Valley Regional Medical Center - Cameron County
Overview
Valley Regional Medical Center is committed to the health and well-being of the communities in which it serves. Valley Regional Medical Center has made extensive effort to lay the groundwork to acquire two types of federal designations for Cameron 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, Valley Regional Medical Center will continue to offer excellent care in a compassionate environment.
Valley Regional Medical Center 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 Cameron County, TX.
In a Primary Care HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: Brownsville
ID: 1486614306
Designation Type: High Needs Geographic HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 10
Designation Date: 07/02/2021
Last Update Date: 07/02/2021
In a Mental Health HPSA: Yes
HPSA Name: MHCA 38 - Tropical Texas
ID: 7481397026
Designation Type: Geographic HPSA
Status: Designated
Score: 14
Designation Date: 12/23/2019
Last Update Date: 09/10/2021
In a Dental Health HPSA: No
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 Valley Regional Medical Center 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. Valley Regional Medical Center truly appreciates working with you.
Programs available to eligible Valley Regional Medical Center primary care and mental health providers:
Physicians – Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program
Advanced Practitioners – Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program (nurses only), Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Only), Texas Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program, and Texas Nurse Loan Repayment Assistance Program
Registered Nurses – Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program and Texas Nurse Loan Repayment Assistance Program
Mental Health Providers – Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program and Texas Mental Health Professionals 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 hospital.
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 list of specialties and subspecialties for Physicians.
Texas Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program – Mental health professionals may be awarded up to $160,000 for Psychiatrists, $80,000 for Psychologists, LCSWs, LPCs and LMFTs with doctoral degrees, up to $60,000 for Advanced Practice Nurses, up to $40,000 for LCSWs, LPCs, Licensed Specialists in School Psychology, and LMFTs who do not hold doctoral degrees, and up to $10,000 for Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors who hold associate degrees. All awards are in return for a 3-year service commitment. Clinicians must be working in a Mental Health HPSA.
Texas Nurse Loan Repayment Assistance Program – Licensed Vocational Nurses, Registered Nurses, and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who have worked in Texas for at least one year can receive a loan repayment award up to $16,000 in return for a 1-year service commitment, depending on their profession.
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:
Mattie Garza
Director of Physician Provider Relations
Valley Regional Medical Center
Office: (956) 350-7127
[email protected]