HOUSE FILE 218

BY  M. SMITH, WESSEL-KROESCHELL, MURPHY, HANSON, KELLEY, GAINES, ISENHART, BERRY, COHOON, THEDE, WILLEMS, HEDDENS, HALL, KRESSIG, and STECKMAN

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to social work, including the licensure of social workers and the creation of a licensed social worker loan repayment program and a revolving fund.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 154C.1, Code 2011, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  4A.  “Social worker” means a person who holds a current license under this chapter or has received a baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited school of social work approved by the council on social work education.
   Sec. 2.  Section 154C.2, Code 2011, is amended by striking the section and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
   154C.2  License required —— use of title.
   1.  A person shall not engage in the practice of social work unless such person meets one of the following requirements:
   a.  Has received a baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited school of social work approved by the council on social work education.
   b.  Holds a current social worker license pursuant to section 154C.3.
   2.  A government entity, public or private agency, or other entity shall not use the title “social worker” or any form of the title, including but not limited to the abbreviations “S.W.”, “B.S.W.”, “M.S.W.”, “D.S.W.”, “L.B.S.W.”, “L.M.S.W.”, or “L.I.S.W.”, for volunteer or employment positions or within contracts for services, documents, manuals, or reference materials unless the volunteers or employees in those positions are licensed social workers as set forth in this chapter.
   Sec. 3.  Section 154C.3, subsection 1, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  License requirements.  An applicant for a license as a bachelor social worker, master social worker, or independent social worker shall meet the following requirements in addition to paying all fees required by the board:
   a.  Bachelor social worker.  An applicant for a license as a bachelor social worker shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
   (1)  Possesses a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited college or university school of social work approved by the board council on social work education.
   (2)  Has passed an examination given by the board.
   (3)  Will conduct all professional activities as a bachelor social worker in accordance with standards for professional conduct established by the board.
   b.  Master social worker.  An applicant for a license as a master social worker shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
   (1)  Possesses a master’s or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited college or university school of social work approved by the board council on social work education.
   (2)  Has passed an examination given by the board.
   (3)  Will conduct all professional activities as a master social worker in accordance with standards for professional conduct established by the board.
   c.  Independent social worker.  An applicant for a license as an independent social worker shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
   (1)  Possesses a master’s or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited college or university school of social work approved by the board council on social work education.
   (2)  Has passed an examination given by the board.
   (3)  Will conduct all professional activities as a social worker in accordance with standards for professional conduct established by the board.
   (4)  Has engaged in the practice of social work, under supervision, for at least two years as a full-time employee or for four thousand hours prior to taking the examination given by the board.
   (5)
  (a)  Supervision shall be provided in any of the following manners:
   (i)  By a social worker licensed at least at the level of the social worker being supervised and qualified under this section to practice without supervision.
   (ii)  By another qualified professional, if the board determines that supervision by a social worker as defined in subparagraph subdivision (i) is unobtainable or in other situations considered appropriate by the board.
   (b)  Additional standards for supervision shall be determined by the board.
   Sec. 4.  NEW SECTION.  261.113  Licensed social worker loan repayment program.
   1.  A licensed social worker loan repayment program is established, to be administered by the college student aid commission for the purpose of increasing the number of social workers serving in critical human service areas. For purposes of this section,“critical human service area” includes but is not limited to an area of the state with a shortage of social workers providing health, mental health, substance abuse, aging, HIV/AIDS, victim, or child welfare services, or communities with multilingual needs. These areas shall be designated by the college student aid commission, in consultation with a committee comprised of one representative each from the commission, the department of public health, and the department of human services.
   2.  The contract for the loan repayment shall stipulate the time period the licensed social worker shall practice in a critical human service area. In addition, the contract shall stipulate that the licensed social worker repay any funds paid on the person’s loan by the commission if the person fails to practice in a critical human service area for the required period of time.
   Sec. 5.  NEW SECTION.  261.114  Licensed social worker loan repayment revolving fund.
   1.  A licensed social worker loan repayment revolving fund is created in the state treasury as a separate fund under the control of the commission. The commission shall deposit payments made by program participants under section 261.113, subsection 2, moneys appropriated for purposes of the licensed social worker loan repayment program, and any other available funds into the loan repayment revolving fund. Moneys in the fund shall be used for purposes of the licensed social worker loan repayment program. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys deposited in the fund shall not revert to any fund of the state at the end of any fiscal year but shall remain in the fund and be continuously available for the program. 
   2.  Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys deposited in the fund shall be credited to the fund.
   3.
  a.  The annual amount of loan repayment is six thousand five hundred dollars for individuals who have provided full-time social work services in a critical human service area in the year prior to such application, provided that no recipient shall receive loan repayment that exceeds the total remaining balance of the student loan debt and that no recipient shall receive cumulative awards in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars.
   b.  Awards shall be within the amounts appropriated for such purpose and based on availability of funds.
   4.  Loan repayment awards shall be made annually to applicants in the following order of priority:
   a.  First priority is given to applicants who have received payment of an award pursuant to this section in a prior year and who have provided social work services in a critical human service area in the year prior to such application.
   b.  Second priority is given to applicants who have not received payment of an award pursuant to this section in a prior year and who have provided social work services in a critical human service area in the year prior to such application.
   c.  Third priority is given to applicants who are economically disadvantaged, as defined by the commission.
   5.  The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section.
EXPLANATION
   This bill provides that only a person who is a licensed social worker and has received a baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited school approved by the council on social work education may use the title “social worker” or any form or abbreviation of the title.
   The bill creates a licensed social worker loan repayment program administered by the college student aid commission. Applicants for the program must enter into an agreement with the commission, agreeing to work for a specific period of time in a “critical human service area”, defined as a geographic area in Iowa with a shortage of social workers in health, mental health, substance abuse, aging, HIV/AIDS, victim, or child welfare concerns, or communities with multilingual needs.
   The program provides a specific annual benefit, up to $6,500, for licensed social workers who have worked in a critical human service area in the previous year. No recipient shall receive loan repayment that exceeds the total remaining balance of the student loan debt and no recipient shall receive cumulative awards in excess of $25,000. 
   The program is funded by a special revolving fund in the state treasury, controlled by the college student aid commission. The fund consists of moneys appropriated for purposes of the program, repayments by participants who fail to meet the service area requirements, and any other available moneys. Moneys deposited in the fund do not revert to the state at the end of any fiscal year but shall remain in the fund and be continuously available for the program. Interest or earnings on moneys deposited in the fund shall also be credited to the fund.