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SD 3992

Human Service & Home Health Workers Student Loan Repayment Initiative FY26 Report

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

Mass Repay provides student loan repayment assistance (up to $30k for master’s, $20k for bachelor’s, $6k for associate) to direct care professionals in MA, in exchange for service

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Bill Summary · SD 3992

Summary of Bill SD 3992 (Session 194th, Massachusetts)

Purpose and Intent

  • Establishes and reports on the FY26 implementation of the Human Service & Home Health Workers Student Loan Repayment Initiative (MA Repay) funded through Chapter 102 of the Acts of 2021, 1599-2027.
  • Aims to address shortages of direct care professionals and supervisors in home-based and community-based human service and home health settings by providing student loan repayment assistance in exchange for service commitments.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • Program Authorization and Funding

    • MA Repay is authorized and funded with at least $16.5 million designated for loan repayment assistance under item 1599-2027.
    • The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers (Mass League) administers the program under a Master Agreement originally awarded in 2022 and amended in 2023 to include the Loan Repayment Program for Human Service and Home Health Workers.

  • Eligible Participants and Settings

    • Targets direct care professionals and supervisors employed by community-based organizations that are funded or licensed by specified state agencies (e.g., MassHealth, Department of Mental Health, Department of Children and Families, etc.).
    • Eligible workers must hold a qualifying degree and work in home-based or community-based programs providing treatment, support, or services to clients or their families.

  • Award Structure and Service Commitments

    • Award amounts vary by education level, work hours, and length of service commitment.
    • Based on Appendix II:
    • Master’s Degree: up to $30,000 for full-time, 3-year commitment; up to $15,000 part-time.
    • Bachelor’s Degree: up to $20,000 for full-time, 2-year commitment; up to $10,000 part-time.
    • Associate’s Degree: up to $6,000 for full-time, 1-year commitment; up to $3,000 part-time.
    • The program includes a service obligation in the eligible setting; failure to complete the service period may trigger recoupment of funds.

  • Prioritization Criteria (Award Scoring)

    • Points awarded for:
    • Proficiency in languages other than English relevant to VEI (Vaccine Equity Initiative) communities.
    • Demonstrated ability to deliver culturally competent care to diverse populations, including individuals with limited English proficiency.
    • Income relative to Area Median Income (AMI) (less than 50% AMI).
    • Residence or employment in Vaccine Equity Initiative (VEI) communities (both criteria are listed as eligible factors).
    • Prior experience in the direct care field (3+ years).
    • Tie-breakers use debt-to-income ratio comparisons.

  • Administration and Reporting

    • The FY26 report (as required by existing law) includes:
    • Expenditures by service category and organization.
    • Average loan repayment per worker.
    • As of the FY26 report:
    • September 23, 2024: Offered about $14.63 million to 721 direct care workers and supervisors.
    • 143 eligible applicants placed on a waitlist; 1,489 eligible applicants initially rejected due to funding limits.
    • 796 ineligible/incomplete applications rejected.
    • Waitlist exhausted by June 23, 2025; all award funds disbursed by loan servicers.
    • Administrative transfers: $261,964.72 in admin funds to Mass League.
    • Demographic and program data provided include:
    • Education level distribution, funding agency affiliations, job titles, top employers, and average award.
    • Average award per worker: $21,102.39 (with variation by degree level: Master’s ~$27,671; Bachelor’s ~$17,309; Associate’s ~$5,587).

Who Is Affected

  • Direct care professionals and supervisors in home-based and community-based human service and home health programs in Massachusetts.
  • Employers include a broad set of state-funded or state-licensed organizations (e.g., MassHealth providers, Department of Early Education and Care, Department of Mental Health, Department of Children and Families, etc.).
  • The Mass League acts as administrator, coordinating applications, prioritization, and disbursement, and handling waitlists as funds become available.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Statutory Basis and Reporting

    • Grounded in Appendix II and Appendix I of Appendix II of Chapter 102 of the Acts of 2021 (1599-2027).
    • Annual reporting mandate: not later than June 30 each year, detailing expenditures by service category and organization and average loan repayment per worker.

  • FY26 Specifics

    • Initial funding and activity occurred prior to FY26 reporting; the document reflects actions up to and including late FY26 (expenditures, awards, waitlist management, and closures of the waitlist).

  • Governance

    • A Board comprising representatives from the human services sector provides recommendations on eligibility, income thresholds, repayment levels, and work commitments.

Overall Impact and Impacted Sectors

  • Addresses workforce shortages by offering financial support to repay student loans, potentially improving recruitment and retention of direct care staff and supervisors.
  • Data show a strong skew toward workers with Master’s and Bachelor's degrees, with substantial portions funded through MassHealth and other agencies.
  • Provides a model for ongoing, monitored loan repayment programs with defined eligibility criteria, service commitments, and performance reporting.

If you’d like, I can extract specific figures (e.g., by agency or by job title) into a compact data table or compare FY26 activity to prior years.

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

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