The Florida Senate

1009.631  Occupational therapist or physical therapist critical shortage program; establishment.--

(1)  The occupational therapist or physical therapist critical shortage program is established in the Department of Education for the purpose of attracting capable and promising applicants in the occupational therapy or physical therapy profession to employment in the public schools of this state. The program shall include the Critical Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist Shortage Student Loan Forgiveness Program, the Critical Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist Shortage Scholarship Loan Program, and the Critical Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist Shortage Tuition Reimbursement Program.

(2)  Funds appropriated by the Legislature for the program shall be deposited in the State Student Financial Assistance Trust Fund. Any balance in the trust fund at the end of any fiscal year that has been allocated to the program shall remain therein and shall be available for carrying out the purposes of this section. Funds contained in the trust fund for the program shall be used for the programs specified in subsection (1) for those licensed therapists and therapy assistants employed by the public schools of this state.

(3)  The State Board of Education shall annually review the designation of critical shortage areas and shall adopt rules necessary for the implementation of the program.

History.--s. 443, ch. 2002-387.