[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3006 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3006
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
April 28, 2023
Ms. Garcia of Texas (for herself, Ms. Lee of California, and Ms.
Scholten) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
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.--
(1) In general.--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.
As part of such application the institution shall demonstrate
that--
(A) it has established a partnership with each
library in which a social worker or intern is expected
to be placed pursuant to subsection (d);
(B) it has developed a thorough plan, in
coordination with each such library, to support such
social workers and interns; and
(C) each library in which a social worker or intern
is expected to be placed pursuant to subsection (d) is
in a community with a demonstrated need for social work
support and services.
(2) Considerations.--In selecting institutions of higher
education to receive grants under this section, the Secretary
shall give special consideration to institutions that will use
the grant to serve communities that are under resourced or have
a high level of need for social workers.
(c) Coordination.--The Secretary shall coordinate with the
Institute of Museum and Library Services to develop and review grant
applications under this section, which shall include the solicitation
of feedback from relevant stakeholders in the development of such
materials.
(d) Use of Funds.--An institution of higher education that receives
a grant under this section shall use the grant--
(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) Duties of institutions.--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);
(C) ensure that each such intern--
(i) 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); and
(ii) practices within the scope and
limitations of a social work intern role as set
forth by the accreditation standards of the
Council on Social Work Education; and
(D) enter into and maintain a partnership with each
library at which social workers and interns are placed
by the institution to ensure that such social workers
and interns are--
(i) continuously supported by the library
and the institution; and
(ii) able to carry out their duties
effectively.
(2) Duties of social workers.--
(A) In general.--The duties of a social worker
placed at the public library pursuant to subsection
(d)(1) shall be to provide services and support to the
library and library patrons to boost the library's
capacity to address the holistic needs of patrons,
including--
(i) information or referrals on health,
mental health, nutrition, financial well-being
and economic mobility, and other social
services for which the patron may be eligible;
(ii) direct assistance in applying for and
accessing such services;
(iii) conducting library staff training on
relevant topics within the social workers' and
social work interns' competence and scope of
practice; and
(iv) other duties as may be determined by
local conditions, the institution, and the
participating library.
(B) Code of ethics.--A licensed professional social
worker or intern placed at the library pursuant to
subsection (d) shall be required to adhere to the
social work profession's code of ethics as set forth by
the National Association for Social Workers.
(C) 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
direct healthcare and mental health services to
library patrons, such as the administration of
diagnostic medical tests.
(3) Duties of libraries.--A library that enters into a
partnership with an institution of higher education as
described in paragraph (1)(D)--
(A) shall--
(i) provide social workers and interns
placed at the library with general support,
including access to resources (such as office
space, technology, and staff time) to ensure
such social workers and interns are able to
effectively carry out their responsibilities;
(ii) provide input regarding the services
and programming offered by such social workers
and interns; and
(iii) adhere to the American Library
Association's code of ethics; and
(B) may designate members of the library staff to
serve as a preceptor or library task supervisor for
such interns.
(4) Supplementary grants.--Subject to the availability of
appropriations, an institution of higher education that
receives a grant under this section may apply--
(A) to the Secretary for a supplementary grant
which, if received by such institution, shall be used
in accordance with the requirements of this section; or
(B) to the Secretary for additional funds to
support the maintenance of a program or department
established though the program under this section.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER.
(a) In General.--The Secretary Education, in coordination with the
Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and through
the solicitation of feedback from relevant stakeholders, 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--
(1) hiring and retaining social workers in libraries; and
(2) carrying out programs to facilitate the placement of
social workers in libraries on a temporary or permanent basis.
(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
and library 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 services provided, 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, libraries, 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 ``Indian Tribe'' has the meaning given that
term in section 202 of the Museum and Library Services Act (20
U.S.C. 9101).
(2) 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.
(3) The term ``library'' has the meaning given that term in
section 213 of the Library Services and Technology Act (20
U.S.C. 9122).
(4) 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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