[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 686 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 686

To establish the Social Work Reinvestment Commission to advise Congress 
    and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on policy issues 
    associated with the profession of social work, to authorize the 
  Secretary to make grants to support recruitment for, and retention, 
 research, and reinvestment in, the profession, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 24, 2009

 Ms. Mikulski introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To establish the Social Work Reinvestment Commission to advise Congress 
    and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on policy issues 
    associated with the profession of social work, to authorize the 
  Secretary to make grants to support recruitment for, and retention, 
 research, and reinvestment in, the profession, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Dorothy I. Height 
and Whitney M. Young, Jr. Social Work Reinvestment Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
              TITLE I--SOCIAL WORK REINVESTMENT COMMISSION

Sec. 101. Establishment of Commission.
Sec. 102. Appointment of Commission members.
Sec. 103. Purposes and duties of Commission.
Sec. 104. Powers of the Commission.
Sec. 105. Compensation for Commission members.
Sec. 106. Termination of the Commission.
Sec. 107. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE II--REINVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION

Sec. 201. Workplace improvement grants.
Sec. 202. Research grants.
Sec. 203. Education and training grants.
Sec. 204. Community-based programs of excellence grants.
Sec. 205. National coordinating center.
Sec. 206. Multimedia outreach campaign.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that employment 
        of social workers is expected to increase. The increase is 
        expected to be greater than the average increase in employment 
        (estimated to be 22 percent) during the period of 2006 through 
        2016, demonstrating a substantial need for social workers. The 
        need is even greater for social workers in the area of aging. 
        The National Association of Social Workers Center for Workforce 
        Studies estimates that 9 percent of, or 30,000, licensed social 
        workers specialize in gerontology. By 2010, as more people 
        reach the age of 65, the National Institute on Aging projects 
        that 60,000 to 70,000 social workers will be needed.
            (2) Social work salaries are among the lowest for 
        professionals in general and for those with master's level 
        educations in particular. A survey conducted by the John A. 
        Hartford Foundation found that between 1992 and 1999 the annual 
        rate of wage growth for degree-holding social workers was 0.8 
        percent. According to the National Association of Social 
        Workers Center for Workforce Studies, 60 percent of full-time 
        social workers earn between $35,000 and $59,999 per year, with 
        25 percent earning between $40,000 and $49,999 per year. Social 
        workers who earn lower salaries are more likely to work in 
        challenging agency environments and to serve more vulnerable 
        clients. They are also more likely to leave the profession.
            (3) According to one study by the Council on Social Work 
        Education, 68 percent of individuals surveyed who held a 
        master's degree in social work graduated with an average debt 
        of $26,777. Additionally, the United States Public Interest 
        Research Group states that 37 percent of public 4-year 
        graduates have too much debt to manage as a starting social 
        worker. While social workers may be in positions that are 
        personally fulfilling, due to their high loan debt and low 
        income, many struggle financially.
            (4) Social work can be a dangerous profession. According to 
        the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal 
        Employees, 70 percent of caseworkers report that front line 
        staff in their agency have been victims of violence or have 
        received threats of violence. Social workers are considerably 
        safer when measures such as use of global positioning systems, 
        self-defense training, and conflict prevention are implemented.
            (5) According to a study by the University of Michigan, 
        approximately 1 in 7 adults over the age of 70 have some form 
        of dementia, and 9.7 percent (or 2,400,000) of those found with 
        dementia were also found to have Alzheimer's disease. Social 
        workers in gerontology settings work with older adults, 
        including those with dementia, to support their physiological, 
        psychological, and social needs through mental health therapy, 
        caregiver and family counseling, health education, program 
        coordination, and case management. Those professionals also 
        assist the hundreds of thousands of older persons who are 
        abused, neglected, frail, or vulnerable. Between 2000 and 2004, 
        there was a 19.7 percent increase in the total number of 
        reports of elder and vulnerable adult abuse and neglect.
            (6) The Children's Defense Fund states that every 36 
        seconds a child is confirmed as abused or neglected. The 
        Administration for Children and Families states that 510,000 
        children were in the United States foster care system in 2006. 
        Most of the children in foster care are placed in foster care 
        due to parental abuse or neglect. Research shows that social 
        workers in child welfare agencies are more likely to find 
        permanent homes for children who were in foster care for 2 or 
        more years. Unfortunately, fewer than 40 percent of child 
        welfare workers are social workers.
            (7) The Department of Health and Human Services estimates 
        that 26.2 percent of (or 1 in 4) individuals in the United 
        States age 18 or older experiences a diagnosable mental health 
        disorder. Additionally, 1 in 5 children and adolescents 
        experiences a mental health disorder. At least 1 in 10, or 
        about 6,000,000, young people have a serious emotional 
        disturbance. Social workers provide the majority of mental 
        health counseling services in the United States, and are often 
        the only providers of such services in rural areas.
            (8) The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there 
        are 23,977,000 veterans in the United States. More than 
        1,100,000 members of the Armed Forces have been deployed to 
        Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001. A once declining veteran 
        population is now surging and is in dire need of mental health 
        treatment to address issues such as post traumatic stress 
        disorder, depression, drug and alcohol addiction, and suicidal 
        tendencies. Veterans make up 25 percent of homeless people in 
        the United States, even though veterans comprise only 11 
        percent of the general population. Social workers working with 
        veterans and their families provide case management, crisis 
        intervention, mental health interventions, housing and 
        financial counseling, high risk screening, and advocacy among 
        other services. The Department employs over 5,000 social 
        workers and is the single largest employer of social workers in 
        the Nation. Social workers in the Department also coordinate 
        the Community Residential Care Program, the oldest and most 
