103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2439

 

Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Mattie Hunter

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
110 ILCS 947/65.120 new
110 ILCS 947/65.125 new

    Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Creates the Social Worker and Qualified Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall create and administer a Social Worker and Qualified Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment Program for applicants whose role is to primarily serve recipients of medical assistance or uninsured individuals or for an organization that predominately serves recipients of medical assistance or uninsured individuals after receiving loan repayment assistance. Sets forth conditions to apply to the program, loan repayment requirements, application requirements, repayment amounts, and other conditions. Creates the Social Worker and Qualified Mental Health Professional Grant Program. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall create and administer a Social Worker Grant Program for applicants whose role is to primarily serve recipients of medical assistance or uninsured individuals or for an organization that predominately serves recipients of medical assistance or uninsured individuals after receiving loan repayment assistance. Sets forth conditions to apply to the program, grant requirements, application requirements, repayment amounts, and other conditions. Effective January 1, 2024.


LRB103 27542 RJT 53917 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB2439LRB103 27542 RJT 53917 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is
5amended by adding Sections 65.120 and 65.125 as follows:
 
6    (110 ILCS 947/65.120 new)
7    Sec. 65.120. Social Worker and Qualified Mental Health
8Professional Loan Repayment Program.
9    (a) As used in this Section:
10    "Accredited school" means a college or university in which
11a degree in social work, or an equivalent credential for a
12health program is earned and for which the Council for Higher
13Education Accreditation or its affiliates has determined that
14the school meets specific standards for its programs, faculty,
15and curriculum.
16    "Applicant" means a certified community health worker,
17licensed social worker, licensed clinical social worker, a
18licensed clinical professional counselor, a licensed
19practitioner of the healing arts, or a licensed marriage and
20family therapist who applies for loan repayment assistance
21under this Section.
22    "Commercial loan" means a loan made by a bank, credit
23union, savings and loan association, insurance company,

 

 

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1school, or other financial institution.
2    "Default" means failure to meet a legal obligation or
3condition of a loan.
4    "Health professional shortage area" or "HPSA" means a
5designation from the federal Department of Health and Human
6Services that indicates the shortage of primary medical care
7or dental or mental health providers. The designation may be
8geographic, such as a county or service area; demographic,
9such as low-income population; or institutional, such as a
10comprehensive health center, federally qualified health
11center, or other public facility.
12    "Dual eligible beneficiary" means an individual who
13qualifies for both medical assistance and Medicare.
14    "Government loan" means a loan made by a federal, State,
15county, or city agency authorized to make the loan.
16    "Lender" means the commercial or government entity that
17makes a qualifying loan.
18    "Loan repayment award" or "award" means the amount of
19funding awarded to a recipient based upon his or her
20reasonable educational expenses, up to a maximum established
21by the program.
22    "Medical assistance" refers to benefits provided under the
23medical assistance program under Article V of the Illinois
24Public Aid Code.
25    "Qualifying loan" means a government loan or commercial
26loan used for tuition and reasonable educational and living

 

 

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1expenses related to undergraduate or graduate education that
2was obtained by the recipient prior to his or her application
3for loan repayment and that is contemporaneous with the
4education received.
5    "Social Worker and Qualified Mental Health Professional
6Loan Repayment Program" or "Loan Repayment Program" means the
7Social Worker Loan and Qualified Mental Health Professional
8Repayment Program created under subsection (b) of this
9Section.
10    "Recipient" means a licensed social worker, licensed
11clinical social worker, a licensed clinical professional
12counselor, a licensed practitioner of the healing arts, or a
13licensed marriage and family therapist that may use loan
14repayment or grant funds.
15    (b) The Commission shall create and administer a Social
16Worker and Qualified Mental Health Professional Loan Repayment
17Program. An applicant whose role is to primarily serve
18recipients of medical assistance or uninsured individuals or
19who is employed by an organization that predominately serves
20recipients of medical assistance or uninsured individuals may
21apply to the Commission for loan repayment assistance under
22the Loan Repayment Program. In order to be eligible for loan
23repayment under this Section, the applicant shall comply with
24the following:
25        (1) Be a current resident of the State.
26        (2) Be serving primarily recipients of medical

 

