PRINTER'S NO. 750
No. 712 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY BELAN, STOUT, COSTA, AFFLERBACH, WAGNER, BODACK,
KUKOVICH, O'PAKE, MELLOW, SCHWARTZ, STAPLETON AND RHOADES,
MARCH 13, 1997
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MARCH 13, 1997
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.
17 (2) Demand from industry and other opportunities attract
18 existing and potential caseworkers away from the profession.
19 (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 of the Commonwealth.
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.
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 Stafford 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
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1 agency-administered Stafford Loan Program for the education
2 necessary to be certified as a children and youth caseworker in
3 this Commonwealth. For each year that the applicant is a full-
4 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.
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