        cost effective of the Department's extended care programs.
            (9) The American Cancer Society estimates that there were 
        1,437,180 new cases of cancer and 565,650 cancer deaths in 2008 
        alone. The incidence of cancer will increase dramatically as 
        the population grows older. The Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention report that at the end of 2003 there were 1,039,000 
        to 1,285,000 people living with HIV or AIDS in the United 
        States. In 2006, 1,300,000 people received care from hospice 
        providers in the United States. Health care and medical social 
        workers practice in areas related to all of those circumstances 
        and provide outreach for prevention of health issues, help 
        individuals and their families adapt to their circumstances, 
        provide grief counseling, and act as a liaison between 
        individuals and their medical team, helping patients make 
        informed decisions about their care.
            (10) The National Center for Education Statistics states 
        that in 2005 the national dropout rate for high school students 
        was 9.3 percent. White students dropped out at a rate of 5.8 
        percent. African-American students dropped out at a rate of 
        10.7 percent. Hispanic students dropped out at a rate of 22.1 
        percent. Some vulnerable communities have dropout rates of 50 
        percent or higher. Social workers in school settings help 
        students avoid dropping out through early identification, 
        prevention, intervention, counseling, and support services.
            (11) According to the Department of Justice, every year 
        more than 650,000 ex-offenders are released from Federal and 
        State prisons. Social workers employed in the corrections 
        system address disproportionate minority incarceration rates, 
        provide treatment for mental health problems and drug and 
        alcohol addiction, and work within as well as outside of the 
        prison to reduce recidivism and increase positive community 
        reentry.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Clinical social worker.--The term ``clinical social 
        worker'' has the meaning given the term in section 1861(hh)(1) 
        of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(hh)(1)).
            (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Social 
        Work Reinvestment Commission.
            (3) Community-based program.--The term ``community-based 
        program'' means an agency, organization, or other entity, 
        carrying out a program that provides direct social work 
        services, or community development services, at a neighborhood, 
        locality, or regional level, to address human service, health 
        care, or psychosocial needs.
            (4) High need and high demand population.--The term ``high 
        need and high demand population'' means a group that lacks 
        sufficient resources and, as a result, has a greater 
        probability of being harmed by specific social, environmental, 
        or health problems than the population as a whole. The group at 
        issue may be a group residing in an area defined by the Health 
        Resources and Services Administration as a ``health 
        professional shortage area'', which has a shortage of primary 
        medical care, dental, or mental health providers.
            (5) Historically black college or university.--The term 
        ``historically black college or university'' means a part B 
        institution, as defined in section 322 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061).
            (6) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
        serving institution'' means an educational institution that 
        serves a large percentage of minority students (as determined 
        by the Secretary of Education), including Alaska Native-serving 
        institutions, Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Asian-
        American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving 
        institutions, Predominantly Black Institutions, historically 
        black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, 
        Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Native American-serving, 
        nontribal institutions (which shall have the meanings given the 
        terms in section 241(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1033(1))).
            (7) Related professional researcher.--The term ``related 
        professional researcher'' means a person who is professionally 
        engaged in research in a social, political, economic, health, 
        or mental health field. The research referred to in this 
        paragraph is primarily conducted by doctoral level researchers 
        under university, government, research institute, or community 
        agency auspices.
            (8) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Health and Human Services.
            (9) Social work.--The term ``social work'' means--
                    (A) the professional activity of helping 
                individuals, groups, or communities enhance or restore 
                capacity for social and psychosocial functioning and 
                creating societal conditions favorable to that 
                enhancement or restoration;
                    (B) an activity, the practice of which consists of 
                the professional application of values, principles, and 
                techniques related to the professional activity 
                described in subparagraph (A), including--
                            (i) diagnosis and treatment of mental and 
                        emotional disorders with individuals, families, 
                        and groups;
                            (ii) helping communities or groups provide 
                        or improve social and health services and 
                        participating in relevant legislative 
                        processes; and
                            (iii) helping people obtain tangible 
                        services; and
                    (C) an activity, the practice of which requires 
                knowledge of--
                            (i) human development;
                            (ii) behavior of social, economic, and 
                        cultural institutions; and
                            (iii) the interaction of the factors 
                        described in clauses (i) and (ii).
            (10) Social work researcher.--The term ``social work 
        researcher'' means a person who studies social work at the 
        individual, family, group, community, policy, or organizational 
        level, focusing across the human life span on prevention of, 
        intervention in, treatment of, aftercare of, and rehabilitation 
        from acute and chronic social and psychosocial conditions, and 
        includes a person examining the effect of policies on social 
        work practice. The study referred to in this paragraph is 
        primarily conducted by researchers with doctoral degrees who 
        are social workers or faculty under university, government, 
        research institute, or community agency auspices.
            (11) Social worker.--The term ``social worker'' means a 
        graduate of a school of social work with a baccalaureate, 
        master's, or doctoral degree, who uses knowledge and skills to 
        provide social work services for clients who may be 
        individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations, or 
        society in general.

              TITLE I--SOCIAL WORK REINVESTMENT COMMISSION

SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.

    Not later than 3 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary shall establish the Social Work Reinvestment Commission 
to provide independent counsel to Congress and the Secretary on policy 
issues associated with recruitment for, and retention, research, and 
reinvestment in, the profession of social work.

SEC. 102. APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSION MEMBERS.

    (a) Appointment by the Secretary.--The Secretary shall appoint 
members to the Commission. The members shall include representatives of 
social workers and other members, including the following:
            (1) 2 deans of schools of social work.
            (2) 1 social work researcher.
            (3) 1 related professional researcher.
            (4) 1 Governor.
            (5) 2 leaders of national social work organizations.
            (6) 1 senior social work State official.
            (7) 1 senior related State official.
            (8) 2 directors of community-based organizations or 
        nonprofit organizations.
            (9) 1 labor economist.
            (10) 1 social work consumer.
            (11) 1 licensed clinical social worker.
    (b) Appointment by Other Officers.--Four additional members shall 
be appointed to the Commission, with 1 member appointed by each of the 
following officers:
            (1) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
            (2) The minority leader of the House of Representatives.
            (3) The majority leader of the Senate.
            (4) The minority leader of the Senate.
    (c) Organizational Representation.--Members of the Commission 
shall, to the extent practicable, be appointed--
            (1) in a manner that assures participation of individuals 
        and representatives of groups from different racial, ethnic, 
        cultural, geographic, religious, linguistic, and class 
        backgrounds and different genders and sexual orientations; and
            (2) from among persons who demonstrate knowledge and 
        understanding of the concerns of the individuals and groups 
        described in paragraph (1).
    (d) Selection of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.--The Secretary 
shall select a chairperson and vice chairperson for the Commission from 
among the members of the Commission.
    (e) Period of Appointment; Vacancies.--Members shall be appointed 
for the life of the Commission, and any vacancy in the Commission shall 
not affect the powers of the Commission. Any such vacancy shall be 
filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
    (f) Schedule of Meetings.--The Commission shall hold its first 
meeting not later than 6 weeks after the date on which the final member 
of the Commission is appointed, and subsequent meetings at the call of 
the chair.

