BILL NUMBER:S4212

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend chapter 161 of the laws of 2005, amending the education law and
other laws relating to the social worker loan forgiveness program, in
relation to the effectiveness thereof

PURPOSE:
This bill will extend for five years the licensed clinical social
worker loan forgiveness program.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill provides that the program shall be extended
until June 30, 2016.
Section two of the bill provides for an immediate effective date.

EXISTING LAW:
The existing program has been proposed in the Executive Budget for SFY
2011-2012, this legislation will ensure that due to an untimely
budget this important program will not lapse.

JUSTIFICATION:
The licensed clinical social worker loan forgiveness program was
enacted in 2005, and has a built-in "sunset" date that repeals the
program if legislative action is not taken. While typically enacted
              

in the budget, this legislation will ensure that there is no lapse in
the provisions of law.

The program requires that applicants:

o be legal residents of New York State for at least one year;
o be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens;
o be a social worker professionally licensed to practice in New York
State;
o have an outstanding balance on an eligible student loan; and
o have at least one year of qualified service. Qualified service
means full time employment as a licensed social worker in a
critical human service area for at least 35 hours per week
during the calendar year prior to their application.

This important program was designed to increase the number of licensed
social workers working in critical human service areas in the
following fields: health, mental health, substance abuse, aging,
HIV/AIDS and child welfare or communities with multilingual needs.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The amounts required are currently in the Executive's proposed SFY
2011-2012 budget and fiscal plan.

LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.


EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.