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SD 3991

Human Service & Home Health Workers Student Loan Repayment Initiative FY24 &FY25 Report

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

The bill continues a $16.5 million loan repayment program to recruit and retain direct care and supervisor staff in home-based and community-based human services, with annual repor

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Bill Summary · SD 3991

Summary of SD 3991 (Session 194th) – Massachusetts

Purpose and intent

The bill provides an annual status update and outlines continuing administration of the MA Repay: Human Service & Home Health Worker (HSHHW) Student Loan Repayment Initiative. The program is designed to address shortages of direct care professionals and their supervisors in home-based and community-based human services by offering student loan repayment awards to eligible workers.

Key provisions and changes

  • Authorization and funding: The program is administered under Chapter 102, 1599-2027, with at least $16.5 million designated for loan repayment and related activities. The Mass League of Community Health Centers operates the Master Agreement (MA Repay) to plan and implement the initiative.
  • Eligible participants: Workers who hold qualifying degrees and are employed by community-based organizations funded or licensed by state agencies (e.g., MassHealth, departments of Developmental Services, Public Health, Mental Health, Early Education and Care, Aging and Independence, and others including MassAbility and veterans-related offices).
  • Award structure (FY24–FY25):
    • Awards vary by education level, work commitment, and full-time/part-time status.
    • For full-time positions, maximum awards historically included up to $30,000 (Master’s), $20,000 (Bachelor’s), and $6,000 (Associate’s); part-time awards are half of those amounts. Service commitments range from 1 to 3 years depending on degree level.
    • In FY25, 721 direct care workers and supervisors received a total of $14,629,382 in loan repayments; 143 applicants were waitlisted, and 1,489 were rejected due to funding limits.
  • Application and waitlist management: Applicants submit in a defined window; awards are allocated as funds become available, with ongoing outreach to waitlisted applicants until funds or waitlist are exhausted.
  • Administrative costs: FY25 administrative costs totaled $237,347 (to Mass League) in addition to the loan repayment funds.
  • Distribution by education level and licensing/funding agency:
    • Majority of awards went to Master’s degree holders (about 52%), with Bachelor’s holders receiving ~46% of total awards; Associate’s degree recipients accounted for about 2%.
    • The largest shares of awards were allocated to workers funded by the Department of Early Education and Care (23–31% depending on year), followed by other agencies such as Developmental Services, Children and Families, MassHealth, and Public Health.
  • Outcomes and reporting: The bill requires annual reporting by June 30 to the state’s Ways and Means committees, detailing expenditures by service category and organization and the average loan repayment per worker. Appendix II outlines eligibility, criteria, and scoring for award prioritization (including language abilities, cultural competence, income relative to AMI, VEI community status, and direct care experience).

Who is affected

  • Direct care and supervisory staff in home-based and community-based human services programs.
  • Employers: community-based organizations funded or licensed by state agencies listed in Appendix II.
  • State agencies administering and overseeing the program, Mass League as master administrator, and the Legislature through annual reporting.

Timeline and procedural notes

  • Initial and ongoing program administration under Chapter 102, with reports due annually by June 30 (as required since 2021).
  • FY24 application window: Jan 29–Mar 1, 2024; funds not distributed at that time due to awards not finalized.
  • FY25 funding cycle: awards announced Sept 23, 2024; ongoing waitlist and reallocation of newly available funds continues through state fiscal year 2025.

Bottom line

SD 3991 documents and guides the continuing use of a $16.5 million loan repayment initiative to recruit and retain human service and home health workers, detailing expenditures, award amounts, eligibility, and annual reporting requirements to ensure transparency and accountability.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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