West Side Family Health - Kern County
Overview
West Side Family Health Care is committed to the health and well-being of the communities in which it serves. West Side Family Health Care has made extensive effort to lay the groundwork to acquire three types of federal designations for Kern County. These designations, known as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), open the door to benefits such as federal and state funded student loan repayment programs and grants for physicians, advanced practitioners, and nurses. The goal of this initiative is to promote access to quality healthcare in the surrounding service area by recruiting and retaining clinicians like you. Together with its team of healthcare providers, West Side Family Health Care will continue to offer excellent care in a compassionate environment.
West Side Family Health Care encourages its healthcare providers to contact our team of experts at HPSA Acumen to determine the eligibility and opportunity for loan repayment awards. An individual consultation can be scheduled with us at the bottom of this webpage.
What is a HPSA?
HPSAs are designations that indicate health care provider shortages in three platforms of health: primary care, mental health, and dental health. Each platform of health receives its own designation. Each designation is scored to show the severity of the shortage. Scores range from 0 to 25, with 25 having the greatest shortage. The maps below outline each type of HPSA for Kern County.
In a Primary Care HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: MSSA 57.2 Taft
ID: 1069280498
Designation Type: High Needs Geographic HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 19
Designation Date: 01/31/2022
Last Update Date: 01/31/2022
In a Mental Health HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: MSSA 57.1/57.2/59-Frazier Park/Taft/Buttonwillow
ID: 7068602300
Designation Type: High Needs Geographic HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 18
Designation Date: 01/19/2012
Last Update Date: 08/18/2021
In a Dental Health HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: LI/MFW – MSSA 57.2/Taft
ID: 6062845922
Designation Type: Low Income Population HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 17
Designation Date: 05/04/2022
Last Update Date: 05/04/2022
What are the benefits of a HPSA?
In an effort to boost provider recruitment and retention in these often-rural shortage areas, benefits have been established to help build healthcare access to those who need it the most. Here are the benefits available in our specific shortage designations.
Loan repayment opportunities are possible because West Side Family Health Care forged new partnerships and secured HPSAs in this region. Loan repayment is just one benefit that acknowledges you, the providers, as the driving force that makes healthcare possible in your community. West Side Family Health Care truly appreciates working with you.
Programs available to eligible West Side Family Health Care primary care and mental health providers:
Physicians – National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program, Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program, California Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program, California State Loan Repayment Program
Advanced Practitioners – National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program, Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program (nurses only), Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Only), California State Loan Repayment Program
Registered Nurses – Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program, Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, California Bachelor of Science Nursing Loan Repayment Program
Licensed Vocational Nurses – California Licensed Vocational Nurse Loan Repayment Program
Mental Health Providers – National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program, Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program, California Licensed Mental Health Services Provider Education Program, California State Loan Repayment Program
What do these loan repayment programs offer?
Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – Advanced Practice Nurses and Registered Nurses may be eligible to apply for loan repayment worth up to 85% off their student loan balance in return for working at a Critical Shortage Facility, like our clinic.
National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program – Primary Care Professionals may be eligible for up to $75,000 and Mental Health or Dental Health Professionals may be eligible for up to $50,000, plus a one-time Spanish language award enhancement of $5,000, in return for a 2-year service commitment at an NHSC-certified site. One-year extension contracts are available for the remaining student loan balance.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program – Healthcare professionals providing direct treatment or recovery support of patients with or in recovery from a substance use disorder including but not limited to Physicians, Clinicians, Bachelor’s-level Substance Use Disorder Counselors, Behavioral Health Paraprofessionals, and Clinical Support Staff may be eligible for up to $250,000 for a 6-year service commitment at a STAR-certified site.
Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program – Providers working full-time with pediatric patients may be eligible to receive up to $100,000 in loan repayment in return for a 3-year service commitment. Eligible discipline types include: Physicians, Psychologists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed or Certified Master’s Level Social Workers, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Substance Use Disorder Counselors working in a pediatric medical subspeciality, pediatric surgical specialty, as a child or adolescent psychiatrist, or behavioral health providers working in pediatrics or substance use disorder services. Please refer to program guidelines for a full list of specialties and subspecialties.
California Bachelors of Science Nursing Loan Repayment Program – Licensed Registered Nurses with a BSN degree may be eligible for up to $15,000 in loan repayment for a 12-month service commitment. Eligible participants must provide direct care at least 32 hours per week. Applicants may reapply if they still meet the eligibility requirements.
California Licensed Vocational Nurse Loan Repayment Program – Licensed Vocational Nurses who provide direct patient care at least 32 hours per week may be eligible for up to $8,000 in loan repayment for a 12-month service commitment. Applicants may reapply if they still meet the eligibility requirements.
California Licensed Mental Health Services Provider Education Program – Mental Health Professionals providing direct patient care at least 32 hours per week may be eligible for up to $15,000 for one year of service. One-year continuation contracts are available.
Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program – California licensed physicians (MD/DO) practicing in Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine (Outpatient-Based Only), Gerontology, General Pediatrics, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Psychiatry, or Surgery may be eligible for up to $105,000 in loan repayment for a 3-year commitment, extension contracts are available. Providers must work 32 hours a week of direct outpatient patient care at a site. If the clinic is owned by a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, the clinic’s patient caseload must contain at least 50% of patients who are from a medically underserved population. If the clinic is a physician-owned and operated primary care medical practice, the clinic’s patient caseload must contain at least 50% of patients who are uninsured, Medi-Cal beneficiaries, or beneficiaries of another publicly funded program that serves patients who earn less than 250% of the federal poverty level.
California State Loan Repayment Program – Physicians (Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics, Gerontology, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Psychiatry), Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants (Adult, Family, Pediatric, Women’s Health, Geriatrics, Mental Health and Psychiatry), Certified Nurse Midwives, Pharmacists, Dentists (General Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry), Registered Dental Hygienists, Health Service Psychologists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Licensed Professional Counselors, Psychiatric Nurse Specialists, and Substance Use Disorder Counselors may be eligible to apply for loan repayment up to $50,000 for a full-time 2-year service obligation or a half-time contract for $25,000. One-year extension contracts are available. Full-time and part-time contracts are available.
To find out if your address is located in this HPSA designation, please visit the following website:
https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/shortage-area/by-address
For more information, please contact:
HPSA Acumen’s Benefit Support Specialists are available to you:
716.483.0888 ext. 206
Email us here at [email protected]
Facility Contact Information:
Carrie Coleman
661-765-7234
[email protected]