Illinois § 25

§ 25.

Requirements for scholarship recipients. (a) Within 12 months after graduation from a graduate program in mental health, any recipient who accepts a scholarship under this Act shall begin meeting the required mental health employment obligation. In order to defer his or her continuous employment obligation, a recipient must request the deferment in writing from the Department. A recipient shall notify program staff within 30 days if he or she spends up to 4 years in military service before or after graduation. If a recipient receives funding through the program for a higher graduate degree, the mental health employment obligation shall be deferred until he or she is no longer enrolled or has graduated. The recipient must begin meeting the required mental health graduate employment obligation no later than 6 months after the end of the deferment. (b) Any person who fails to fulfill the mental health employment obligation shall pay to the Department an amount equal to the amount of scholarship funds received per year for each unfulfilled year of the mental health employment obligation, together with interest at 7% per year on the unpaid balance. Payment must begin within 6 months following the date of the occurrence initiating the repayment. All repayments must be completed within 6 years from the date of the occurrence initiating the repayment. However, this obligation may be deferred and reevaluated every 6 months if the failure to fulfill the employment obligation results from involuntarily leaving the profession due to a decrease in the number of counselors, psychologists, social workers, or marriage and family therapists employed in this State or if the failure to fulfill the mental health employment obligation results from total and permanent disability. The repayment obligation must be excused if the failure to fulfill the mental health employment obligation results from the death or adjudication as incompetent of the person holding the scholarship. No claim for repayment may be filed against the estate of such a decedent or incompetent. (c) Each person applying for a scholarship under this Act shall be provided with a copy of this Section at the time of application for the benefits of the scholarship. (Source: P.A. 96-672, eff. 8-25-09.)