1. (a) To be eligible to receive a grant under the Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program, the Commission must find that the eligible professional satisfies all of the following:

   1. (1) The applicant is a resident of the State of Illinois.
   2. (2) The applicant has been a full-time employee for at least 24 consecutive months as a human services professional, and the community-based human services agency currently has or did have a contract with, receives funding from, or is grant-funded by a State agency for the purpose of providing human services during the applicant's 24 consecutive month tenure.
   3. (3) The applicant is a borrower with an outstanding balance due on an educational loan.
   4. (4) The applicant has not defaulted on an educational loan.
   5. (5) The applicant must remain a full-time employee as a human services professional in the same community-based human services agency for at least 12 months after receiving this grant.
2. (b) The Commission may grant preference to a previous recipient of a grant under the Program, provided that the recipient continues to meet the eligibility requirements under this Section.
3. (c) The Commission may grant preference to applications based on need or income levels.

(Source: P.A. 102-1089, eff. 1-1-23; 103-31, eff. 7-1-23.)