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The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) approved $2 million to support the Virginia State Loan Repayment Program (VA-SLRP) managed by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) on June 6. The goal of the VA-SLRP program is to improve and increase access to quality health care by ensuring that there is an adequate number of qualified primary care practitioners in underserved areas in the Commonwealth.

Summary of TRRC supported VDH VA-SLRP: Education loan repayment up to $140,000 over four years. Typical yearly awards by VDH range from $20,000 – $40,000 for years one and two and are reduced in years three and four. Eligible occupations include, physicians; nurse practitioners; physicians assistants; dental professionals; mental health professionals; registered nurses and pharmacists.

Participants must work at least two years at an eligible practice site in a federally designated health professional shortage area (HPSA) and live within the Tobacco Region areas of Southern and Southwest Virginia.

Applications are accepted by VDH from Jan. 1-March 31; awards made in April.

TRRC funding can be used to provide the local community/practice site match requirement for certain type facilities, i.e., federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics.

For more information visit the VDH Virginia State Loan Repayment Program website at http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/health-equity/virginia-loan-repayment-programs-2/.