 

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1    assistance or uninsured individuals, or be employed by an
2    organization that predominately serves recipients of
3    medical assistance or uninsured individuals; or have an
4    offer of employment primarily serving recipients of
5    medical assistance or uninsured individuals or at an
6    organization that predominately serves recipients of
7    medical assistance or uninsured individuals and begin
8    employment within 90 calendar days from submission of an
9    application.
10        (3) Have an undergraduate or graduate level social
11    work degree from an accredited school and have a current,
12    valid, and unencumbered license to practice the profession
13    in the State.
14        (4) Be a borrower with an outstanding balance on an
15    educational loan.
16        (5) Have not defaulted on an educational loan.
17        (6) Submit an application to participate in the Loan
18    Repayment Program.
19        (7) Sign a written agreement attesting to accepting
20    repayment of social work educational loans and to serve
21    for a 5-year period of obligated service in a role
22    primarily serving recipients of medical assistance or
23    uninsured individuals or for an organization that
24    predominately serves recipients of medical assistance or
25    uninsured individuals after receiving loan repayment
26    assistance. The written agreement shall outline details of

 

 

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1    the loan repayment service obligations, including, but not
2    limited to, the time frame required for the recipient to
3    fulfill the service obligation.
4    (c) All applications must be submitted to the Commission
5in a form and manner prescribed by the Commission.
6    (d) The amount of the loan repayment shall not exceed
7$6,500 for each qualified applicant in the Loan Repayment
8Program.
9    (e) Loan repayment funds under the Loan Repayment Program
10shall be used according to the following:
11        (1) To repay qualifying educational loans of social
12    workers in Illinois whose role is to primarily serve
13    recipients of medical assistance or uninsured individuals
14    or who are employed by an organization that predominately
15    serves recipients of medical assistance or uninsured
16    individuals for a 5-year period after receiving loan
17    repayment assistance.
18        (2) For educational loans that were obtained prior to
19    the date the recipient submits an application for loan
20    repayment assistance.
21        (3) To retire qualifying educational loans if the
22    loans are the result of consolidated or refinanced debt.
23    To qualify, the consolidated or refinanced loans shall:
24            (A) be a government loan or a loan from a
25        commercial lender; and
26            (B) include only qualifying educational loans of

 

 

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1        the social worker.
2    (f) An individual who meets the eligibility requirements
3set forth in this Section may apply for loan repayment
4authorized by this Section. In order to promote greater
5diversity and community representation in healthcare, the
6Commission shall set forward criteria that prioritizes
7applicants, including, but not limited to, the following:
8        (1) Those who identify as a person from a race,
9    ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or
10    disability status that is underrepresented in the
11    healthcare sector.
12        (2) Persons working in a health professional shortage
13    area, including, but not limited to, rural healthcare
14    settings.
15    (g) An individual who is awarded a loan repayment under
16this Section shall not receive a concurrent loan repayment
17through any other State or federal loan repayment program.
18Nothing in this Section prevents an individual from receiving
19consecutive loan repayment awards under this Section or any
20other State or federal program.
 
21    (110 ILCS 947/65.125 new)
22    Sec. 65.125. Social Worker and Qualified Mental Health
23Professional Grant Program.
24    (a) As used in this Section:
25    "Accredited school" means a college or university in which

 

 

SB2439- 7 -LRB103 27542 RJT 53917 b

1a degree in social work, or an equivalent credential for a
2health program is earned and for which the Council for Higher
3Education Accreditation or its affiliates has determined that
4the school meets specific standards for its programs, faculty,
5and curriculum.
6    "Applicant" means a licensed social worker, licensed
7clinical social worker, a licensed clinical professional
8counselor, a licensed practitioner of the healing arts, or a
9licensed marriage and family therapist who applies for grant
10under this Section.
11    "Commercial loan" means a loan made by a bank, credit
12union, savings and loan association, insurance company,
13school, or other financial institution.
14    "Default" means failure to meet a legal obligation or
15condition of a loan.
16    "Dual eligible beneficiary" means an individual who
17qualifies for both medical assistance and Medicare.
18    "Health professional shortage area" or "HPSA" means a
19designation from the federal Department of Health and Human
20Services that indicates the shortage of primary medical care
21or dental or mental health providers. The designation may be
22geographic, such as a county or service area; demographic,
23such as low-income population; or institutional, such as a
24comprehensive health center, federally qualified health
25center, or other public facility.
26    "Government loan" means a loan made by a federal, State,

 

 

SB2439- 8 -LRB103 27542 RJT 53917 b

1county, or city agency authorized to make the loan.
2    "Lender" means the commercial or government entity that
3makes a qualifying loan.
4    "Loan repayment award" or "award" means the amount of
5funding awarded to a recipient based upon his or her
6reasonable educational expenses, up to a maximum established
7by the program.
8    "Medical assistance" refers to benefits provided under the
9medical assistance program under Article V of the Illinois
10Public Aid Code.
11    "Qualifying loan" means a government loan or commercial
12loan used for tuition and reasonable educational and living
13expenses related to undergraduate or graduate education that
14was obtained by the recipient prior to his or her application
15for loan repayment and that is contemporaneous with the
16education received.
17    "Social Worker and Qualified Mental Health Professional
18Grant Program" or "Grant Program" means the Social Worker and
19Qualified Mental Health Professional Grant Program created
20under this Section.
21    "Recipient" means a licensed social worker, licensed
22clinical social worker, a licensed clinical professional
23counselor, a licensed practitioner of the healing arts, or a
24licensed marriage and family therapist that may use loan
25repayment or grant funds.
26    (b) The Commission shall create and administer a Social

 

 

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1Worker and Qualified Mental Health Professional Grant Program.
2An applicant who agrees to serve in a role primarily serving
3recipients of medical assistance or uninsured individuals or
4at an organization that predominately serves recipients of
5medical assistance or uninsured individuals for the required
6timeframe may apply to the Commission for assistance with
7educational expenses under the Grant Program. In order to be
8eligible for a grant under this Section, the applicant shall
9comply with the following:
10        (1) Be a current resident of the State.
11        (2) Agree to serve in a role primarily serving
12    recipients of medical assistance or uninsured individuals
13    or at an organization that predominately serves recipients
14    of medical assistance or uninsured individuals for the
15    required time frame.
16        (3) Be working toward completion of clinical
17    professional experience requirements for social work
18    licensure.
19        (4) Be working toward social work licensure as a part
20    of a graduate level program at an accredited school.
21        (5) Submit an application to participate in the Grant
22    Program.
23        (6) Sign a written agreement attesting to accepting
24    the grant and to serve for a 5-year period of obligated
25    service in a role primarily serving individuals on medical
26    assistance or uninsured individuals or for an organization

 

 

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1    that predominately serves recipients of medical assistance
2    or uninsured individuals after completion of all
3    applicable educational requirements. The written agreement
4    shall outline details of the grant obligations, including,
5    but not limited to, the time frame required for the
6    recipient to fulfill the service obligation.
7    (c) The Commission shall receive and consider applications
8for assistance with educational expenses under this Section
9each year. All applications must be submitted to the
10Commission in a form and manner prescribed by the Commission.
11    (d) The grant amount shall not exceed $6,500 for each
12qualified applicant in the Grant Program. The Commission shall
13award a one-time grant to each qualified applicant.
14    (e) Funds under the Grant Program shall be used according
15to the following:
16        (1) To pay for costs associated with social work
17    licensure or completion of a graduate level social work
18    degree at an accredited school if the applicant agrees to
19    serve in a role primarily serving recipients of medical
20    assistance or uninsured individuals or at an organization
21    that predominately serves recipients of medical assistance
22    or uninsured individuals for a 5-year period after
23    completion of applicable educational requirements.
24    (f) An individual who meets the eligibility requirements
25set forth in this Section may apply for a grant authorized by
26this Section. In order to promote greater diversity and

 

 

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1community representation in healthcare, the Commission shall
2set forward criteria that prioritizes applicants, including,
3but not limited to, the following:
4        (1) Those who identify as a person from a race,
5    ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or
6    disability status that is underrepresented in the
7    healthcare sector.
8        (2) Persons working in a Health Professional Shortage
9    Area, including, but not limited to, rural healthcare
10    settings.
 
11    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
121, 2024.