May 25, 2021 The membership of the Delaware Healthcare Association is calling for the establishment of a medical loan repayment fund in the amount of $15 million. The fund would be a one-time appropriation to be used over multiple years as a recruitment tool to attract primary care providers, including behavioral health providers, to provide access to these crucial health services in underserved areas of the state. It is envisioned that the fund would be in two parts: $10 million to focus on primary care providers and $5 million to focus on behavioral health care providers with an emphasis on pediatric behavioral health. “The need is great, the money is here, and the time is right,” said Wayne A. Smith, president and CEO of the Delaware Healthcare Association. “Primary care is the gateway to better physical and mental health. There are too many underserved areas of our state which lack access to primary care and behavioral health services. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address a great issue in a decisive way. We need to seize the moment,” Smith said.