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Naples, Fl – David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC), Collier County’s only comprehensive, not-for-profit behavioral health provider serving children, adults and families, has been approved as a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) site after a rigorous application process and a virtual site visit with the Health Resource Service Administration (HRSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

As an approved site, certain licensed providers such as psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, nurse practitioners, nurses, peer recovery specialists and physician assistants are now eligible to apply for student loan debt relief under the NHSC, Nurse Corps and Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Programs. Full-time and part-time staff are eligible. The amount of the loan repayment and the time commitment to serve at the facility varies depending on the position and the loan repayment program. Approved candidates receive funds to repay outstanding, qualifying, educational loans.

The programs support the recruitment and retention of health professionals needed in underserved areas to expand access to medical, dental and behavioral health care. They support public and private health care facilities deemed a Critical Shortage Facility in designated areas serving a Health Professional Shortage Area such as SWFL. NHSC-approved sites are required to offer a sliding fee discount program to ensure that patients have access to services regardless of their ability to pay.

As an approved site, DLC can now recruit from the HRSA site portal for clinicians who are looking to gain employment at approved sites.

“Like many employers across the country, DLC has faced significant challenges recruiting talent,” said DLC HR Director Diana Snover. “These loan repayment programs are critical to the behavioral health workforce due to current demands on the system impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, suicide crisis and opioid epidemic. This assistance will not only help DLC recruit and retain high quality clinical staff, but it will also give much needed financial relief to our employees living in Collier County where the cost of living is higher than other areas of the state.”

For more information about the loan repayment program or to inquire about DLC’s current job openings, contact DLC Human Resources at 239-354-1482 or e-mail DLCJobs@DLCenters.org.

About National Health Service Corps

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) builds healthy communities by supporting qualified health care providers dedicated to working in areas of the United States with limited access to care. NHSC supports the recruitment and retention efforts of health centers in rural, urban, and tribal communities. Since the NHSC began, more than 63,000 primary care medical, dental, and mental and behavioral health professionals have served. NHSC was founded as a response to the health care crisis in the 1950s and 1960s when older physicians retired and young doctors stopped choosing general practice – leaving areas of the country without access to primary care.

About David Lawrence Centers

Southwest Florida nonprofit David Lawrence Centers for Behavioral Health (DLC) is a national leader providing compassionate, advanced, and exceptional mental health, substance use, and integrated healthcare solutions, available for children, adolescents and adults. DLC’s innovative treatment includes inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community-based services – a comprehensive system of care funded by community and government support. Each year, DLC serves more than 9,000 people through over 290,000 treatment sessions. To learn more, please call 239-455-8500 or visit www.DLCenters.org.