88R7131 MM-D
 
  By: Menéndez S.B. No. 1796
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to establishing a social work recruitment and retention
  program administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
  Board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter LL to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER LL. SOCIAL WORK RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM
         Sec. 61.9851.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "program"
  means the social work intern practicum stipend (SWIPS) program.
         Sec. 61.9852.  ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.
  The board shall establish and administer a social work recruitment
  and retention program to provide an intern practicum stipend to
  assist students at institutions of higher education in obtaining
  field hours necessary for program coursework related to completing
  a bachelor's or master's degree in social work.
         Sec. 61.9853.  ELIGIBILITY; PRIORITY OF APPLICANTS. (a) To
  be eligible to receive a stipend under the program, a student must:
               (1)  apply to the board in the form and manner
  prescribed by board rule;
               (2)  be enrolled at an institution of higher education
  in an educational program that is accredited by the Council on
  Social Work Education leading to a bachelor's or master's degree in
  social work;
               (3)  be accepted into a practicum placement approved by
  the board for purposes of the program;
               (4)  enter into a written agreement with the board as
  provided by board rule; and
               (5)  satisfy any other criteria prescribed by board
  rule.
         (b)  The board shall establish a method for prioritizing
  applicants for practicum stipends in the event the total amount of
  money available to provide stipends under this subchapter for an
  academic year is not sufficient to provide a stipend to each
  applicant who is eligible under Subsection (a). The priority
  criteria must include:
               (1)  qualification for need-based aid based on free
  application for federal student aid (FAFSA) indicators; and
               (2)  practicum placement in a mental health
  professional shortage area designated by the Department of State
  Health Services.
         Sec. 61.9854.  PRACTICUM STIPEND AWARDS. (a) The amount of
  a practicum stipend award to which an eligible student is entitled
  is an amount equal to:
               (1)  for a student enrolled in a bachelor's degree
  program, $15 per hour for each hour of supervised field hours in an
  approved practicum program, not to exceed a total of $6,000; or
               (2)  for a student enrolled in a master's degree
  program, $20 per hour for each hour of supervised field hours in an
  approved practicum program, not to exceed a total of $9,000.
         (b)  Each academic year, the board shall provide money for
  the practicum stipends to institutions of higher education with
  Council on Social Work Education-accredited educational programs
  based on the institution's anticipated need. Each institution shall
  determine the timeline and procedure for distributing the money for
  that academic year to eligible students based on the board's
  priority criteria adopted under Section 61.9853(b), if applicable.
         (c)  An institution of higher education shall remit to the
  board any unused money received by the institution under the
  program for an academic year as soon as practicable following that
  academic year.
         Sec. 61.9855.  PRIORITY OF INSTITUTIONS. The board shall
  establish a method for prioritizing institutions of higher
  education for distribution of practicum stipends in the event the
  total amount of money available to provide stipends under this
  subchapter for an academic year is not sufficient to provide money
  for stipends at each institution described by Section 61.9854(b).
  The priority criteria shall include:
               (1)  serving a high percentage of students who qualify
  for need-based aid based on free application for federal student
  aid (FAFSA) indicators;
               (2)  having a high number of students who complete
  practicum placements in mental health professional shortage areas
  designated by the Department of State Health Services; and 
               (3)  designation as a historically black college or
  university or a Hispanic-serving institution. 
         Sec. 61.9856.  REPORTS. (a) Each institution of higher
  education that receives money for practicum stipends under the
  program for an academic year shall collect and submit data in the
  form of a report to the board each semester. The report must include
  information regarding:
               (1)  the amount of money distributed by the institution
  under the program for that semester;
               (2)  the number of participants in the program during
  that semester; and
               (3)  any other expenses incurred by the institution
  related to the program for that semester.
         (b)  Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year,
  the board shall submit a report on the program to the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
  and each standing committee of the legislature with primary
  jurisdiction over matters relating to finance. The report must
  include an analysis of the program's effectiveness and any
  recommendations for legislative or other action.
         Sec. 61.9857.  RULES. The board shall adopt rules necessary
  for the administration of this subchapter.
         SECTION 2.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter LL, Chapter
  61, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable
  after this Act takes effect.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.