HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Pennsylvania officials have announced a $22 million investment to eliminate student loan debt for hundreds of graduates.

The Shapiro administration says approximately 400 practitioners within the Substance Use Disorder treatment, prevention, case management, and recovery support services workforce will be eligible.

Those working in rural communities that are impacted by workforce shortages, as well as those who provide services in underserved minority populations, will be prioritized

According to the program’s criteria, awardees must have the capacity to continue to deliver SUD treatment, SCA-funded prevention, case management or recovery support services at an approved practice site(s) for a two-year period. Qualifying professions include, but are not limited to:

• Physicians 
• Psychiatrists 
• Registered Nurses
• Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners 
• Certified Addictions Registered Nurses  
• Licensed Social Workers 
• Certified Clinical Supervisors 
• Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselors 
• Counselors
• Case Managers 
• Prevention Specialist/Managers 
• Administrative Staff

Grant agreements will be awarded based on the availability of funding. The funding amounts will be up to $75,000 for full-time professionals and $37,500 for half-time professionals. Final award amounts will be determined based on the amount of grant assistance being requested and additional criteria. 

The Shapiro administration hopes the investments will help retain workers in the Substance Use Disorder services industry. Since 2021, Dauphin County’s Drug and Alcohol Services saw 16 people resign, most of whom worked in case management and prevention.

“For me, as Attorney General, one of the best ways we could try and save lives was by holding the people accountable who were poisoning our communities,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “The reality is, this epidemic we’re facing, is as a result of the greed and the lies of the pharmaceutical executives and a handful of pharmaceutical companies who said these painkillers weren’t addictive. I was one of about four attorneys general in the whole country that led an effort to hold these companies finally accountable for what they did. They have paid billions of dollars to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to support people who are in recovery. The supports are only as good as the staff and the team who are available to deliver them. One of the first issues we diagnosed was that we just didn’t have enough people doing this work. We were able to use a good portion of that money to provide loan forgiveness for people who were doing the important work in helping those in recovery, helping them on their road to recovery.”

Previously, in 2022, more than 270 practitioners were awarded funding totaling nearly $19 million.

Both rounds of grants were funded through the McKinsey Opioid Settlement Fund and Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Program Fund.