1
________________________________ ________________________________ 1
Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 2
3
4
______________________________ ______________________________ 5
Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Anita Bonds 6
7
8
______________________________ ______________________________ 9
Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Vincent C. Gray 10
11
12
______________________________ ______________________________ 13
Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Councilmember Brooke Pinto 14
15
16
______________________________ ______________________________ 17
Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Zachary Parker 18
19
20
21
A BILL 22
23
___________ 24
25
26
IN THE COUNCIL OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 27
28
_________________ 29
30
To support the University of the District of Columbia to establish a Master of Social Work 31
degree pathway and to establish a scholarship program for District residents and 32
employees who are seeking higher education in behavioral health. 33
34
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 35
act may be cited as the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023”. 36
37
Sec. 2. Definitions. 38
For the purposes of this subtitle, the term: 39
(1) “Accredited Master’s Degree” means an accredited master’s degree in 40
counseling, school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, social work or other masters’ 41
2
degree programs accepted by the D.C. Board of Professional Counseling or the D.C. Board of 42
Social Work for the purposes of licensure in a behavioral health occupation. 43
(2) “Behavioral health and human services occupation” means an occupation that 44
requires a worker to be licensed as a Licensed Graduate Social Worker, Licensed Independent 45
Social Worker, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Professional Counselor, 46
or Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor. 47
(3) “DCPS” means the District of Columbia Public Schools. 48
(4) “Health care provider organization” means any entity licensed under federal, 49
state, or District law to provide health care services, including provider organizations certified by 50
the Department of Behavioral Health. 51
(5) “Local education agency” or “LEA” means the District of Columbia Public 52
Schools system, any individual District public charter school, or any group of public charter 53
schools operating under a single charter. 54
(6) “Program” means the Behavioral Health and Human Services Scholarship 55
Program established pursuant to this subtitle. 56
(7) “UDC” means the University of the District of Columbia. 57
Sec. 3. Scholarship Program. 58
(a)(1) There is established a Behavioral Health and Human Services Scholarship Program 59
to provide financial assistance to individuals who have bachelors’ degrees and seek to obtain an 60
accredited master’s degree and become licensed in a behavioral health or human services 61
occupation to work in District LEAs, government agencies, or health care provider 62
organizations. 63
(b) Through UDC, the Program shall provide: 64
3
(1) Education to District residents and employees that may lead to: 65
(A) The successful completion of coursework for a master's degree in an 66
accredited master’s degree program needed to pursue a behavioral health and human services 67
occupation; 68
(B) Passage of licensure exams required to become licensed in a 69
behavioral health and human services occupation; and 70
(C) Hiring by District LEAs, District government agencies, or health care 71
provider organizations based in the District in a behavioral health and human services 72
occupation. 73
(2) Financial assistance to be awarded to Program participants enrolling in an 74
accredited master’s degree program for payment of: 75
(A) Tuition at UDC, to the extent charged; 76
(B) Academic costs, including the cost of books and supplies; and 77
(C) A monthly stipend to be used toward living expenses and 78
transportation for participants pursuing master’s degrees at UDC; and 79
(D) Fees associated with obtaining a license for a behavioral health 80
occupation in the District. 81
(c) UDC shall select individuals to enroll, or who are enrolled in UDC to participate in 82
the Program, consistent with the eligibility criteria established pursuant to section 4 of this act. 83
(d) Program marketing and public education shall be provided by UDC to attract District 84
residents and employees to the Program and for the duration of the Program. 85
(e)(1) Beginning with School Year 2024-2025, UDC shall begin using a portion of the 86
subsidy it receives from the District government for the Program to pay for the tuition, required 87
4
academic fees, required examination fees, and book and supply costs for individuals it selects to 88
participate in the Program. 89
(2) UDC also may use the subsidy it receives from the District government to pay: 90
(A) Salaries and fringe benefits of faculty and staff directly engaged in the 91
provision of courses necessary to obtain an accredited master's degree; 92
(B) For instructional materials used in courses necessary to obtain an 93
accredited master's degree; and 94
(C) For marketing and recruitment activities to attract individuals to the 95
Program at UDC. 96
Sec. 4. Program participant eligibility. 97
(a) To be eligible for financial assistance provided through the Program, an individual 98
shall: 99
(1) Meet the relevant enrollment requirements for an accredited master’s degree at 100
UDC in which the individual enrolls; 101
(2)(A) Be a resident of the District; 102
(B) Be a graduate of a District public school; or 103
(C) Be employed by a District government agency or health care provider 104
organization; 105
(3) Be enrolled at UDC to complete coursework with the intent to pursue an 106
accredited master's degree necessary to obtain licensure in a behavioral health and human 107
services occupation in the District; 108
5
(4) Have a stated interest in pursuing a license in a behavioral health and human 109
services occupation and to work in a behavioral health or human services occupation in the 110
District; 111
(5) In exchange for accepting Program financial assistance, a Program participant 112
shall commit to working at a District LEA, government agency, or health care provider 113
organization for a minimum of 2 years after receiving an accredited master's degree and earning 114
the appropriate licensure or certification needed to practice in a behavioral health and human 115
services occupation in the District; and 116
(6) Meet other criteria as specified by UDC. 117
(b) To maintain eligibility for the Program, an individual shall: 118
(1) Maintain satisfactory academic progress, as determined by UDC; 119
(2) Be consecutively enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in the Program at 120
UDC to pursue an accredited master's degree; and 121
(3) Meet any other requirement determined by UDC to be necessary or 122
appropriate for Program participation. 123
Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement. 124
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 125
impact statement required by 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 126
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 127
Sec. 6. Effective date. 128
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 129
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of Congressional review as 130
provided in sections 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 131
6
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 132
Columbia Register. 133