Apply to the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program

Eligible substance use disorder (SUD) treatment clinicians and community health workers can apply to the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program.

Why should I apply?

We offer up to $250,000 in educational loan repayment.

What do you expect from me in return?

If you receive an award, you must work full-time for six years in a facility approved for the STAR Loan Repayment Program.

Am I eligible?

Review our STAR Loan Repayment Program requirements.

You must be:

1. A United States citizen, national, or permanent resident
2. Fully licensed, credentialed in an eligible discipline, and a registered SUD professional
3. A full-time employee at a facility approved for the STAR Loan Repayment Program

What criteria do you use to determine whether I'm at a facility eligible for STAR Loan Repayment Program approval?

We use our STAR Loan Repayment Program County Overdose Mortality Rate spreadsheet (XLSX - 140 KB) to find out if your facility is in a county that meets the program's criteria (>24.3 deaths per 100,000).

*Note: The STAR Loan Repayment Program uses the three-year average from the 2022 – 2024 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) County Overdose Mortality Rate data to determine the rate for facility eligibility. The public-facing CDC data is a five-year average.
 

Can I apply if my facility is below this year's Overdose Mortality Rate threshold?

You should be employed at, or have accepted a position, at a facility approved for the STAR Loan Repayment Program that is located in one of the following:

• Either a county (or a municipality, if not contained within any county) where the mean drug overdose death rate per 100,000 people over the past three years for which official data is available from the state, is higher than the most recent available national average overdose death rate per 100,000 people, as reported by the CDC, OR
• In a mental health professional shortage area.

For the Fiscal Year 2026 application cycle, the STAR Loan Repayment Program will use 24.3 as the most recent available national average overdose death rate per 100,000 people, as reported by the CDC.

You can find your county's mortality rate using our STAR Loan Repayment Program County Overdose Mortality Rate spreadsheet (XLSX - 140 KB).

Is my discipline eligible?

Review our list of eligible disciplines to see if you qualify. You must be working in a full-time SUD job.

How do I apply?

To apply, do these two things:

1. Read the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program Application and Program Guidance (APG) (PDF - 683 KB).
2. Submit your application through the My BHW.

Verify your employment

• You will be required to verify your employment at a facility approved for the STAR Loan Repayment Program to complete your application.
• Review our STAR Loan Repayment Program Frequently Asked Questions page to assist you with this process.

How can I receive funding priority?

We have two tiers for award funding priority. For either tier, you must be an eligible clinician.

Tier 1

You work at a facility approved for the STAR Loan Repayment Program. The facility is in a county where the drug overdose death rate for the past three years is higher than the most recent national average.

Tier 2

You work at a facility approved for the STAR Loan Repayment Program. That facility is in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area (MHPSA).

Which factors do you use to rank me?

After funding priority, we will select applicants according to the duration of tenure at the facility approved for the STAR Loan Repayment Program.

Why is the STAR Loan Repayment Program important?

There's a need for SUD treatment health care workers across the United States.

The STAR Loan Repayment Program:

• Supports treatment teams.
• Complements other SUD loan repayment programs.
• Expands the eligible pool of disciplines and treatment facilities.

How to connect with us

Call: 1-800-221-9393 | TTY: 1-877-897-9910
M - F | 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET (except federal holidays) 
Use our contact form.