WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 3511

LCSW LOAN/GRANT PROGRAM

104th Regular Session Introduced by Mary Beth Canty and 19 co-sponsors

Creates a statewide nonprofit grant program to fund group clinical supervision for LCSW licensure, expanding access to supervised experience across Illinois.

Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 3511

Summary — HB 3511 (2025): Nonprofit Clinical Supervision Grant Program; Amendments to Social Work Loan Repayment Program

Overview / Purpose

HB 3511 creates a new Nonprofit Clinical Supervision Grant Program within the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) to expand access to supervised clinical experience required for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensure. The bill also amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act to (1) rename the School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program to the School and Municipal/County Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program and (2) increase the per-recipient maximum grant amount. All new program activity is subject to appropriation.

Key provisions — Nonprofit Clinical Supervision Grant Program (20 ILCS 1305/10-24)

  • DHS must establish and administer the program, subject to appropriation, and may adopt implementing rules.
  • DHS will provide grants to eligible statewide nonprofit associations (501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6)) that represent social work, mental health, child welfare, or related services and are located in Illinois.
  • Grant purposes:
    • Hire licensed clinical social workers to provide group clinical supervision.
    • Administer group clinical supervision programs (materials, space, technology).
  • Program requirement: supervision opportunities funded must be available to all eligible social workers statewide regardless of affiliation with a particular nonprofit.
  • Application requirements: description of the nonprofit’s mission/populations served; plan for using funds to hire LCSWs and provide group supervision across Illinois; proposed eligible supervisees and a budget showing expected expenditures.
  • Grant use is limited to (1) hiring LCSWs for supervision and (2) administering group supervision programs.
  • Reporting and evaluation:
    • Grantees must submit annual reports to DHS detailing expenditures, outcomes, number of supervisees and hours completed toward licensure, and program challenges/successes.
    • DHS must evaluate program effectiveness and submit a biennial report to the General Assembly with recommendations on modification or expansion.

Key provisions — Loan Repayment Program (110 ILCS 947/65.115)

  • Program name changed to School and Municipal/County Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program.
  • Increases maximum annual grant award to recipients (amendment language increases the cap to $8,000 per qualified recipient per year).
  • Recipients may apply for additional years only if they verify prior-year grant funds were used to reduce their educational loan balance (verification process to be set by the administering Commission).
  • If appropriations are insufficient, the program prioritizes new qualified applicants who are racial minorities, then other new qualified applicants.

Who is affected

  • Nonprofit statewide associations representing social work/mental health/child welfare (as grant applicants and administrators).
  • Licensed clinical social workers (as supervisors and potential hires).
  • Social workers seeking supervised clinical experience to meet LCSW licensure requirements.
  • DHS (program administration and reporting responsibilities).
  • Higher Education Student Assistance Commission and school/municipal/county social workers (loan repayment program changes).

Fiscal & procedural notes

  • All grant activity is subject to appropriation; the bill does not specify a total program appropriation.
  • Legislative actions: Introduced 2/28/2025; passed the House (third reading 4/30/2025); transmitted to the Senate and re-referred to Assignments (Rule 3-9(a)) on 6/02/2025.
  • Companion bill: SB 2634.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Could increase capacity for supervised clinical experience statewide, helping more social workers complete LCSW licensure requirements.
  • May reduce geographic and affiliation-related barriers to supervision (via group supervision programs administered by statewide nonprofits).
  • The loan repayment changes increase per-person support (up to $8,000/year) and add verification to encourage use for loan reduction.
  • Actual reach depends on appropriations and DHS/Commission rulemaking and administrative capacity.

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

Sign in to ask a question.