S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
376
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
(PREFILED)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. STIRPE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to providing loan
forgiveness to credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselors
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 679-k
to read as follows:
§ 679-K. CREDENTIALED ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR LOAN
FORGIVENESS PROGRAM. 1. PURPOSE. THE PRESIDENT SHALL GRANT STUDENT LOAN
FORGIVENESS AWARDS TO CREDENTIALED ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUN-
SELORS FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS SERVING
IN THE SERVICE AREA OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING.
2. CERTIFICATION. CREDENTIALED ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSE-
LOR LOAN FORGIVENESS AWARDS SHALL BE AWARDED EACH YEAR. SUCH AWARDS
SHALL BE ALLOCATED AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION TO ELIGIBLE CREDENTIALED
ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELORS, HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS
CASACS, AS CERTIFIED TO THE COMMISSIONER BY THE PRESIDENT.
3. DEFINITION. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A CASAC SHALL MEAN AN
ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR CREDENTIALED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE NEW YORK CODES, RULES AND REGULATIONS TITLE 14 SECTION 853.5.
4. ELIGIBILITY. A CASAC SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD UNDER THIS
SECTION PROVIDED THAT: (I) SUCH PERSON HAS BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE STATE
OF NEW YORK FOR A MINIMUM OF ONE YEAR AND (II) SUCH PERSON IS EMPLOYED
AS A CASAC IN A FACILITY LICENSED BY THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
5. DURATION. EACH AWARD SHALL ENTITLE THE RECIPIENT TO AN ANNUAL AWARD
AND A RECIPIENT SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR NO MORE THAN THREE YEARS.
6. AMOUNT. THE CORPORATION SHALL GRANT SUCH AWARDS BASED ON AVAILABIL-
ITY OF FUNDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THE TOTAL COST OF THE STUDENT
LOAN DEBT.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
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Passing this bill will help provide crucial support to New Yorkers, especially in rural areas. CASACs are left out of many other loan forgiveness programs that provide debt relief for nurses and other care workers in the substance misuse field. It is not easy work and the pay is on the low end for healthcare and counseling work. This program will help ensure that workers continue to enter and stay in this field in the state of New York.