Post Submitted by Victoria Brewster, MSW
This is a huge issue facing social workers in the U.S. and Canada; licensure/certification for professional social workers.
Many posts are up on Linkedin along with others sites and blogs that focus on this issue.
Once a person has graduated with a BSW or MSW, obtained some work experience they often are required to become licensed and/or certified as a social worker for insurance purposes or an employer may require it.
The issue is states and provinces/territories do not have the same rules and/or regulations for this process and if a licensed or certified social worker relocates to another state/province they often are required to retake the exam, become supervised again and fork over more money for the whole process.
This to me should become a national issue in both the states and Canada. Every state and province should have the same rules, regulations, requirements and social workers should be able to relocate to another state or province and have their license or certification follow them.
I am curious as to how other social workers feel about this?
Author email: socialworker0630@gmail.com
Clearly there is a lack of cohesion within social work nationwide, this is one of many issues that face social work on a national level. Thanks to Victoria for the submission!
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you are raising a great point. i think another factor that makes it difficult is the cost to take the exam.
It would make things quite convient. The trick- per Constitution, regulation of profession is left to the States. This would take a campaign to have all 50 states pass similar rules and regs for their licensure. Lots of work- but it would make a more sensible system.
@Audrey-Unfortunately, cost is often the factor, especially in a profession that is often underpaid! This is why once a professional takes the exam it should be transferable to another state.
Physicians are also taking up this cause as many are licensed in a specific state or states for work reasons, but should they wish to VOLUNTEER in another state they are required to gain licensure-NOT RIGHT!
Individual states can charge whatever they want as can insurances reimburse whatever they want when it comes to fees!
The idea is professional licensure/certification becomes transferable from state to state or province to province!
I am copying a reply I received from a Social Worker to my email address: I will add in ( ) my comments:
“ASWB can be credited with efforts to standardize Social Work licensure across the USA. Every profession has a licensure requirement. (I am fine with this)
There are just a few states (California, Texas, etc.) that maintain their individual exams. (This should not be the case-it should be a National exam that all states/provinces use.)
ASWB and each state has requirements for tracking and verifying the authorization to practice our profession. (ok with this)
After initial cost to take (and pass) the license exam, ASWB maintains an official lifetime score-record on each licensed social worker. A fee must be paid to ASWB each time a social worker moves to a new state to practice. The official score-record is issued to the new state (not to the social worker). (Why should the SW have to pay a fee everytime they move???)
A fee is charged by each new state to process an application to practice, and once approved, maintains a record of that social worker’s practice in that state.
One state may have the LSW, another the CSW, and yet another may have the LMSW. (Again, this should be standardized across states/provinces)
Social worker must investigate the exact title for which they are applying.
There is no reciprocity among states and that is the proverbial ‘rub.’ (I could not agree more!)
USA is protective of its standards of social work practice, ethics and licensure. England recruits licensed social workers from the USA and does not require a new license process.
Our license and ethical practice requirements serves to protect the public and the social worker. (I see the need for this, but again-it should be standardized across all states/provinces)
If there is a better system, I am all for it.” (What do you suggest as a better system?)
Problem in US is ultimately Constitutional. Per Constitution, powers not regulated to Federal government remain with the states. Professional licensing power was not awarded to Feds- hence, it is state-bound. Solution? NASW or similar national org needs to campaign in all 50 states for reciprocity and comparable requirements. Not easy, but possible.
Then let NASW, ASWB and CASW get cracking on campaigning for reciprocity and comparable requirements, exams and fees for all states, provinces/territories and jurisdictions……
Another comment which is geared more at Quebec Social Workers (even though Canada as a country is bilingual-English and French) is that a social worker must pass a French language and written exam in order to be a member of the Social Work order of Quebec-I do not believe any other province in Canada requires this-unsure if language is an issue in the U.S. or not-Thoughts or comments?
So, a further update obtained from the Canadian Association of Social Work re: Regulatory issues here in Canada, only 2 provinces require social workers to be part of the provincial order for social worker. In the other provinces, one must register with the provincial order to obtain certification and to use the title of social worker.
http://www.casw-acts.ca/en/node/21/policy-and-regulations/regulatory-bodies.
This means one can have a BSW or MSW, call themself a Counselor, have/maintain a private practise and work.
No one can take away a degree earned-this is all about title protection.
This is not the case in the states……
I don’t think we have to have First Lady to advocate. I have been writing and advocating national level licensure for years. We just need to advocate these issues as social workers rather than leave it to the State NASW lobbying……I have not experienced too many entities that will lobby to extinguish themselves.
Earl, I agree with you-part of why I am getting this topic out on social media is to encourage social workers to advocate for themselves….if not on a national level than from state to state……