Tex. Education Code § 61.607 — TX Code / Code ed / Chapter 61 / Section 61.607
§ 61.607. AMOUNT OF REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
Status: in_force

(a) A mental health professional may receive repayment assistance under this subchapter for each year the mental health professional establishes eligibility for the assistance in an amount determined by applying the following applicable percentage to the amount of assistance allowed for the mental health professional under Subsection (b):

(1) for the first year, 33.33 percent;

(2) for the second year, 33.33 percent; and

(3) for the third year, 33.33 percent.

(b) Subject to Subsection (b-2), the amount of repayment assistance received by a mental health professional under this subchapter may not exceed:

(1) $180,000, for assistance from the state received by a licensed physician;

(2) $100,000, for assistance from the state received by:

(A) a psychologist;

(B) a licensed clinical social worker, if the social worker has received a doctoral degree related to social work;

(C) a licensed professional counselor, if the counselor has received a doctoral degree related to counseling; or

(D) a licensed marriage and family therapist, if the marriage and family therapist has received a doctoral degree related to marriage and family therapy;

(3) $80,000, for assistance from the state received by an advanced practice registered nurse;

(4) $60,000, for assistance from the state received by:

(A) a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed marriage and family therapist, or a licensed professional counselor who is not described by Subdivision (2);

(B) a school psychologist;

(C) a licensed master social worker;

(D) a person who holds a licensed professional counselor associate license issued by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors;

(E) a licensed marriage and family therapist associate; or

(F) a certified school counselor described by Section 61.601(12);

(5) $50,000, for assistance from the state received by a licensed chemical dependency counselor, if the chemical dependency counselor has received within the same 12-month period the counselor's:

(A) license; and

(B) most recent degree applicable to the counselor's licensing eligibility requirements; and

(6) $15,000, for assistance from the state received by a licensed chemical dependency counselor, if the chemical dependency counselor has received at least an associate degree related to chemical dependency counseling or behavioral science and if the counselor is not otherwise described by Subdivision (5).

(b-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a) or (b), a mental health professional who receives repayment assistance under this subchapter is eligible to receive repayment assistance in addition to the amount specified by Subsection (b) as follows:

(1) a one-time amount of $5,000 for a mental health professional who is fluent in a language of need in the professional's practice area as determined by the board;

(2) a one-time amount of $10,000 for a mental health professional who practices in a county with a population of 150,000 or less; and

(3) notwithstanding Section 61.604(a), $15,000 per year for a mental health professional who practices in the manner described by Section 61.603 for a fourth and fifth consecutive year.

(b-2) The total amount of repayment assistance issued to a mental health professional under Subsections (b) and (b-1) may not exceed the amount described by Subsection (b) for the applicable profession plus 10 percent of that amount.

(c) The total amount of repayment assistance provided under this subchapter may not exceed the sum of:

(1) the total amount of gifts and grants accepted by the board for the repayment assistance;

(2) legislative appropriations for the repayment assistance; and

(3) other funds available to the board for the repayment assistance.

(d) The board may adjust in an equitable manner the distribution amounts that mental health professionals would otherwise receive under Subsection (a) for a year as necessary to comply with Subsection (c).