HB 314 -- SOCIAL WORKERS

CO-SPONSORS:  Treadway, Nordwald

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Professional Registration and Licensing by a vote of 15 to 0.

This bill authorizes the licensing of baccalaureate social
workers.  The bill:

(1)  Requires applicants for licensure to achieve a passing
score on an examination approved by the State Committee for
Social Work;

(2)  Gives the committee the authority to require continuing
education as a prerequisite for license renewal;

(3)  Increases the number of members on the committee from 7 to
9, to include 2 baccalaureate social workers;

(4)  Sets a per diem rate for committee members of not more than
$75;

(5)  Prohibits anyone from using the title of "baccalaureate
social worker" unless duly licensed;

(6)  Allows baccalaureate social workers to engage in
psychosocial assessment, conduct basic data gathering, serve as
advocates, counsel, perform crisis intervention, provide
community support, conduct crisis planning, refer clients,
perform case management, and engage in training and education of
social work students;

(7)  Contains provisions regarding license application, license
renewal, licensing fees, provisional licenses, reciprocity, and
continuing education;

(8)  Requires applicants for licensure to furnish the committee
with evidence that they have a baccalaureate degree in social
work from an accredited program, have passed a basic exam from
the American Association of State Social Work Boards, and have
completed 3,000 hours of supervised baccalaureate experience;

(9)  Makes licenses valid for 2 years;

(10)  Requires the committee to promulgate rules pertaining to
the form and content of licensing applications, fees,
characteristics of supervised baccalaureate experience,
standards and methods used in assessing competency, and
procedures for conducting investigations and appeals;

(11)  Gives the committee authority to refuse to issue, renew,
or revoke licenses and to file complaints with the
Administrative Hearing Commission for the use of controlled
substances, alcohol abuse, criminal conviction, fraud, and
incompetency;

(12)  Exempts persons or agencies who report information to the
committee regarding licensees, and who do so in good faith, from
actions for civil damages; and

(13)  Prohibits licensees from disclosing information acquired
from persons while consulting them in their professional
capacity, except with written consent, when information pertains
to a criminal act, when it pertains to a minor who was a victim
of a crime, when a person waives privileges by bringing charges
against a licensee, and when a licensee is called to testify in
court or administrative hearings.

Violation of any provision of the bill is a class B misdemeanor.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Effect to Professional Registration
Fund of $0 in FY 2002, a cost of $119,928 in FY 2003, and an
income of $119,928 in FY 2004.  Estimated Net Effect to Clinical
Social Workers Fund of $0 in FY 2002, an income of $300,000 in
FY 2003, and a cost of $223,095 in FY 2004.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that because there is no licensing
of baccalaureate social workers in Missouri, many well-qualified
individuals are leaving the state for practice elsewhere.
Supporters also believe that the bill will benefit the
profession and protects the public by identifying these persons
as professionals in their field.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Nordwald; Brenda
Sites; and National Association of Social Workers.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Bob Dominique, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:43 am