STAND. COM. REP. NO.183

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2001

RE: H.B. No. 917

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 917 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to:

(1) Protect the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Hawaii from those social work practitioners who are unauthorized, unqualified, and otherwise inadequately prepared to practice in the area of clinical social work; and

(2) Require licensure for independent clinical social workers and sets minimum standards of qualification, levels of education, and experience for those persons who seek to represent themselves to the public as independent clinical social workers.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the State Department of Human Services, the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work, and clinical social workers throughout the State.

Testimony in opposition to this measure was received from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (Department) who felt that various studies performed by the Auditor did not warrant the need for a licensure of clinical social workers. Moreover, the Department felt that clinical social workers posed no significant threat to the welfare of the community and that creating a licensure mechanism would only add another bureaucracy to the Department.

Your Committee realizes that clinical social workers play an invaluable role in today's society, especially among those who need mental health services. Moreover, it is understood that clinical social workers, as opposed to general social workers, are specifically trained, educated, and experienced in mental health practices.

Your Committee further recognizes that the current social work title protection law does not set high qualification standards for clinical social workers, especially those in independent practice. This measure attempts to remedy this situation and protect the citizens of the State of Hawaii.

Your Committee recognizes that this bill to authorize clinical licensed social workers is an extension of the consumer protections granted last session when the Legislature extended the title protection for social workers. However, Hawaii's current laws do not distinguish the competencies required of a clinical social worker from those required of a nonclinical social worker. Currently, only clinically licensed social workers will be eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. Since the State has no clinical licensing standard, no Medicaid matching funds may be used for independent clinical social work practitioners.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 917 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committees on Consumer Protection and Commerce and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair