§ 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.