Sunflower Counseling - Flathead, Missoula, and Silver Bow Counties
Overview
Sunflower Counseling is located in an area recognized as a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA). This opens the doors for benefits such as federal and state funded student loan forgiveness for Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and additional mental health clinicians. Along with our healthcare providers, Sunflower Counseling is committed to the health and well-being of our community with the hopes that through this recruitment and retention initiative, we can boost access to healthcare in our service area.
Sunflower Counseling encourages our healthcare providers to contact our team of experts at HPSA Acumen to determine your eligibility and opportunity for loan repayment awards. An individual consultation can be scheduled with them at the bottom of this webpage.
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 Flathead County, Missoula County, and Silver Bow County.
Flathead County
In a Primary Care HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: Flathead County
ID: 1301491538
Designation Type: Native American Population HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 9
Designation Date: 02/18/2022
Last Update Date: 02/18/2022
Missoula County
In a Primary Care HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: LI-Missoula County
ID: 1302816790
Designation Type: Low Income Population HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 14
Designation Date: 03/03/2022
Last Update Date: 03/03/2022
Silver Bow County
In a Primary Care HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: LI-Silver Bow County
ID: 1301232327
Designation Type: Low Income Population HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 15
Designation Date: 12/27/2013
Last Update Date: 08/06/2021
Flathead County
In a Mental Health HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: Flathead County
ID: 7306609870
Designation Type: High Needs Geographic HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 15
Designation Date: 07/02/2021
Last Update Date: 1/31/2024
Missoula County
In a Mental Health HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: LI-Missoula County
ID: 7307316283
Designation Type: Low Income Population HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 17
Designation Date: 11/20/2007
Last Update Date: 07/02/2021
Silver Bow County
In a Mental Health HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: Silver Bow/Deer Lodge Counties
ID: 7304614789
Designation Type: High Needs Geographic HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 19
Designation Date: 08/19/2013
Last Update Date: 01/25/2024
Flathead County
In a Dental Health HPSA: No
Missoula County
In a Dental Health HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: LI-Missoula County
ID: 6301874835
Designation Type: Low Income Population HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 12
Designation Date: 08/02/2018
Last Update Date: 09/10/2021
Silver Bow County
In a Dental Health HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: LI-Silver Bow County
ID: 6305313052
Designation Type: Low Income Population HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 11
Designation Date: 01/30/2001
Last Update Date: 08/06/2021
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 Sunflower Counseling forged new partnerships and secured HPSAs in this region. Loan repayment is just one benefit that acknowledges you as the driving force that makes healthcare possible in our community. Sunflower Counseling truly appreciates working with you.
Programs available to eligible Sunflower Counseling primary care and mental health providers:
Physicians – Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program
Advanced Practitioners – Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Only)
Registered Nurses – Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program
Mental Health Providers – Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program
What do these loan repayment programs offer?
Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program – Certified Nursing Assistants, Certified Medical Assistants, Licensed Occupational Therapists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, Master’s Level Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychiatric Mental Health Practitioners, Occupational Therapists, Psychology Doctoral Interns, Behavioral Health Paraprofessionals, Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Certified Nurse Midwives, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Licensed Practical Nurses, Psychiatric Nurse Specialists, Pharmacists, and Substance Use Disorder Counselors 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 Mental Health 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.
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]