89R1052 JTZ-D
By: Menéndez S.B. No. 153
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, 2025.