HB 195 — An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, providing for Mental Health Workforce Retention Program; and making an appropriation.

PRINTER'S NO.   142

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 195
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, SANCHEZ, PIELLI, HILL-EVANS, BOROWSKI,
        GUENST, SCHLOSSBERG, KHAN, SHUSTERMAN, O'MARA, FLEMING AND
        OTTEN, JANUARY 16, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, JANUARY 16, 2025


                                       AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
 2      act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
 3      welfare laws of the Commonwealth," providing for Mental
 4      Health Workforce Retention Program; and making an
 5      appropriation.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.     The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known
 9   as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding an article to
10   read:
11                                ARTICLE XI-A
12                 MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE RETENTION PROGRAM
13   Section 1101-A.    Definitions.
14      The following words and phrases when used in this article
15   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
16   context clearly indicates otherwise:
17      "Eligible applicant."    A mental health worker who satisfies
18   the eligibility requirements under section 1104-A.
19      "Grant."    A grant issued by the department under this
 1   article.
 2      "Mental health worker."     An individual who is employed in the
 3   psychology, counseling, social work or human services field.
 4      "Program."     The Mental Health Workforce Retention Program
 5   established under section 1102-A.
 6      "Recipient."    A mental health worker who is selected by the
 7   department to receive a grant under the program.
 8   Section 1102-A.    Mental Health Workforce Retention Program.
 9      The Mental Health Workforce Retention Program is established
10   within the department for the purpose of awarding grants to
11   mental health workers in accordance with this article.
12   Section 1103-A.    Duties of department.
13      The department shall:
14            (1)   Provide grants to eligible applicants in accordance
15      with the program.
16            (2)   Administer the program, including adopting
17      regulations, policies, procedures and forms as are necessary
18      to implement the program which are not inconsistent with the
19      provisions of this article.
20   Section 1104-A.    Eligibility.
21      To qualify for a grant under the program, a mental health
22   worker must be:
23            (1)   a resident of this Commonwealth; and
24            (2)   employed as a mental health worker focusing on
25      adolescents for at least seven consecutive years.
26   Section 1105-A.    Application for grant.
27      (a)     Application.--The department shall develop and publish
28   on its publicly accessible Internet website an application by
29   which an eligible applicant may apply for a grant.
30      (b)     Application requirements.--An application for a grant

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 1   must be submitted to the department on or before the deadline
 2   for submittal of the application, as established by the
 3   department. The application must provide proof of eligibility as
 4   required under section 1104-A.
 5   Section 1106-A.   Award of grants.
 6      (a)   Lottery system.--The department shall develop a lottery
 7   system for selecting eligible applicants to receive a grant.
 8      (b)   Total distribution.--Of the total amount appropriated to
 9   the department under section 1108-A(a), the department shall
10   distribute no more than $1,000,000 in total grants to eligible
11   applicants in any fiscal year.
12      (c)   Grant amount.--Each grant shall be in the amount of
13   $5,000. No eligible applicant may receive more than one grant
14   for the duration of the program.
15   Section 1107-A.   Tax applicability.
16      A grant awarded under the program shall not be considered
17   taxable income for the purposes of Article III of the act of
18   March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of
19   1971.
20   Section 1108-A.   Funding.
21      (a)   Appropriation.--The sum of $5,000,000 is appropriated on
22   a continuing basis to the department from the General Fund for
23   the purposes of awarding grants to recipients under the program.
24   The appropriation shall not lapse at the end of any fiscal year.
25      (b)   Unused money.--If the department awards grants totaling
26   less than $1,000,000 in a fiscal year, the department shall
27   return the unused money for that fiscal year to the General
28   Fund.
29   Section 1109-A.   Expiration of authority to award grants.
30      The department's authority to award grants under the program

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1   shall expire June 30, 2030.
2      Section 2.   This act shall take effect July 1, 2025, or
3   immediately, whichever is later.




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