[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8822 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8822
To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to
support the placement of students and licensed professional social
workers in public libraries, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 14, 2022
Ms. Garcia of Texas (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Bass, Mrs.
Demings, Ms. Dean, Ms. Norton, Mr. Correa, and Mrs. Watson Coleman)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to
support the placement of students and licensed professional social
workers in public libraries, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. GRANTS FOR PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS IN
PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
(a) In General.--Beginning not later than one year after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Education (referred to in
this section as the ``Secretary'') shall carry out a program under
which the Secretary makes grants, on a competitive basis, to
institutions of higher education to support the placement of students
and licensed professional social workers in public libraries.
(b) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this
section, an institution of higher education shall submit to the
Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing
such information as the Secretary may require.
(c) Coordination.--The Secretary shall coordinate with the
Institute of Museum and Library Services in the development and review
of grant applications under this section.
(d) Use of Funds.--An institution of higher education that receives
a grant under this section shall use the grant to carry out the
following activities:
(1)(A) to employ one or more licensed professional social
workers whom the institution shall seek to place on a full-time
basis in public libraries in the geographic region surrounding
the institution; or
(B) to arrange placements of one or more licensed
professional social workers who are employed by other entities,
whom the institution shall seek to place on a full-time basis
in public libraries in the geographic region surrounding the
institution; and
(2) to arrange and fully fund internships and field
placements at such libraries for students of the institution
who are majoring in social work, including students pursuing a
bachelor's or master's degree in social work.
(e) Additional Requirements.--
(1) Payment and supervision.--An institution of higher
education that receives a grant under this section shall--
(A) be responsible for the payment and employment-
related administration of the social workers placed at
public libraries pursuant to subsection (d)(1)(A) and
the interns placed at such libraries pursuant to
subsection (d)(2);
(B) pay a wage of not less than $15 per hour to
each intern serving in a public library pursuant to
subsection (d)(2); and
(C) ensure that each such intern is supervised by a
licensed professional social worker (who may be a
social worker employed by the institution or a social
worker otherwise employed at the public library at
which the intern serves).
(2) Duties of social workers.--
(A) In general.--The duties of a social worker
placed at a public library pursuant to subsection
(d)(1) shall be to provide library patrons with--
(i) information on health, nutrition, and
other social services for which the patron may
be eligible; and
(ii) assistance in applying for and
accessing such services.
(B) Limitations.--A licensed professional social
worker or intern placed at a library pursuant to
subsection (d)--
(i) shall not be required to report an
alien who is not in lawful immigration status
to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and
may provide such alien with appropriate
professional services; and
(ii) shall not be required to provide
healthcare services directly to library
patrons, such as the administration of
diagnostic medical tests.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Education shall establish an
evaluation, documentation, dissemination, and technical assistance
resource center to provide appropriate information, training, and
technical assistance to States, political subdivisions of States,
federally recognized Indian Tribes, tribal organizations, institutions
of higher education, State and local educational agencies, and
individual students and educators with respect to hiring and retaining
social workers in libraries.
(b) Responsibilities of the Center.--The center established under
subsection (a) shall conduct activities for the purpose of--
(1) developing and continuing statewide or tribal
strategies for improving the effectiveness of the social work
workforce;
(2) studying the costs and effectiveness of library social
work programs at institutions of higher education to identify
areas of improvement and provide information on relevant issues
of importance to State, Tribal, and national policymakers;
(3) working with Federal agencies and other State, Tribal,
and national stakeholders to collect, evaluate, and disseminate
data regarding social work ratios, outcomes and best practices
of mental health services, and the impact of expanding the
number of social workers within libraries; and
(4) establishing partnerships among National, State,
Tribal, and local governments, and local educational agencies,
institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and
State and national trade associations for the purposes of--
(A) data collection and dissemination;
(B) establishing a library social work workforce
development program;
(C) documenting the success of library social work
methods on a national level; and
(D) conducting other activities as determined
appropriate by the Secretary of Education.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term ``institution of higher education'' means an
institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) acting
through a school of social work within the institution that is
accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
(2) The term ``licensed professional social worker'' means
a social worker who has a master's or doctoral degree in social
work.
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