HB 66 — An Act establishing the Social Worker Educational Enrollment and Training Program; and providing for authorization of internships, for award of internships and for funding of the Social Worker Educational Enrollment and Training Program.

PRINTER'S NO.   54

                   THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                       HOUSE BILL
                       No. 66
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY HOWARD, GUENST, PROBST, GIRAL, FREEMAN, KHAN,
        SANCHEZ, SAPPEY, OTTEN, PIELLI, MALAGARI, KENYATTA, HANBIDGE,
        HILL-EVANS, CIRESI, STEELE AND SCHLOSSBERG, JANUARY 14, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, JANUARY 14, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Establishing the Social Worker Educational Enrollment and
 2      Training Program; and providing for authorization of
 3      internships, for award of internships and for funding of the
 4      Social Worker Educational Enrollment and Training Program.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7   Section 1.   Short title.
 8      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Social Worker
 9   Educational Enrollment and Training Program Act.
10   Section 2.   Definitions.
11      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13   context clearly indicates otherwise:
14      "Approved facility."     A facility approved by the department
15   for participation in the program.
16      "Approved Master of Social Work program."     An academic
17   program at an accredited school of social work approved by the
18   department to prepare professional personnel for employment in
 1   accordance with the act of July 9, 1987 (P.L.220, No.39), known
 2   as the Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and
 3   Professional Counselors Act.
 4      "Commitment stipend."     Money provided under the program to a
 5   recipient.
 6      "Department."     The Department of Human Services of the
 7   Commonwealth.
 8      "Internship."     A field placement required as part of an
 9   approved Master of Social Work program authorized by the
10   department for the program under section 4.
11      "Program."     The Social Worker Educational Enrollment and
12   Training Program established under section 3.
13      "Qualified applicant."     An individual who meets all of the
14   criteria under section 3(b).
15      "Recipient."     A qualified applicant who receives a commitment
16   stipend.
17   Section 3.     Social Worker Educational Enrollment and Training
18                  Program.
19      (a)     Establishment.--The Social Worker Educational Enrollment
20   and Training Program is established within the department. The
21   department shall administer the program to provide commitment
22   stipends to qualified applicants. The department may consult
23   with the Department of Health to administer the program.
24      (b)     Qualifications.--To qualify for the program, an
25   individual shall meet all of the following criteria:
26            (1)   The individual is a resident of this Commonwealth.
27            (2)   The individual is currently enrolled in an approved
28      Master of Social Work program and maintains a 3.0 GPA or
29      higher.
30            (3)   The individual submits an application to the

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 1      department on a form and in a manner specified by the
 2      department.
 3      (c)   Stipends.--A recipient shall be awarded a commitment
 4   stipend of $5,000 per semester while engaged in an internship as
 5   part of an approved Master of Social Work program and
 6   maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher. The amount shall be adjusted
 7   annually for inflation in accordance with the Consumer Price
 8   Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items (CPI-U) for the United
 9   States as published by the United States Department of Labor,
10   Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the previous 12-month period.
11   Section 4.     Authorization of internships.
12      Subject to the availability of money for the program, the
13   department shall authorize internships located within an
14   approved facility for recipients to participate in the program
15   in accordance with the following:
16            (1)   The department shall ensure that internships provide
17      qualified applicants with clinical training, supervision and
18      instructional experiences that prepare qualified applicants
19      with the necessary competencies to enter into the behavioral
20      health care workforce.
21            (2)   The department shall ensure that internships satisfy
22      the requirements for supervised experience necessary to earn
23      a Master of Social Work from an approved Master of Social
24      Work program.
25   Section 5.     Award of internships.
26      The department shall establish a process for a qualified
27   applicant to apply for and receive an internship in accordance
28   with this act.
29   Section 6.     Funding of program.
30      The department shall award commitment stipends to recipients

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1   to the extent that money is available to fund the administration
2   of the program.
3   Section 7.   Regulations.
4      The department shall promulgate regulations, adopt policies
5   and procedures and establish forms as necessary to implement
6   this act.
7   Section 8.   Effective date.
8      This act shall take effect in 90 days.




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