Synopsis
CASSI proposes up to ten years of student-loan forgiveness for professionals who commit to full-time work in social services, mental health, substance-use counseling, nonprofit management, and prevention roles in Ohio’s underserved counties.
The problem it responds to
Underserved communities face acute shortages of professionals whose work sustains mental health, addiction response, family support, prevention, and nonprofit capacity. Educational debt makes entering and remaining in these roles less viable.
What the work contributes
- Provides annual forgiveness tied to verified full-time service.
- Covers multiple high-need professions and credentials rather than a single discipline.
- Connects workforce retention to the long-term stability of local service systems.
- Treats nonprofit leadership and prevention work as infrastructure, not administrative overhead.
Development
- Developed as a comprehensive Ohio program proposal.
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