STAND. COM. REP. NO.3116

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2056

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2056, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOCIAL WORK,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a three-tiered licensure system for social workers that recognizes social workers with bachelor's and master's degrees and clinical social workers.

The National Association of Social Workers, Christian Science Committee on Publication for Hawaii, Clinical Social Work Society of Hawaii, and three social work students testified in support of this measure. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) proposed an amendment to the measure.

Presently, the State's social worker licensing law only recognizes the Master's level social worker. This measure replaces the current licensing system with one that establishes three levels of licensing for social workers: the Licensed Bachelor Social Worker (LBSW), Licensed Social Worker (LSW), and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). In addition, this measure clarifies the scope of social work practice and the licensure exemptions, and makes conforming amendments to the mental health and substance abuse treatment insurance law.

The three-tiered system of licensure proposed by this measure reflects the national model for social work licensure and brings Hawaii into line with the thirty-seven states that regulate Bachelor's level social workers and the forty-one states that regulate clinical social workers. With licensing requirements and scopes of practice specified for each level of licensure, this measure will better enable consumers to make informed choices when retaining the services of a social worker.

Your Committee has amended this measure to provide that all of its provisions that amend statutory law to reflect the new licensing scheme take effect on July 1, 2004. Your Committee also made technical, nonsubstantive changes to reflect preferred drafting style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2056, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2056, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair