MEDFORD, Ore. — Saddled with $75,000 in student loans, Chy Porter looked for an employer that offered a loan-forgiveness program when she hunted for a job in the mental health field.
She chose to go to work as a mental health therapist for Jackson County Health and Human Services, which is competing for mental health workers amid a nationwide shortage.
In exchange for a two-year commitment to Jackson County, $60,000 of her student loans were forgiven through a loan-forgiveness program. By working hard and scrimping, she was able to pay off the remaining $15,000 herself during those same two years.
“I can’t say enough glowing things about this program,” said Porter, who has since been promoted to quality assurance reviewer. “It can be life-changing not to have to worry about student loans.”
A countrywide rush to hire mental health professionals was triggered by the 2010 passage of the federal Affordable Care Act, which put mental health care coverage on par with physical health care coverage. The nation does not yet have enough mental health workers to meet the demand for care, leading to intense competition for new graduates and established professionals.
Coordinated care organizations are paying Jackson County to provide mental health care to the 65,000 county residents now on the Oregon Health Plan. The number of residents on the plan skyrocketed from 30,000 four years ago.
Jackson County Health and Human Services hired more than 60 workers in the fiscal year that ended on June 30 and hopes to hire another 100 to 150 for this fiscal year, according to county budget documents.