SEC. 103. PURPOSES AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION.

    (a) Study.--The Commission shall conduct a comprehensive study to 
examine and assess--
            (1) the professional capacity of the social work workforce 
        to successfully serve and respond to the increasing 
        biopsychosocial needs of individuals, groups, and communities, 
        in--
                    (A) areas related to--
                            (i) aging;
                            (ii) child welfare;
                            (iii) military and veterans affairs;
                            (iv) mental and behavioral health and 
                        disability;
                            (v) criminal justice and correctional 
                        systems; and
                            (vi) health and issues affecting women and 
                        families; and
                    (B) other areas identified by the Commission;
            (2)(A) the workforce challenges facing the profession of 
        social work, such as high social work educational debt, lack of 
        fair market compensation, the need to address social work 
        workforce trends, translate social work research to practice, 
        promote social work safety, or develop State-level social work 
        licensure policies and reciprocity agreements for providing 
        services across State lines, or the lack of diversity in the 
        social work profession, or the need to address any other area 
        determined by the Secretary to be appropriate; and
            (B) the effect that such challenges have on the recruitment 
        and retention of social workers;
            (3) current workforce challenges and shortages relevant to 
        the needs of clients served by social workers;
            (4) the social work workforce challenges described in 
        paragraph (2) and the effects that the challenges will have on 
        the provision of social work related to the areas described in 
        paragraph (1); and
            (5) the advisability of establishing a social work 
        enhancement account, to provide direct grant assistance to 
        local governments to encourage the engagement of social workers 
        in social service programs.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of its first 
meeting, the Commission shall submit a report to the Secretary and 
Congress containing specific findings and conclusions regarding the 
need for recruitment for, and retention, research, and reinvestment in, 
the profession of social work. The report shall include recommendations 
and strategies for corrective actions to ensure a robust social work 
workforce capable of keeping up with the demand for needed services. 
The Commission may provide to Congress any additional findings or 
recommendations considered by the Commission to be important.

SEC. 104. POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Powers.--The Commission shall have the power to--
            (1) hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and 
        places, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and 
        administer such oaths as the Commission considers advisable to 
        carry out the objectives of this title;
            (2) delegate the Commission powers described in paragraph 
        (1) to any Commission subcommittee or member of the Commission 
        for the purpose of carrying out this Act;
            (3) enter into contracts to enable the Commission to 
        perform the Commission's work under this Act; and
            (4) consult, to the extent that the Commission determines 
        that such consultation is necessary or useful, with other 
        agencies and organizations, including--
                    (A) agencies within the Department of Health and 
                Human Services, including the Administration for 
                Children and Families, the Administration on Aging, the 
                Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers 
                for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for 
                Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Health Resources and 
                Service Administration, the Indian Health Service, the 
                National Institutes of Health, and the Substance Abuse 
                and Mental Health Services Administration;
                    (B) the Social Security Administration;
                    (C) the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, 
                Education, Homeland Security, Labor, Justice, State, 
                and Veterans Affairs; and
                    (D) any other agency of the Federal Government, as 
                determined by the Commission.
    (b) Cooperation With the Commission.--The agencies described in 
subsection (a)(4) shall cooperate with and provide counsel to the 
Commission to the greatest extent practicable.

SEC. 105. COMPENSATION FOR COMMISSION MEMBERS.

    (a) Travel Expenses.--The members of the Commission shall not 
receive compensation for the performance of services for the 
Commission, but shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in 
lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies 
under subchapter 1 of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while 
away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance 
of services for the Commission. Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 
31, United States Code, the Secretary may accept the voluntary and 
uncompensated services of members of the Commission.
    (b) Detail of Government Employees.--Any Federal Government 
employee may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and 
such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service 
status or privilege.

SEC. 106. TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION.

    The Commission shall terminate 30 days after the date on which the 
Commission submits its report under section 103.

