New York Senate Bill S01003

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Establishes a school-based mental health loan repayment program to aid youth mental health practitioners; provides for awards up to thirty thousand dollars to eligible applicants who agree to four years of service in underserved schools.

Summary

S01003 would create a New York State school-based mental health loan repayment program aimed at increasing the number of youth mental health professionals working in underserved schools. The bill states that New York is facing a youth mental health crisis and a shortage of school-based mental health staff, and it uses loan repayment awards as an incentive to recruit and retain qualified professionals in schools with the greatest need. Under the proposal, the president of the Higher Education Services Corporation would award repayment assistance on a competitive basis to eligible New York residents who have graduated from an approved or registered institution of higher education and who have outstanding student loan debt. Eligible participants would include certified or licensed school psychologists, school counselors, and social workers. Recipients would have to commit to at least four years of service in an underserved school, and awards could be made for up to four years, with a maximum of $30,000 per year and a total amount tied to the cost of completing the degree program.

Impact

The bill would amend the Education Law by adding a new subdivision to section 605, creating a new state-administered loan repayment program for school-based mental health professionals. It would authorize the Higher Education Services Corporation to certify recipients, set award amounts within appropriated funding, and define underserved schools using student-to-mental-health-professional ratios established by the president and commissioner. The measure would directly affect school psychologists, school counselors, and social workers, as well as schools identified as underserved, while also allowing recipients to remain eligible for other awards under the Education Law.

Sentiment

The bill’s stated purpose and framing suggest strong support for addressing youth mental health needs and workforce shortages in schools, particularly in underserved communities. The available context does not include committee debate or recorded votes, so there is no evidence of formal opposition or amendment activity in the materials provided. Overall, the measure appears to be presented as a workforce recruitment and retention initiative with a public-service focus.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided transcripts or voting history. Based on the bill text, likely issues that could draw scrutiny include the cost of the program, how underserved schools would be defined, whether the $30,000 annual cap is sufficient to attract applicants, and how the state would prioritize awards if funding is limited. Another possible area of debate is the four-year service commitment, which balances retention goals against the burden placed on recipients.