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HB 6106

Education: school districts; student mental health apprenticeship retention and training (SMART) internship grant program; modify. Amends sec. 3 of 2022 PA 180 (MCL 388.1953).

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Curt VanderWall

Creates a state-funded SMART internship grant program to provide paid, supervised mental health internships in Michigan public schools for graduate students, with eligibility, paym

bill electronically reproduced 06/18/2026
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Bill Summary · HB 6106

Summary of HB 6106 (2025-2026) – Michigan

Purpose and intent

  • Modifies the existing SMART internship grant program established by 2022 PA 180.
  • Aims to create and administer a paid, educationally meaningful internship practicum in Michigan public schools for designated graduate-level mental health professionals (designated recipients).
  • Seeks to leverage public school funding (via Section 31o of the State School Aid Act) to hire designated recipients through SMART program grants.

Key provisions and changes

  • Program creation and administration

    • The Department of Education shall create and administer the SMART internship grant program.
    • Grants are provided to designated recipients and to field supervisors/instructors and supervisors.

  • Goals of the program

    • Ensure paid, educationally meaningful internships in school settings for designated recipients.
    • Enable use of funding under applicable state school aid provisions to hire designated recipients.

  • Eligibility and designation (subsection 2)

    • Grants for eligible designated recipients are calculated either as:
    • $25.00 per hour for each internship hour (up to 20 hours/week for a 30-week school year), or
    • A lump sum of $15,000 for up to 20 hours/week over 30 weeks.
    • Lump-sum payments are disbursed at the end of the 30-week period.
    • Eligible designated recipients must be pursuing graduate-level mental health professional programs (section 1(c)):
    • Year-specific internship (first, second, or third year) and serving in a supervised role in a public school.
    • Must meet best-practice training and supervision standards per national professional organizations.
    • Additional eligibility criteria include internship in settings with:
    • designated critical shortage, or
    • schools with at least 50% economically disadvantaged students, or
    • schools that received certain state funding in the prior year.

  • Service commitment (subsection 2(b))

    • Encourages designated recipients to work in a public school for at least 3 school years after the agreement.

  • Payment timing and mechanics (subsection 3)

    • Payments to designated recipients are:
    • Coordinated with the public school payroll schedule, or
    • Distributed as a lump sum at end of service period (or upon end of qualifying service).

  • Funding disbursement conditions (subsection 4)

    • If a recipient loses eligibility or temporarily loses eligibility (e.g., relocation, leave), payments may stop temporarily but have caps:
    • For hourly-rate recipients: stop when eligibility is lost; may resume if eligibility is regained, but not beyond 30 weeks from internship start.
    • For lump-sum recipients: pro rata adjustment if permanent ineligibility; full amount may be retained if eligibility is regained and all requirements are met.
    • Provisions cover both permanent and temporary changes in eligibility.

  • Extenuating circumstances (subsection 5)

    • The Department may provide debt or expense repayment to a designated recipient in extenuating circumstances.

  • Evaluation and disqualification (subsections 6–7)

    • State universities hosting recipients may continue current evaluation processes tied to certification/licensing.
    • Evaluation results can be used to disqualify a recipient from funding.
    • Recipients must submit evaluations to the Department, which will determine ongoing eligibility.

  • Support for field supervisors/instructors (subsection 8)

    • The Department may grant up to $250 per designated recipient supervised, for field supervisors/instructors.

  • Repeat eligibility (subsection 9)

    • A designated recipient who receives a SMART grant may still apply for additional SMART funding if qualified.

  • Non-counting toward financial aid (subsection 10)

    • Payments under this act generally do not count as student financial aid or indirect costs, unless the recipient designates the funds to be used in that manner.

Beneficiaries and affected parties

  • Designated recipients

    • Graduate-level mental health students (any year 1–3 as appropriate) enrolled in qualifying programs and serving in supervised school roles.
    • Eligible recipients may receive either hourly stipends or lump-sum payments.
    • Obligated to work in public schools for at least 3 years after receiving funding.

  • Public schools

    • Stand to benefit from the placement of mental health interns, potentially enhancing student access to mental health supports.
    • Must collaborate with the designated recipients and respective universities for supervision and evaluation.

  • Field supervisors/instructors/supervisors

    • Eligible for grants up to $250 per intern supervised, to support supervision activities.

  • State universities (hosting programs)

    • May continue existing evaluation processes tied to professional certification/licensing; evaluations influence funding eligibility.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Initiation and administration are handled by the Department of Education.
  • Funding terms cover a 30-week school-year internship period.
  • Annual or ongoing eligibility determinations depend on:
    • ongoing supervision, evaluations, and adherence to program requirements.
    • changes in eligibility status may adjust or terminate funding mid-cycle.

Sponsors and status

  • Introduced and referred to the House Education and Workforce Committee.
  • Primary sponsor: Rep. Curtis VanderWall (co-sponsor listed).
  • As of the latest action, bill has been electronically reproduced after introduction on 06/18/2026 and referred to committee.

This summary provides the bill’s core aims, how funding is structured, who qualifies, and how program integrity and continuity are managed, without political interpretation. If you’d like, I can provide a comparison to the 2022 act (PA 180) to highlight exact amendments.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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