(d) INSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT.—Not less than 4 
of the grant recipients under this section shall be histori-
cally black colleges or universities or other minority-serv-
ing institutions. 
(e) PRIORITY.—In selecting grant recipients under 
this section, the Secretary shall give priority to institutions 
of higher education— 
(1) that are accredited by the Council on Social 
Work Education; 
(2) that have a graduation rate of not less than 
80 percent for social work students; and 
(3) that exhibit an ability to recruit social work-
ers from, and place social workers in, areas with a 
high need and high demand population. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $16,000,000 to the Sec-
retary to award grants under this section. 
SEC. 204. COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS OF EXCELLENCE 
GRANTS. 
(a) GRANTS
AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary shall 
award grants to 6 eligible covered entities to test and rep-
licate effective social work interventions. 
(b) COVERED ENTITY.—For purposes of this section, 
the term ‘‘covered entity’’ means— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:04 Mar 04, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00025
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1289.IH
H1289
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) a State or local government or a depart-
ment, agency, special-purpose district, or other in-
strumentality of a State or local government, that is 
carrying out a community-based program of excel-
lence; or 
(2) a nonprofit organization that is carrying out 
a program of excellence. 
(c) EQUAL AMOUNTS.—The Secretary shall award to 
each of the 6 grant recipients under this section $500,000 
per fiscal year for 3 consecutive fiscal years beginning with 
the first fiscal year that begins after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(d) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—To be eligible for 
a grant under this section, a covered entity shall— 
(1) carry out programs in the areas of aging, 
child welfare, military and veterans issues, mental 
and behavioral health and disability, criminal justice 
and correction systems, and health and other issues 
affecting women and families; 
(2) provide services to individuals of different 
racial, ethnic, cultural, geographic, religious, lin-
guistic, and class backgrounds, and different genders 
and sexual orientations; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:04 Mar 04, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00026
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1289.IH
H1289
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(3) demonstrate knowledge and understanding 
of the concerns of the groups described in paragraph 
(2); 
(4) demonstrate a record of active participation 
of social workers in the programs of the entity; and 
(5) employ individuals who represent themselves 
as competent to provide social work services only 
within the boundaries of their education, training, li-
censes, certification, professional case consultation, 
supervised experience, or other relevant professional 
experience. 
(e) PRIORITY.—In selecting the grant recipients 
under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligi-
ble covered entities— 
(1) that have demonstrated successful and 
measurable outcomes that the Secretary considers 
worthy of replication, including labor-management 
partnerships that have improved retention of social 
workers; 
(2) that have been in operation for at least 2 
years; and 
(3) that work with high need and high demand 
populations. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:04 Mar 04, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00027
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1289.IH
H1289
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated $9,000,000 to the Sec-
retary to award grants under this section. 
SEC. 205. NATIONAL COORDINATING CENTER. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall enter into 
a contract with a national social work entity such as the 
National Association of Social Workers or the Council on 
Social Work Education. Such entity shall— 
(1) have experience in coordinating the transfer 
of information and ideas among entities engaged in 
social work research, practice, education, and policy-
making; and 
(2) maintain relationships with Federal entities, 
social work degree-granting institutions of higher 
education, departments of social work within such 
institutions, and organizations and agencies that em-
ploy social workers. 
(b) GENERAL DUTIES.—The entity with which the 
Secretary enters into a contract under subsection (a) (re-
ferred to in this section as the ‘‘coordinating center’’) shall 
organize, collect, and report to the Secretary and to Con-
gress data and information related to the social work pro-
fession, serve as a clearinghouse, and coordinate activities 
with the entities, institutions, departments, organizations, 
and agencies described in subsection (a)(2). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:04 Mar 04, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00028
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1289.IH
H1289
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(c) COLLABORATION.—The coordinating center shall 
work with institutions of higher education, research enti-
ties, and organizations with social work practice settings, 
including government entities, military departments, ele-
mentary and secondary schools, social services agencies, 
private practices, inpatient and outpatient mental health 
service providers, child welfare agencies, correctional fa-
cilities, and nursing homes, to identify key research areas, 
establish research fellowships, and organize appropriate 
mentorship and professional development efforts. 
(d) SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES
OF
THE COORDINATING 
CENTER.—The coordinating center shall— 
(1) engage in activities to build on the efforts 
of the National Association of Social Workers Na-
tional Center for Workforce Studies; 
(2) collect, coordinate, monitor, and distribute 
data and information on best practices and findings 
regarding the activities funded by grants awarded 
under sections 201 through 204; 
(3) prepare and submit to the Secretary a re-
port that includes recommendations regarding the 
need to recruit new social workers, retain current so-
cial workers, conduct social work research, and rein-
vest in the profession of social work; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:04 Mar 04, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00029
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1289.IH
H1289
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS