Bill > HB1309

This bill establishes a pediatric mental health professional recruitment pilot program aimed at increasing mental health care services in Indiana by providing scholarships to students pursuing careers in pediatric mental health. The program will offer scholarships of up to $20,000 per year for up to two school years to students enrolled in programs preparing them to become pediatric mental health professionals, such as physicians, nurses, psychologists, and behavioral health specialists. Scholarship recipients must be Indiana residents or intend to remain in the state and must agree to work in a pilot program county (defined as Lake County, Marion County, or a rural county with less than 65,000 residents) for at least four years after graduation. If recipients fail to meet these obligations, they must repay the scholarship amount plus interest. The program is funded with $1,000,000 annually from the state general fund and will run from July 1, 2025, to January 1, 2030, with the Commission for Higher Education administering the scholarship program and required to submit annual reports to the legislative council. The goal is to address mental health care shortages by incentivizing students to work in underserved areas of Indiana.

Health and Social Services

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/bills/house/1309/details