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| Public Act 102-1089 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Human | ||||
Services Professional Loan Repayment Program Act. | ||||
Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of the Human Services | ||||
Professional Loan Repayment Program is to recruit and retain | ||||
qualified human service professionals to work for | ||||
community-based human services providers. Due to numerous | ||||
factors, human services agencies have a high turnover rate and | ||||
struggle to maintain consistent staffing levels. Many of these | ||||
positions require degrees in human services-related fields of | ||||
study. In addition, most human services positions require a | ||||
graduate degree or postsecondary degree or certification. The | ||||
higher education requirements for the human services 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:
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"Commission" means the Illinois Student Assistance | ||||
Commission.
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"Professional" means an individual employed by a human | ||||
services agency that contracts with or is grant-funded by 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 Services Professional Loan | ||
Repayment Program.
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"Qualified program" means a program that offers an | ||
associate, bachelor's, or master's degree from an accredited | ||
college or university.
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"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.
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Section 15. Establishment of the Program.
The Human | ||
Services Professional Loan Repayment Program is created and | ||
shall be administered by the Commission. Subject to | ||
appropriation, the Program shall provide loan repayment | ||
assistance to eligible professionals practicing in a | ||
community-based, human services agency that contracts with or | ||
is grant-funded by a State agency.
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Section 20. Applications. Each year for which funds have | ||
been appropriated, 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 professional | ||
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 toward 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 or higher; | ||
(ii) $15,000 per year for a bachelor's degree; (iii) $3,000 | ||
per year for a professional with an associate 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.
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(a) To be eligible to receive a grant under the Human | ||
Services Professional Loan Repayment Program, the Commission | ||
must find that the eligible professional satisfies all of the | ||
following:
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(1) The applicant is a resident of the State of | ||
Illinois.
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(2) The applicant has worked for at least 24 | ||
consecutive months as a full-time employee as a human | ||
services professional in a community-based human services | ||
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.
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(3) The applicant is a borrower with an outstanding | ||
balance due on an educational loan.
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(4) The applicant has not defaulted on an educational | ||
loan.
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(5) The applicant must remain a full-time employee as | ||
a human services professional in the same community-based | ||
human services agency for at least 12 months after | ||
receiving this grant.
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(b) 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.
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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.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January | ||
1, 2023.
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