THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            117
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     SENATE CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
REQUESTING A STUDY OF SOCIAL WORK LICENSING LAWS.



 1       WHEREAS, there is an increased interest in the professional
 2   social work community to enhance and restructure the current
 3   social work licensure law; and
 4   
 5       WHEREAS, there are a variety of licensure options that may
 6   be considered in restructuring the current law; and
 7   
 8       WHEREAS, one option is to increase the levels of licensure,
 9   including the addition of a "clinical level" of licensure and a
10   "bachelor level" of licensure; and
11   
12       WHEREAS, an independent review of the options available, in
13   consultation with the major professional social work groups,
14   the public, and other stakeholders, will facilitate an
15   understanding of the various restructuring options; now,
16   therefore,
17   
18       BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
19   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
20   Representatives concurring, that the Legislative Reference
21   Bureau (LRB) is requested to review Chapter 467E, Hawaii
22   Revised Statutes (HRS), and other social work licensure laws,
23   including multi-tiered laws that allow for "clinical level,"
24   "bachelor level," and other levels of licensure; and
25   
26       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LRB is requested to include in
27   its review:
28   
29       (1)  The licensing provisions of chapter 467E, HRS;
30   
31       (2)  The social work licensure laws of other states;
32   
33       (3)  The rationale of the majority of states to support
34            multi-tiered licensing of social workers;

 
 
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 1       (4)  The impact on, and benefits to, the public due to
 2            multi-tiered licensing;
 3   
 4       (5)  The rationale for states to choose "practice laws"
 5            rather than "title protection" licensure laws;
 6   
 7       (6)  The continuing education requirements that are
 8            embedded in other states' licensing requirements;
 9   
10       (7)  The funding mechanisms that are used to fund social
11            work licensing in other states;
12   
13       (8)  The levels of supervision, credentialing, education,
14            training, experience, and expertise that are required
15            in other states' licensing laws; and
16   
17       (9)  The cost of implementing alternative social work
18            licensure laws for Hawaii;
19   
20   and
21   
22       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LRB is requested to consult
23   with:
24   
25       (1)  National social work professional groups, including
26            the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the
27            Clinical Social Work Federation (CSWF), the American
28            Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (ABECSW),
29            and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB);
30   
31       (2)  Hawaii chapters of national professional
32            organizations, including the Clinical Social Work
33            Society of Hawaii (CSWSH) and the Hawaii Chapter of
34            NASW;
35   
36       (3)  Hawaii social work educational institutions; and
37   
38       (4)  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;
39   
40   and
41   
42       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LRB is requested to submit the
43   findings, conclusions, and recommendations, including proposed
44   legislation, if any, with respect to an appropriate social work
45   licensure structure for Hawaii, to the Legislature no later
46   than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session
47   of 2001; and

 
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 1       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 2   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Acting Director of
 3   the LRB; the Presidents of the NASW, CSWF, ABECSW, ASWB, and
 4   the University of Hawaii; the Executive Directors of the CSWSH
 5   and the Hawaii Chapter of NASW; and the Director of Commerce
 6   and Consumer Affairs.
 7 
 8 
 9 
10                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________