Section 13-1318-B - School-based mental health internship grant program.(a) Establishment of program.--The school-based mental health internship grant program is established within the agency.(b) Agency duties.-- (1) The agency shall administer the program and, in its sole discretion, award grants to individuals who submit a completed application and satisfy the eligibility criteria in paragraph (3). The agency shall develop an application form that individuals may use to apply for a grant under the program.(2) The agency shall use money appropriated for the purpose of the program and may accept funding from public and private sources, including the Federal government, for the payment of grants to support individuals working in internships in educational specialist preparation programs.(3) The agency shall establish eligibility criteria in order for an individual to receive a grant under the program. The criteria shall, at a minimum, include that an individual: (i) Be a Commonwealth resident as defined by the agency;(ii) Be enrolled in an educational specialist preparation program as defined by this article;(iii) Be accepted in an internship at a Pennsylvania school entity located in this Commonwealth; and(iv) Enter into a contract with the agency to work in a school entity located in this Commonwealth as a school nurse, school psychologist, school counselor or school social worker for a minimum of three years following completion of their respective educational specialist preparation program.(4) The agency shall determine the amount of the grants to be awarded under the program.(5) The agency shall establish an advisory committee to assist in the implementation of the program and make recommendations to the agency regarding the funding for internship grants that reflect barriers to becoming a school-based mental health professional and the best practices of internships in other states. The advisory committee shall include representatives of educational specialist preparation programs and one representative of each of the following: (i) The Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania.(ii) The Pennsylvania Association of School Social Work Personnel.(iii) The Pennsylvania School Counselors Association.(iv) The Pennsylvania State Education Association.(v) The Pennsylvania School Boards Association.(vi) The Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials.(vii) The Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.(ix) The Department of Health.(x) The American Federation of Teachers.(xi) Additional committee members from organizations shall be added by the agency as necessary.(c)Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be deemed to create a right of an individual to receive a grant under the program.(d) Report.--The agency shall prepare and submit to the Governor, the Secretary of Education and the General Assembly no later than September 30, 2023, and each year thereafter to the extent that funds are available, a report detailing the operation of the program. The report shall, at a minimum, include: (1) The number of grant applicants.(2) The number of grants provided.(3) The average value of a grant.(4) The number of grants provided to individuals seeking to become school nurses.(5) The number of grants provided to individuals seeking to become school psychologists.(6) The number of grants provided to individuals seeking to become school counselors.(7) The number of grants provided to individuals seeking to become school social workers.(8) A list of school entities where grantees serve internships.(9) A list of school entities where grantees are employed.(e) Funding.--The committee shall transfer the amount of money under section 1306-B(h)(9)(iv) to the agency to implement this section.(f) Administrative fee.--The agency may take a reasonable administrative fee for direct costs associated for implementation, administration, and servicing of this section. The fee shall be taken from the funding received under subsection (e).(g) Definitions.--The following words and phrases when used in this section shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Agency." The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.
"Department." The Department of Education of the Commonwealth.
"Educational specialist preparation program." An educator preparation program approved by the Department of Education that leads to educator certification in school nursing, school psychology, school counseling or school social work.
"Internship." Field education experience that:
(1) Is part of a program for the preparation of school-based mental health professionals in which an individual is enrolled in an educational specialist preparation program;(2) Is supervised by the faculty of an educational specialist preparation program in coordination with a school-based mental health professional employed by a school entity;(3) Builds on classroom learning experiences using best practices; and(4) Is established through an agreement between the school entity and the educational specialist preparation program. "Program." The school-based mental health internship grant program established by this section.
"School-based mental health professional." An individual who is certified under Article XI and satisfies the department's requirements for public school employment. The term includes a school nurse, school counselor, school social worker or school psychologist.
"School entity." A school district, intermediate unit, area career and technical school, charter school, regional charter school or cyber charter school.
Added by P.L. TBD 2022 No. 55, § 21, eff. 7/8/2022.