Pennsylvania HB 194: An Act amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, establishing the Mental Health Professional Student Loan Forgiveness Program; imposing powers and duties on the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency; and making an appropriation.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 141
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 194
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, SANCHEZ, PIELLI, HILL-EVANS, BOROWSKI,
GUENST, SCHLOSSBERG, KHAN, FIEDLER, SHUSTERMAN, FREEMAN,
O'MARA, FLEMING AND OTTEN, JANUARY 16, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, JANUARY 16, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," establishing the Mental Health
Professional Student Loan Forgiveness Program; imposing
powers and duties on the Pennsylvania Higher Education
Assistance Agency; and making an appropriation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an
article to read:
ARTICLE XXII-C
MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM
Section 2201-C. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
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"Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance
Agency.
"Mental health field." A profession associated with
completing any of the fields of study enumerated under section
2202-C(b)(2).
"Program." The Mental Health Professional Student Loan
Forgiveness Program established under section 2202-C(a).
"Qualified applicant." An individual who meets all of the
criteria under section 2202-C(b).
"Recipient." A qualified applicant who is selected by the
agency for participation in the program.
Section 2202-C. Mental Health Professional Student Loan
Forgiveness Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Mental Health Professional Student
Loan Forgiveness Program is established within the agency.
(b) Qualifications.--To qualify for the program, an
applicant must make an application to the agency and meet all of
the following criteria:
(1) Be a resident of this Commonwealth.
(2) Have completed at least one-half of the credit hours
needed to earn an undergraduate or master's academic degree
or diploma in social work, counseling, psychology,
psychiatry, nursing or another degree in the human services
field.
(3) Have a recommendation from the faculty of the
employer of which the applicant is employed or, if the
applicant is enrolled in coursework for a degree listed in
paragraph (2), from a professor under whom the applicant has
taken coursework.
(4) Be employed to, or have been hired to, work in the
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mental health field focusing on early childhood through
adolescence.
(c) Program components.--
(1) An application must be made to the agency on or
before the deadline for submittal of the application as
established by the agency for participation in the program.
(2) The application shall contain all of the information
required under subsection (b) and demonstrate that the
applicant satisfies the required criteria.
(3) A qualified applicant may not submit another
application after satisfactorily completing the program,
withdrawing from the program or failing to satisfactorily
comply with the program requirements as determined by the
agency.
(4) A recipient shall be eligible for a financial award
payment by the agency of a portion of the debt incurred by
the recipient through the agency-administered Guaranteed
Stafford or Consolidation Loan Programs if the recipient:
(i) graduates from a university that is part of the
State System of Higher Education with a minimum B average
grade; and
(ii) enters into a contract with the agency that
requires the recipient to remain employed in the mental
health field focusing on early childhood through
adolescence for at least seven years.
(5) The agency may grant an award to the recipient of up
to $22,500 which may be applied directly by the agency to the
recipient's agency-administered Guaranteed Stafford or
Consolidation Loan Program debt balance or, for a recipient
who is currently enrolled at the university, the award may be
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direct cash assistance.
(6) Payment shall be made in accordance with the
procedures established by the agency.
(7) Financial award payment may not be made by the
agency, and an applicant may not be considered a qualified
applicant or participate in the program unless the applicant
contracts for the following terms with the Commonwealth
through the agency:
(i) The applicant must be employed in the mental
health field focusing on early childhood through
adolescence for a period of no less than one year.
(ii) The applicant permits the agency to determine
compliance with the work requirem