CA AB2018

Expands the definition of "practice setting" under the Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program to include programs or facilities operated by or contracted to a county mental health plan, making physicians in these settings eligible for loan repayment assistance.

Clarifies that the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development must include in its 5-year mental health workforce development plan both expansion plans for loan forgiveness and scholarship programs for new employees and expansion plans for loan forgiveness programs available to current mental health system employees pursuing Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, master's, or doctoral degrees.

Makes findings that high student debt loads (median of $190,000 for medical students) drive career choices away from psychiatry and underserved community mental health settings, and that loan repayment acts as an incentive to recruit psychiatrists to address the persistent shortage of one psychiatrist vacancy for every four positions in California counties.

Authorizes early loan repayment during training for psychiatry trainees committed to working in community mental health systems as an innovative recruitment strategy.

Makes an appropriation by expanding the group of persons eligible for financial incentives from the continuously appropriated Medically Underserved Account for Physicians.