NY Educ L § 679-A (2021)
2021 New York Laws EDN - Education Title 1 - General Provisions Article 14 - New York State Higher Education Services Corporation Part 2 - Student Financial Aid Sub Part 4 - Other Awards 679-A - New York State Licensed Social Worker Loan Forgiveness Program.

§  679-a.  New  York  state  licensed  social  worker loan forgiveness program. 1. Purpose. The president shall grant student loan  forgiveness awards  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  the  number of social workers serving in critical human  service  areas.  For  the  purposes  of  this section,  the  term  "critical human service area" shall mean an area in New York state designated by the corporation,  in  consultation  with  a committee comprised of one representative each from the corporation, the department,  the department of health, the department of mental hygiene, and the office of children and family services, provided that such areas shall include, but not be limited to, areas with a  shortage  of  social workers  in  home  care,  health, mental health, substance abuse, aging, HIV/AIDS and child welfare concerns, or communities  with  multi-lingual needs.   2.  Eligibility.  To  be  eligible  for  an  award  pursuant  to  this subdivision, applicants  shall  (a)  be  licensed  as  a  social  worker pursuant  to  article one hundred fifty-four of this chapter; (b) comply with subdivisions three and five of section  six  hundred  sixty-one  of this part; and (c) have an outstanding student loan debt.   3.  Priority.  Such awards shall be made annually to applicants in the following priority:  (a) First priority shall be given  to  applicants  who  have  received payment of an award pursuant to this section in a prior year and who, in the year prior to application, have provided social work services in (i) a  critical human service area, or (ii) a previously designated critical human service area;  (b) Second priority shall be given to applicants who have not received payment of an award pursuant to this section in a  prior  year  and  who have  provided  social work services in a critical human service area in the year prior to such application; and  (c) Third priority shall be given to applicants who  are  economically disadvantaged as defined by the corporation.   4.  Awards.  The  corporation  shall  grant awards in the value of six thousand five hundred dollars to individuals who have provided full-time social work services in a critical human service area in the year  prior to  such  application, provided that no recipient shall receive an award that exceeds the total remaining balance of the student  loan  debt  and that  no  recipient  shall  receive  cumulative awards, pursuant to this section, in excess of  twenty-six  thousand  dollars.  Awards  shall  be within   the   amounts  appropriated  for  such  purpose  and  based  on availability of funds.   5. Rules and regulations. The corporation is authorized to  promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of the provisions of  this  section.  In the event that there are more applicants who have the same priority, as provided in subdivision  three  of  this  section, than  there  are  remaining  awards,  the  corporation  shall provide in regulation the method of  distributing  the  remaining  number  of  such awards, which may include a lottery or other form of random selection.