PRINTER'S NO. 1974
No. 1617 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY COY, THOMAS, CAPPABIANCA, GRUITZA, LEDERER,
HENNESSEY, ALLEN, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BROWNE, CALTAGIRONE,
CAPPELLI, CLARK, L. I. COHEN, CORRIGAN, CREIGHTON, CURRY,
DALEY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, DIVEN, D. EVANS, FREEMAN, GRUCELA,
HARHAI, HASAY, HUTCHINSON, JAMES, KENNEY, LaGROTTA, LAUGHLIN,
LEVDANSKY, McCALL, MELIO, NAILOR, PALLONE, PISTELLA,
READSHAW, RUBLEY, SHANER, SOLOBAY, STURLA, SURRA, J. TAYLOR,
TRELLO, WALKO, WASHINGTON AND YOUNGBLOOD, MAY 17, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 17, 2001
AN ACT
1 Providing for Commonwealth support for a Children and Youth
2 Caseworker Loan Forgiveness Program for Commonwealth
3 residents who graduate from institutions of higher education
4 and who apply their degrees to careers as children and youth
5 caseworkers in this Commonwealth.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. Short title.
9 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Children and
10 Youth Caseworker Loan Forgiveness Program Act.
11 Section 2. Findings and declaration of purpose.
12 The General Assembly finds and declares that:
13 (1) The number of college students planning to enter
14 careers as professionals working with children and youth
15 appears to be inadequate to meet the need for caseworkers in
16 this Commonwealth.
1 (2) Demand from industry and other opportunities attract
2 existing and potential caseworkers away from the profession.
3 (3) The pool of qualified caseworkers has diminished.
4 (4) Payment of a portion of student loans for children
5 and youth caseworkers serves the important public purpose of
6 encouraging new caseworkers to continue their careers in this
7 Commonwealth.
8 Section 3. Definitions.
9 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
10 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11 context clearly indicates otherwise:
12 "Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
13 Agency of the Commonwealth.
14 "Program." The Children and Youth Caseworker Loan
15 Forgiveness Program established by this act.
16 "Qualified applicant." A person who meets all of the
17 following criteria:
18 (1) The person has been hired as a full-time caseworker
19 by a county children and youth services agency through a
20 merit or civil service system approved by the Secretary of
21 Public Welfare.
22 (2) The person has successfully completed both county
23 and civil service probationary periods.
24 (3) The person is performing casework duties at a county
25 children and youth service agency.
26 (4) The person has borrowed through the agency-
27 administered Stafford Loan Program.
28 "Secretary." The Secretary of Public Welfare of the
29 Commonwealth.
30 Section 4. Children and Youth Caseworker Loan Forgiveness
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1 Program.
2 (a) Establishment.--The Children and Youth Caseworker Loan
3 Forgiveness Program is hereby established. The program shall be
4 administered by the agency.
5 (b) Nature of program.--
6 (1) A qualified applicant who is selected for the
7 program under section 5 shall be eligible for payment by the
8 agency of a portion of the debt incurred by the applicant
9 through the agency-administered Stafford Loan Program for the
10 education necessary to be certified as a children and youth
11 caseworker in this Commonwealth.
12 (2) For each year that the applicant is a full-time
13 children and youth caseworker in an approved county children
14 and youth department, the agency may forgive a proportional
15 part of the applicant's loan so that the loan may be entirely
16 forgiven over four years of full-time casework.
17 (3) No more than $2,500 shall be forgiven in any year,
18 and no more than $10,000 shall be forgiven for any applicant.
19 (4) Payments shall be made in accordance with the
20 procedures established by the agency.
21 Section 5. Loan forgiveness awards.
22 Recipients of the loan forgiveness awards shall be those
23 children and youth caseworkers who are certified by the
24 secretary and who have received a satisfactory rating by the
25 county office of children and youth services. Each children and
26 youth caseworker shall be required to submit such documentation
27 of continued eligibility as the agency may require.
28 Section 6. Funding.
29 Loan forgiveness awards may be made to the extent that funds
30 are appropriated by the General Assembly.
20010H1617B1974 - 3 -
1 Section 7. Regulations.
2 The agency may adopt such regulations, policies, procedures
3 and forms as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this
4 act.
5 Section 8. Effective date.
6 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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