PRINTER'S NO. 2649
No. 2035 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY MARKOSEK, M. COHEN, BELARDI, COY, SATHER, LAUGHLIN, WALKO, McCALL, LEVDANSKY, VAN HORNE, ROONEY, MELIO, MUNDY, ITKIN, PETRARCA, GRUPPO, TANGRETTI, YOUNGBLOOD, ARGALL, TRELLO, JOSEPHS, BOSCOLA, SEMMEL, THOMAS, SEYFERT AND DeLUCA, DECEMBER 1, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGING AND YOUTH, DECEMBER 1, 1997
AN ACT 1 Providing for Commonwealth support for a Pennsylvania Children 2 and Youth Caseworker Loan Forgiveness Program for 3 Pennsylvania residents who graduate from institutions of 4 higher education and who apply their degrees to careers as 5 children and youth 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 the 14 children and youth profession appears to be inadequate to 15 meet the need for caseworkers in this Commonwealth. 16 (2) Demand from industry and other opportunities attract 17 existing and potential caseworkers away from the profession. 18 (3) The pool of qualified caseworkers has diminished.
1 (4) Payment of a portion of student loans for children 2 and youth caseworkers serves the important public purpose of 3 encouraging new caseworkers to continue their careers in this 4 Commonwealth. 5 Section 3. Definitions. 6 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 7 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 8 context clearly indicates otherwise: 9 "Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance 10 Agency. 11 "Qualified applicant." A person who meets all of the 12 following criteria: 13 (1) The person has been hired as a full-time caseworker 14 by a county children and youth services agency through a 15 merit or civil service system approved by the Secretary of 16 Public Welfare of the Commonwealth. 17 (2) The person has successfully completed both county 18 and civil service probationary periods. 19 (3) The person is performing casework duties at a county 20 children and youth service agency. 21 (4) The person has borrowed through the agency- 22 administered Guaranteed Student Loan Program. 23 "Secretary." The Secretary of Public Welfare of the 24 Commonwealth. 25 Section 4. Children and Youth Caseworker Loan Forgiveness 26 Program. 27 A qualified applicant who is selected for the Children and 28 Youth Caseworker Loan Forgiveness Program in accordance with 29 this act shall be eligible for payment by the agency of a 30 portion of the debt incurred by the applicant through the 19970H2035B2649 - 2 -
1 agency-administered Guaranteed Student Loan Program for the 2 education necessary to be certified as a children and youth 3 caseworker in Pennsylvania. For each year that the applicant is 4 a full-time children and youth caseworker in an approved county 5 children and youth department, the agency may forgive a 6 proportional part of the applicant's loan so that the loan may 7 be entirely forgiven over four years of full-time casework. No 8 more than $2,500 shall be forgiven in any year, and no more than 9 $10,000 shall be forgiven for any applicant. Payments shall be 10 made in accordance with the procedures established by the 11 agency. 12 Section 5. Loan forgiveness awards. 13 Recipients of the loan forgiveness awards shall be those 14 children and youth caseworkers who are certified by the 15 secretary and who have received a satisfactory rating by the 16 county office of children and youth services. Each children and 17 youth caseworker shall be required to submit such documentation 18 of continued eligibility as the agency may require. 19 Section 6. Funding. 20 Loan forgiveness awards may be made to the extent that funds 21 are appropriated by the General Assembly. 22 Section 7. Responsibility of agency. 23 It shall be the responsibility of the agency to administer 24 the Children and Youth Caseworker Loan Forgiveness Program 25 established by this act and to adopt such regulations, policies, 26 procedures and forms as are necessary and not inconsistent with 27 the provisions of this act. 28 Section 8. Effective date. 29 This act shall take effect in 60 days. J17L24BIL/19970H2035B2649 - 3 -