a practicing nurse or while completing a licensure preparing nurse program.

Applicants to the Nurse Loan Forgiveness program are not eligible if they have received any loan forgiveness funding from the Nursing Facility Employee Scholarship Program administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, as defined in Minnesota Statute 256B.431, Subdivision 36.

The Nurse Loan Forgiveness Program provides funds for repayment of qualifying educational loans for licensed practical or registered nurses. Applicants are responsible for securing their own educational loans. Qualified loans include government, commercial and foundation loans for actual costs paid for tuition, reasonable education and living expenses related to the graduate or undergraduate education of a health care professional.

This is a competitive selection process. Selections are made based on suitability for practice as indicated by experience or training as noted on an application, as well as preference given to those closest to completing their training. Preference will be given to applicants who document diverse cultural competencies. The number of applicants ORHPC may select for participation per year varies and is contingent upon state funding.

Participants are required to practice as a licensed practical or registered nurse in a licensed nursing home; housing with services establishment; home care; intermediate care facility for persons with developmental disabilities; or a hospital that owns/operates a licensed nursing home where a minimum of 50 percent of the hours worked is in a nursing home in Minnesota, for a minimum of two years, with the option to extend an additional two years. Participants must begin their service obligation under this program no later than March 31 following completion of their nursing program. Participants must complete their nursing program as originally stated in their application.

Selected participants shall provide direct patient care hours/client–centered services. Hours cannot be fulfilled meeting with providers, process improvement, policy development, supervising, or administering programs.

Participants are eligible to participate for two years of loan forgiveness, with the option to extend an additional two years during which they serve as a licensed practical or registered nurse in a nursing home; housing with services establishment; home care; or ICF/MR in Minnesota. The ORHPC will make an annual payment to the participant in the amount of $5,000, not to exceed $20,000 total for the maximum of four–years or the balance of the designated loan(s), whichever is less subject to the availability of funds appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature for the loan forgiveness program.