HB4720 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 25675 CMG 34968 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB4720

Introduced 1/27/2022, by Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Human Service Professional Loan Repayment Program Act. Creates the Human Service Professional Loan Repayment Program, which shall be administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, to provide loan repayment assistance to eligible direct service professionals practicing in a community-based, human service agency that contracts with or is grant funded by a State agency. Contains provisions concerning applications, award amounts, eligibility and work requirements, and rules.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Human Service Professional Loan Repayment Program Act.

Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of the Human Service Professional Loan Repayment Program is to recruit and retain qualified direct service professionals to work for community-based human service providers. Due to numerous factors, human service agencies have a high turnover rate and struggle to maintain consistent staffing levels. Many of these positions require degrees in human service-related fields of study. In addition, most human service positions require graduate degrees or post-secondary degree or certification. The higher education requirements for the human service workforce often means that many students graduate with a high level of debt for a job that pays slightly above minimum wage with a great deal of stress and burnout.

Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:

"Commission" means the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

"Eligible applicant" means a student who has graduated with a degree from an accredited college or university with an associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree in a human services field, or has been independently licensed as a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed clinical professional counselor, a licensed practitioner of the healing arts, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a board-certified behavior analyst, or a registered behavior technician.

"Professional" means a position funded by a grant or contract from a State agency for the purposes of providing direct or indirect services that ensure that individuals have the essential elements to build and maintain physical, emotional, and economic well-being at every phase of life.

"Program" means the Human Service Professional Loan Repayment Program.

"Qualified program" means a program which offers an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's Degree in a Human Services field from an accredited college or university for the purpose of training and preparing students to be human service professionals.

"State agency" means the Department of Human Services, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department on Aging, and the Department of Public Health.

Section 15. Establishment of the Program. Beginning on January 1, 2023, there is to be created the Human Service Professional Loan Repayment Program, which shall be administered by the Commission. The Program shall provide loan repayment assistance to eligible direct service professionals practicing in a community-based, human service agency that contracts with or is grant funded by a State agency.

Section 20. Applications. Each year, the Commission shall receive and consider applications for loan repayment assistance under this Act. All applications must be submitted to the Commission in a form and manner prescribed by the Commission. An eligible applicant must submit any supporting documents deemed necessary by the Commission at the time of application.

Section 25. Award; maximum loan time; maximum amount. The Commission shall award a grant to each eligible applicant for a cumulative maximum of 4 years. The recipient of a grant awarded by the Commission under this Act must use the grant award for payments towards the recipient's educational loans from a qualified program. The amount of the grant shall not exceed: (i) $25,000 per year for a Master's Degree in Human Services or higher; (ii) $15,000 per year for a Bachelor's Degree in Human Services; (iii) $3,000 per year for a direct service worker with an associate's degree; and (iv) up to a $5,000 per year add-on if independently licensed as a licensed clinical social worker, a licensed clinical professional counselor, a licensed practitioner of the healing arts, a licensed marriage and family therapist, a board certified behavior analyst, or a registered behavior technician.

Section 30. Eligibility; work requirement.

(a) To be eligible to receive a grant under the Human Service Professional Loan Repayment Program, the Commission must find that the eligible applicant satisfies all of the following:

(1) The applicant is a United States citizen or an eligible noncitizen.

(2) The applicant is a resident of the State of Illinois.

(3) The applicant has worked for at least 24 consecutive months as a full-time employee as a human service professional in a community-based human service agency that currently has or did have a contract with a State agency to provide human services during the duration of applicant's 24 consecutive month tenure.

(4) The applicant holds a degree from a qualified program.

(5) The applicant is a borrower with an outstanding balance due on an educational loan.

(6) The applicant has not defaulted on an educational loan.

(7) The applicant must remain a full-time employee as a human service professional in a community-based human service agency for at least 12 months after receiving this grant.

(b) If the recipient of this grant fails to maintain full-time employment in a community-based human service agency for at least 12 months after receiving the grant, the Commission shall require the recipient to begin to repay the total amount of the grant within 90 calendar days after notification of employment ending. The repayment amount shall be prorated according to the fraction of employment obligation not completed, at a rate of interest equal to 5%.

(c) If the recipient's employment at a community-based human service agency is terminated for any reason other than for cause, the recipient must search for, apply to, and accept new, qualified, full-time employment as a human service professional in a community-based human service agency within 90 calendar days from the recipient's termination of full-time employment, otherwise the stipend recipient is subject to the repayment of stipend funds to the Commission.

(d) If the recipient's employment at a community-based human service agency is terminated for cause, the recipient shall repay the total amount of the grant received under this program within 90 calendar days after termination of full-time employment. The amount of repayment owed by the recipient shall be prorated based on the amount of the employment requirement that has been satisfied.

The Commission may grant preference to a previous recipient of a grant under the Program, provided that the recipient continues to meet the eligibility requirements under this Section.

Section 35. Administration; rules. The Commission shall administer the Program and shall adopt rules not inconsistent with this Act for the Program's effective implementation.