(1) After June 1, 1992, the office, in consultation with the department and the department of social and health services, shall:

(a) Establish the annual award amount for each credentialed health care profession which shall be based upon an assessment of reasonable annual eligible expenses involved in training and education for each credentialed health care profession for both the health professional loan repayment and scholarship program and the behavioral health loan repayment program. The annual award amount may be established at a level less than annual eligible expenses. The annual award amount shall be established by the office for each eligible health profession. The awards shall not be paid for more than a maximum of five years per individual;

(b) Determine any scholarship awards for prospective physicians in such a manner to require the recipients declare an interest in serving in rural areas of the state of Washington. Preference for scholarships shall be given to students who reside in a rural physician shortage area or a nonshortage rural area of the state prior to admission to the eligible education and training program in medicine. Highest preference shall be given to students seeking admission who are recommended by sponsoring communities and who declare the intent of serving as a physician in a rural area. The office may require the sponsoring community located in a nonshortage rural area to financially contribute to the eligible expenses of a medical student if the student will serve in the nonshortage rural area;

(c) Establish the required service obligation for each credentialed health care profession, which shall be no less than three years or no more than five years, for the health professional loan repayment and scholarship program and the behavioral health loan repayment program. The required service obligation may be based upon the amount of the scholarship or loan repayment award such that higher awards involve longer service obligations on behalf of the participant;

(d) Establish the annual award amount and the required service obligation for nurse educators participating in the nurse educator loan repayment program. The annual award amount shall be based upon an assessment of reasonable annual eligible expenses involved in training and education. The awards shall not be paid for more than a maximum of five years per individual. The required service obligation shall be no less than three years or no more than five years. The required service obligation may be based upon the amount of the loan repayment award such that higher awards involve longer service obligations on behalf of the participant;

(e) Determine eligible education and training programs for purposes of the scholarship portion of the health professional loan repayment and scholarship program; and

(f) Honor loan repayment and scholarship contract terms negotiated between the office and participants prior to May 21, 1991, concerning loan repayment and scholarship award amounts and service obligations authorized under this chapter or chapter 70.180 RCW.

(2) The department and the council, with the office, shall establish the annual loan repayment amount for each eligible board-certified forensic pathologist, based upon an assessment of reasonable eligible expenses involved in training and education up to $25,000 annually. The awards may not be paid for more than a total of four years per participant. The required service obligation must be four years. The annual award amount shall be established by the office.

Intent—2023 c 442: See note following RCW 28B.115.020.

Effective date—2011 1st sp.s. c 11 §§ 101-103, 106-202, 204-244, and 301: See note following RCW 28B.76.020.

Intent—2011 1st sp.s. c 11: See note following RCW 28B.76.020.

Finding—1993 c 492: “The legislature finds that the successful implementation of health care reform will depend on a sufficient supply of primary health care providers throughout the state. Many rural and medically underserved urban areas lack primary health care providers and because of this, basic health care services are limited or unavailable to populations living in these areas. The legislature has in recent years initiated new programs to address these provider shortages but funding has been insufficient and additional specific provider shortages remain.” [ 1993 c 492 § 269.]

Findings—Intent—1993 c 492: See notes following RCW 43.20.050.

Short title—Savings—Reservation of legislative power—Effective dates—1993 c 492: See RCW 43.72.910 through 43.72.915.