SEC. 107. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums 
as may be necessary for use by the activities of the Commission.

TITLE II--REINVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION

SEC. 201. WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary may award grants to 4 
eligible entities described in subsection (d) to address workplace 
concerns for the social work profession, including caseloads, 
compensation, social work safety, supervision, and working conditions.
    (b) Equal Amounts.--The Secretary shall award grants under this 
section in equal amounts to the 4 eligible entities. The Secretary 
shall award the grants annually over a 4-year period.
    (c) Local or State Government Entities Requirement.--At least 2 of 
the grant recipients shall be State or local government agencies.
    (d) Eligibility Requirements.--To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, an entity shall--
            (1) work in a social work capacity that demonstrates a need 
        regarding a workplace concern area described in subsection (a);
            (2) demonstrate--
                    (A) participation in the entities' programs of 
                individuals and groups from different racial, ethnic, 
                cultural, geographic, religious, linguistic, and class 
                backgrounds, and different genders and sexual 
                orientations; and
                    (B) knowledge and understanding of the concerns of 
                the individuals and groups described in subparagraph 
                (A);
            (3) demonstrate a record of active participation of social 
        workers in the entities' programs; and
            (4) provide services and represent the individuals employed 
        by the entities as competent only within the boundaries of 
        their education, training, licenses, certification, 
        consultation received, supervised experience, or other relevant 
        professional experience.
    (e) Priority.--In selecting the grant recipients under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that--
            (1) are equipped with the capacity to oversee and monitor a 
        workplace improvement program carried out under this section, 
        including proven fiscal responsibility and administrative 
        capability; and
            (2) are knowledgeable about relevant workforce trends and 
        have at least 2 years of experience relevant to the workplace 
        improvement program.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $16,000,000 to the Secretary to award grants under this 
section.

SEC. 202. RESEARCH GRANTS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary may award grants to not less 
than 25 social workers who hold a doctoral degree in social work, for 
post-doctoral research in social work--
            (1) to further the knowledge base about effective social 
        work interventions; and
            (2) to promote usable strategies to translate research into 
        practice across diverse community settings and service systems.
    (b) Amounts.--The Secretary shall award the grants annually over a 
4-year period.
    (c) Eligibility Requirements.--To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, a social worker shall--
            (1) demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concerns 
        of individuals and groups from different racial, ethnic, 
        cultural, geographic, religious, linguistic, and class 
        backgrounds, and different genders and sexual orientations; and
            (2) provide services and represent themselves as competent 
        only within the boundaries of their education, training, 
        licenses, certification, consultation received, supervised 
        experience, or other relevant professional experience.
    (d) Minority Representation.--At least 10 of the social workers 
awarded grants under subsection (a) shall be employed by a historically 
black college or university or minority-serving institution.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 to the Secretary to award grants under this 
section.

SEC. 203. EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANTS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary may award 20 grants to 
eligible institutions of higher education to support the recruitment of 
social work students for, and education of the students in, 
baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degree programs, as well as the 
development of faculty in social work.
    (b) Equal Amounts.--The Secretary shall award grants under this 
section in equal amounts of not more than $100,000 to the 20 eligible 
institutions. The Secretary shall award the grants annually over a 4-
year period.
    (c) Eligibility Requirements.--To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, an institution shall demonstrate--
            (1) participation in the institutions' programs of 
        individuals and groups from different racial, ethnic, cultural, 
        geographic, religious, linguistic, and class backgrounds, and 
        different genders and sexual orientations; and
            (2) knowledge and understanding of the concerns of the 
        individuals and groups described in paragraph (1).
    (d) Institutional Requirement.--At least 4 of the grant recipients 
shall be historically black colleges or universities or other minority-
serving institutions.
    (e) Priority.--In selecting the grant recipients under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to institutions of higher 
education that--
            (1) are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education;
            (2) have a graduation rate of not less than 80 percent for 
        social work students; and
            (3) exhibit an ability to recruit social workers from and 
        place social workers in areas with a high need and high demand 
        population.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $8,000,000 to the Secretary to award grants under this 
section.

