SECTION 1. Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 official version, shall be amended by inserting after Section 135C the following section:

Section 135D. To ensure a stable, diverse workforce of licensed social workers in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to provide for increased support and retention of practicing licensed social workers, The Department of Education (DOE) shall create and administer a field placement grant program (FPGP). This program shall, subject to appropriation, grant funding to designated recipients with a specific focus on recruiting and retaining Masters of Social Work (MSW) students from historically marginalized communities and low-income communities. Funds to establish this program shall be allocated from state, federal, or other dedicated resources, including existing trust funds.

For the purposes of this section, eligible applicants must attend a school of social work Master’s Program physically located in Massachusetts that has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

To be eligible for consideration, applicants must submit the following:

(i) Applicant demographic background information, including but not limited to: race, ethnicity, geographic location in the state, and date of birth for purposes of data collection

(ii) Applicant’s school of social work, type of Master’s program, and GPA

(iii) Applicant’s stated and signed commitment to working in Massachusetts post-graduation for at least 2 years

(iv)  Applicant’s one-page statement on the importance of this stipend in the applicant’s life and how the grant will support their educational goals and the workforce needs of the Commonwealth.

Priority for the FPGP will be to first-generation college students, and at least 50 percent of recipients awarded grants must identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. Applications will be submitted and considered on a rolling basis between January 1st and no later than March 1st of each calendar year. Recipients of stipends shall be notified no later than April 15th of said calendar year.

Stipends shall be allocated as follows:

(i) A current MSW student in good standing completing their first-year field placement of 16 hours per week shall be eligible for a monthly stipend of $1,000 per month, not to exceed $8,000 annually.

(ii) A current MSW student in good standing completing their second-year field placement of 24 hours per week shall be eligible for a monthly stipend of $2,000 per month, not to exceed a total of $16,000 annually.

(iii) Advanced standing students who are only required to conduct one field placement shall be eligible for the second-year field placement stipend.

Applicant data, including application details submitted, shall be tracked by the department such that the program efficacy can be evaluated.

SECTION 2. Section 131 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws, is hereby amended in the fourth paragraph by striking the words “Said individual shall also furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that he has passed an examination prepared by the board for this purpose”

SECTION 3. Said Section 131 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws, is hereby further amended in the fifth paragraph by striking in line one the following, “the examination and” and in line four the following “the examination or”

SECTION 4. Said Section 131 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws, is hereby further amended in the sixth paragraph by striking the following, “and has passed a specialty examination in clinical social work prepared by the board for this purpose.”

SECTION 5. Section 132 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws, is hereby struck in its entirety.

SECTION 6. Section 136 of said Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the official 2022 version, shall be amended by inserting after the fourth paragraph the following:

Licensed independent clinical social workers (LICSWs) engaged in independent clinical practice who provide one-on-one supervision to a licensed certified social worker, Master’s of social work intern, or Bachelor’s of social work intern, shall be eligible to receive up to eight continuing education credits during a licensing period for this supervision.