TX SB153

Establishes the Social Work Intern Practicum Stipend (SWIPS) program administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to provide financial assistance to students completing field hours for bachelor's or master's degrees in social work

Stipend amounts are $15 per supervised field hour for bachelor's students (maximum $6,000) and $20 per hour for master's students (maximum $9,000)

Students must be enrolled in a Council on Social Work Education-accredited program and accepted into a board-approved practicum placement to qualify

Priority for stipends goes to students qualifying for need-based financial aid and those completing practicums in mental health professional shortage areas designated by the Department of State Health Services

Institutions prioritized for funding include those serving high percentages of need-based aid recipients, those with practicums in shortage areas, and historically black colleges/universities or Hispanic-serving institutions