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AN ACT
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IN THE COUNCIL OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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To support a career pathway for behavioral health and human services occupations in the District
by establishing a scholarship program at the University of the District of Columbia for
District residents who pursue certain master’s degree programs and then licensure from
the Board of Professional Counseling or the Board of Social Work.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
act may be cited as the “Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023”.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
For the purposes of this act, the term:
(1) “Accredited master’s degree” means an accredited master’s degree under the
Middle States Commission on Higher Education in counseling, school counseling, clinical
mental health counseling, social work or other master’s degree programs accepted by the Board
of Professional Counseling or Board of Social Work for the purposes of licensure in a behavioral
health and human services occupation.
(2) “Behavioral health and human services occupation” means an occupation that
requires a worker to be licensed by the District’s Board of Professional Counseling or Board of
Social Work.
(3) “Health care provider organization” means an entity that is licensed under
federal, state, or District law to provide health care services and provides those services in the
District. The term includes provider organizations certified by the Department of Behavioral
Health, including group practice provider organizations enrolled in the District’s Medicaid
program.
(4) “LEA” means local education agency, which is the District of Columbia
Public Schools system or any individual or group of public charter schools operating under a
single charter.
(5) “Program” means the Behavioral Health and Suman Services Program
established by section 3.
(6) “UDC” means the University of the District of Columbia.
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Sec. 3. Program establishment.
(a) There is established a Behavioral Health and Human Services Scholarship Program at
the University of the District of Columbia to provide financial assistance to individuals who seek
to obtain an accredited master’s degree from UDC and become licensed in a behavioral health
and human services occupation to work for a District government agency, an LEA located in the
District, or for a health care provider organization operating in the District.
(b) The Program shall provide financial assistance to UDC students for:
(1) The successful completion of an accredited master's degree program at UDC;
and
(2) Passage of licensure exams to become licensed in a behavioral health and
human services occupation.
(c) The financial assistance to Program participants shall include some or all of the
following:
(1) Tuition at UDC, to the extent charged;
(2) Academic costs, including the cost of books and supplies;
(3) Stipends to be used toward living expenses and transportation; and
(4) Fees associated with obtaining a license for a behavioral health and
human services occupation in the District.
(d) UDC shall select individuals to participate in the Program, consistent with the
eligibility criteria established pursuant to section 4.
(e) Program marketing and public education shall be provided by UDC to attract District
residents and employees to the Program.
(f) Among other authorized uses, UDC may use local funds appropriated to the Program
to provide:
(1) Salaries and fringe benefits for faculty and staff directly engaged in providing
courses necessary to obtain an accredited master's degree;
(2) Instructional materials used in courses necessary to obtain an accredited
master's degree; and
(3) Marketing and recruitment activities to attract individuals to the Program.
Sec. 4. Program participant eligibility.
(a) To be eligible for financial assistance provided through the Program, an individual
shall:
(1) Meet the relevant enrollment requirements for the accredited master’s degree
program at UDC in which the individual enrolls;
(2) Be a resident of the District;
(3) Be enrolled in a UDC accredited master's degree program necessary to obtain
licensure in a behavioral health and human services occupation in the District; ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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(4) Have a stated interest in pursuing a license in a behavioral health and human
services occupation and to work in a behavioral health and human services occupation in the
District; and
(5) Meet other criteria as specified by UDC.
(b) To maintain eligibility for financial assistance through the Program, an individual
shall:
(1) Maintain satisfactory academic progress, as determined by UDC;
(2) Be consecutively enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in an accredited
master’s degree program at UDC; and
(3) Meet any other requirement determined by UDC to be necessary or
appropriate for Program participation.
(c)(1) In exchange for accepting Program financial assistance, a Program participant shall
commit to working for a District government agency, an LEA in the District, or a health care
provider organization operating in the District for 3 years after receiving an accredited master's
degree and earning the appropriate licensure or certification needed to practice in a behavioral
health and human services occupation in the District.
(2) If an individual successfully passes the licensure exam for a degree program
authorized for licensure by the Board of Professional Counseling or Board of Social Work but
does not complete 3 years working for a District government agency, an LEA in the District, or a
health care provider organization operating in the District, the individual shall be obligated to
return all financial assistance provided to the individual under the Program, regardless of any
partial completion of the 3-year minimum; except, that in extraordinary circumstances beyond
the individual’s control, UDC may waive or pro-rate the obligation to return all of the financial
assistance.
(3) UDC may impose additional requirements which, if not met by a Program
participant, require the individual to return some or all of the financial assistance.
Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal
impact statement required by 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).
Sec. 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
provided in sections 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
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24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
Columbia Register.
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Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
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Mayor
District of Columbia