PROPOSED
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO H.B. 2072
(Reference to printed bill)
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert:
"Section 1. Arizona mental health professionals academy pilot program; tuition and fees scholarships; fund; report; definitions; delayed repeal
A. Northern Arizona university shall implement a three‑year Arizona mental health professionals academy pilot program to provide incentives for students to enter the mental health profession and to commit to working as a mental health professional in Arizona public schools or in a correctional facility operated by the state department of corrections or the department of juvenile corrections. Northern Arizona university shall develop and implement administrative processes for the academy, including:
1. A marketing and promotion plan to recruit students for the academy.
2. Data collection and reporting.
3. Tracking postgraduation service requirements.
4. Collecting reimbursement from individuals who fail to meet service obligations.
B. The Arizona mental health professionals academy may include new or existing mental health professional preparation program pathways that are student-focused and that employ proven, research-based models of best practices already being implemented. Northern Arizona university may develop a portfolio of mental health professional preparation programs to offer as part of the academy.
C. Northern Arizona university shall develop formalized partnerships with the state department of corrections, the department of juvenile corrections and public schools in this state to build commitments for mental health professional employment on completion of the Arizona mental health professionals academy. The targeted deployment of mental health professionals who have completed the academy shall be based on the needs of the state department of corrections, the department of juvenile corrections and each school system and the community that is being served as well as the individual skills of each mental health professional.
D. Northern Arizona university shall provide to each full‑time master's student who is enrolled in the Arizona mental health professionals academy an annual scholarship of $10,000 per year for a maximum of three academic years or six semesters for master's university students, after all other financial gifts, aid or grants received by that student. Scholarships under this subsection are subject to all of the following:
1. If the student does not successfully complete the academic year in good academic standing, the student shall reimburse northern Arizona university for the total amount of the scholarship for tuition and fees the student received for that year.
2. For each academic year that the student successfully completes and for which the student receives a scholarship for all tuition and fees, the student must agree to work as a mental health professional for one full school year in a correctional facility operated by the state department of corrections or the department of juvenile corrections or in a public school in this state.
3. If the scholarship does not cover remaining tuition and fee costs after other aid received, northern Arizona university may not charge students the remaining difference. If the scholarship amount exceeds tuition and fee costs at northern Arizona university, northern Arizona university may use the remaining amount to support Arizona mental health professionals academy costs.
4. If the student does not fulfill the student's obligation to work as a mental health professional in a correctional facility operated by the state department of corrections or the department of juvenile corrections or in a public school, the student must reimburse northern Arizona university for the proportional amount of the scholarship for tuition and fees that the student received that corresponds to the number of years the student agreed to work as a mental health professional but did not work as a mental health professional in a correctional facility operated by the state department of corrections or the department of juvenile corrections or in a public school in this state.
5. If the student is physically or mentally unable to fulfill the requirements of the Arizona mental health professionals academy, northern Arizona university shall establish a process for assessing the student's ability to repay the financial assistance received and shall determine any terms of repayment.
6. Northern Arizona university shall establish a process for deferring service or repayment based on factors adopted by northern Arizona university.
E. Scholarships provided under this section are limited to master's students.
F. The Arizona mental health professionals academy fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations made for the purpose of administering and funding the Arizona mental health professionals academy. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. Northern Arizona university shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund may be used only for:
1. Reimbursing scholarships that cover the balance of tuition and fees for master's students enrolled in the Arizona mental health professionals academy after all other gifts and aid received.
2. Implementing a marketing and promotion plan to recruit and retain students in and administer the Arizona mental health professionals academy. Annual expenditures for marketing, promoting and administering the academy may not exceed three percent of the monies in the fund each fiscal year.
G. Monies remaining in the Arizona mental health professionals academy fund at the end of each fiscal year may be used by northern Arizona university for Arizona mental health professionals academy costs in the next fiscal year.
H. On or before March 1 of 2021, 2022 and 2023, northern Arizona university shall report to the joint legislative budget committee and the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting on both of the following:
1. The total number of students enrolled in the Arizona mental health professionals academy in the current academic year.
2. The estimated amount of monies committed from the Arizona mental health professionals academy fund in the current fiscal year.
I. On or before September 1 of 2021, 2022 and 2023, northern Arizona university shall report to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, and shall submit a copy to the secretary of state, on all of the following:
1. The total number of students enrolled in the Arizona mental health professionals academy by year of college enrollment.
2. The percentage of students who completed each year of the Arizona mental health professionals academy and who plan to continue to the subsequent year, delineated by each mental health professional preparation program offered as part of the academy.
3. The number of mental health professionals who completed a program of study through the Arizona mental health professionals academy.
4. The number of mental health professionals currently working in a correctional facility operated by the state department of corrections or the department of juvenile corrections or in a public school in this state as part of an agreement for receiving an Arizona mental health professionals academy scholarship.
5. The number of students who have defaulted on their obligation and who are in repayment agreements.
6. The number of students who have deferred repayment agreements.
7. The number of students who have completed repayment agreements.
8. The amount of unused monies in the Arizona mental health professionals academy fund from the prior fiscal year.
J. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Mental health professional" means:
(a) For the purposes of working in a correctional facility operated by the state department of corrections or the department of juvenile corrections, either:
(i) A licensed professional counselor.
(ii) A licensed clinical social worker.
(b) For public schools, either:
(i) A certificated school counselor.
(ii) A certificated school social worker.
(iii) A certificated school psychologist.
2. "Tuition and fees" means tuition, mandatory fees and program fees that are associated with a program in the Arizona mental health professionals academy leading to mental health professional certification or licensure and that are charged by northern Arizona university.
K. This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2029.
Sec. 2. Appropriations; Arizona mental health professionals academy fund
The sum of $5,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in each of fiscal years 2020-2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 to the Arizona mental health professionals academy fund established by section 1 of this act.
Sec. 3. Retroactivity
This act applies retroactively to from and after June 30, 2020."
Amend title to conform