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Advocacy Toolkit for Loan Forgiveness
Contacting Your Members of Congress
Contact for Grassroots Activities: Dina Zarrella, Senior Field Organizer, dzarrella@naswdc.org, (202) 336-8218
- Write a Letter Urging your Representative & Senators to institute loan forgiveness for social workers
Scroll down to Loan Forgiveness: Child Welfare
National Materials
Contact for Federal Legislation: Nancy McFall Jean, Lobbyist/Senior Government Relations Associate, nmcfalljean@naswdc.org, (202) 408-8600 x440
State Legislation
Passed
FLORIDA
Florida Child Welfare Loan Forgiveness Program
Summary: The program is designed to provide loan assistance to eligible students for upper-division undergraduate and graduate study. The primary purpose of the program is to attract capable and promising students to the child welfare profession, increase employment and retention of individuals who are working towards or who have received either a bachelor's degree or a master's degree in social work, or any human services subject area that qualifies the individual for employment as a family services worker, and provide opportunities for persons making mid-career decisions to enter the child welfare profession.
Bill Text: http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0402/SEC401.HTM&Title=->2005->Ch0402->Section%20401#0402.401
Financing: $1 million appropriated in FY 2003
Contact: Jim Aiken, naswfl@naswfl.org, 850-224-2400
ILLINOIS
PA 94-0497: Child Welfare Student Loan Forgiveness Act
Summary: The program provides loan assistance, subject to appropriation, to eligible students for upper-division undergraduate and graduate study in social work or human services. It permits forgivable loans to be awarded for a maximum of two (2) academic years and requires a loan recipient to work in child welfare at the Department of Children and Family Services, its successor, or a contracting agency for at least the number of years for which the loan is received. Sets maximum amounts of $4,000 for loans awarded at the undergraduate level and $8,000 for loans awarded at the graduate level. The act contains provisions concerning eligibility, repayment, credit, and a penalty for non-compliance.
Act Text: Go to http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=094-0497.
Financing: This bill is subject to appropriations and no funds have been appropriated.
Contact: Joel Rubin, jlrubin@naswil.org, 312-236-8308
NEW JERSEY
Social Services Student Loan Redemption Program Act
Summary: The program is designed to provide loan redemption for state residents who have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree within a one-year period prior to being hired as a fulltime “direct care professional at a qualified facility.” Eligibility includes degrees in a human services discipline, such as social work, psychology, counseling, or in a health-related profession, such as occupational, physical, or speech therapy. Loan redemption is not to exceed $5,000 per year or $20,000 over four years. Qualified facilities may include state, local, or nonprofit agencies or organizations that provide services under state contract.
Update: http://www.naswnj.org/ADVOCACY/Loan_Forgiveness_passed_2005.htm
Bill Text: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2004/Bills/S2500/2334_R3.HTM
Managing Agency: Higher Education Assistance Authority; information available on line at http://www.hesaa.org/aid_professionals2/whats_new/specific.asp?wn_id=93
Financing: $3.5 million for FY 2006 from state. All funds have been distributed for this year and applications will reopen next year.
Contact: Walter Kalman, nasnj@aol.com, 609-584-5686
NEW YORK
Social Worker Loan Forgiveness Program
Summary: The loan forgiveness program is designed to attract social workers to employment in shortage areas, including health, mental health, aging, child welfare, and HIV/AIDS. “Multi-lingual” communities also are identified as shortage areas. To be eligible, a social worker with a LMSW or LCSW must have already worked for the last 12 months in one of the critical shortage areas. Loan amounts of $6,500 can be forgiven in each year the graduate is employed in a shortage area, up to $26,000 over four years. The program is expected to fund loan repayment for approximately 160 social workers.
Update: http://www.naswnyc.org/LoanForgivenessUpdate.htm
Financing: $ 1 million for first year from state
Contact: Bob Schachter, schachter@naswnyc.org, 212-668-0050
Not Passed
HAWAII
HB 1144 HD2
Summary: The legislation would establish a student loan repayment program for social workers in the departments of health, human services, and labor and industrial relations. The maximum amount of loan repayment for a licensed bachelor social worker, licensed social worker, or licensed clinical social worker is $2,500 per year for all loans over a ten-year period.
Bill Text: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/hb1144_.htm
Financing: Funding would come from state and private contributions
Contact: Debbie Shimizu, info@naswhi.org, 808-521-1787
PENNSYLVANIA
HB 49 and SB 413-Mental Health/Mental Retardation/Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor Loan Forgiveness
Summary: The program is designed to improve the qualifications and stability of the workforce providing services in mental health, mental retardation and substance abuse counseling. It is available to graduates with two year, four year, and graduate degrees. No more than $5,000 will be forgiven in any year, and no more than $20,000 over four years.
Bill Text: Go to http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/session.cfm, then enter bill numbers, and click on "bill number."
Additional Information: A fact sheet and sample letter to your legislator are available at http://www.nasw-pa.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=196
Financing: Legislators are reluctant to commit to using state funds to finance the program.
Contact: exec@nasw-pa.org, 717-232-4125
TEXAS
SB6: Amendment to the Family and Protective Services Reform Bill
Summary: This program, designed to encourage social workers to maintain employment with the Department of Family & Protective Services, would be limited to one county—Bexar County. An amendment was added to the Family & Protective Services Reform Bill (SB6) on the House floor that would have created the pilot project for educational loan repayment assistance for social workers who work in CPS or APS investigations.
Financing: No cost to state--cost to be borne by County
Other: While the loan forgiveness bill did not pass, the legislature did pass a bill directing the state Health and Human Services Commission to study the feasibility of providing a financial incentive to individuals to assist them in receiving training for child protective services. The study is required to include, among other things, an estimate of both the cost and savings associated with improved training.
Bill Text: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/ Click on legislation, bill text and enter bill number SB 984 for 79th Regular Session-2005.
Contact: Carol Miller & Vicki Hansen, vhansen@naswtx.org, 512-474-1454
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