SEC. 204. COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS OF EXCELLENCE GRANTS.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--The Secretary may award grants to 6 
eligible covered entities, to further test and replicate effective 
social work interventions.
    (b) Covered Entity.--For purposes of this section, the term 
``covered entity'' means--
            (1) a public entity that is carrying out a community-based 
        program of excellence; and
            (2) a nonprofit organization that is carrying out a program 
        of excellence.
    (c) Equal Amounts.--The Secretary shall award grants under this 
section in equal amounts of not more than $500,000 to eligible covered 
entities. The Secretary shall award the grants annually over a 3-year 
period.
    (d) Eligibility Requirements.--To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, a covered entity shall--
            (1) carry out programs in the areas of aging, child 
        welfare, military and veteran's issues, mental and behavioral 
        health and disability, criminal justice and correction systems, 
        and health and issues affecting women and families;
            (2) demonstrate--
                    (A) participation in the covered entities' programs 
                of individuals and groups from different racial, 
                ethnic, cultural, geographic, religious, linguistic, 
                and class backgrounds, and different genders and sexual 
                orientations; and
                    (B) knowledge and understanding of the concerns of 
                the individuals and groups described in subparagraph 
                (A);
            (3) demonstrate a record of active participation of social 
        workers in the covered entities' programs; and
            (4) provide services and represent the individuals employed 
        by the covered entities as competent only within the boundaries 
        of their education, training, licenses, certification, 
        consultation received, supervised experience, or other relevant 
        professional experience.
    (e) Priority.--In selecting the grant recipients under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible covered entities 
that--
            (1) have demonstrated successful and measurable outcomes 
        that are worthy of replication;
            (2) have been in operation for at least 2 years; and
            (3) work with high need and high demand populations.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $9,000,000 to the Secretary to award grants under this 
section.

SEC. 205. NATIONAL COORDINATING CENTER.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary shall enter into a contract with 
a national social work research entity that--
            (1) has experience in coordinating the transfer of 
        information and ideas among entities engaged in social work 
        research, practice, education, and policymaking; and
            (2) maintains relationships with Federal entities, social 
        work degree-granting institutions of higher education and 
        departments of social work within such institutions, and 
        organizations and agencies that employ social workers.
    (b) General Duties.--The contract recipient (referred to in this 
section as the ``coordinating center'') shall serve as a coordinating 
center and shall organize information and other data, collect and 
report data, serve as a clearinghouse, and coordinate activities with 
the entities, institutions, departments, organizations, and agencies 
described in subsection (a)(2).
    (c) Collaboration.--The coordinating center shall work with 
institutions of higher education, research entities, and entities with 
social work practice settings to identify key research areas to be 
pursued, identify qualified research fellows, and organize appropriate 
mentorship and professional development efforts.
    (d) Specific Activities of the Coordinating Center.--The 
coordinating center shall--
            (1) collect, coordinate, monitor, and distribute data, 
        information on best practices and findings regarding the 
        activities funded under grants made to eligible entities and 
        individuals under the grant programs described in sections 201 
        though 204;
            (2) prepare and submit to the Secretary a report that 
        includes recommendations regarding the need to recruit new 
        social workers, retain current social workers, conduct social 
        work research, and reinvestment into the profession of social 
        work; and
            (3) demonstrate cultural competency and promote the 
        participation of diverse groups in the activities of the 
        culture.
    (e) Selection.--The Secretary, in collaboration with the 
coordinating center, shall--
            (1) select topics to be researched under this section;
            (2) select candidates and finalists for research fellow 
        positions; and
            (3) determine other activities to be carried out under this 
        section.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $1,000,000 to carry out this section for each of fiscal 
years 2010 to 2014.

SEC. 206. MULTIMEDIA OUTREACH CAMPAIGN.

    (a) Development and Issuance of Public Service Announcements.--The 
Secretary shall develop and issue public service announcements that 
advertise and promote the social work profession, highlight the 
advantages and rewards of social work, and encourage individuals to 
enter the social work profession.
    (b) Method.--The public service announcements described in 
subsection (a) shall be broadcast through appropriate media outlets, 
including television or radio, in a manner intended to reach as wide 
and diverse an audience as possible.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section 
for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2013.
                                 <all>