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Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 2
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Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Anita Bonds 6
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Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Vincent C. Gray 10
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Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. Councilmember Christina Henderson 14
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Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 18
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A BILL 22
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 26
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To amend the Health Occupations Revision Act of 1985 to exempt associate and graduate social 31
workers from examination for licensure; and to form a task force to identify an 32
assessment method for independent social worker licensure. 33
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 35
act may be cited as the “Social Work License Modernization Amendment Act of 2023”. 36
Sec. 2. The Health Occupations Revision Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. 37
Law 6-99; D.C. Official Code § 3–1201.01 et seq.) is amended as follows: 38
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(a) Section 503(a)(4) (D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.03(a)(4)) is amended by striking the 39
phrase “Has passed” and inserting the phrase “If required for licensure by this act, has passed” in 40
its place. 41
(b) Section 801 (D.C. Official Code § 3-1208.01) is amended as follows: 42
(1) Subsection (a) is amended by striking the phrase “, and has satisfactorily 43
completed the examination process at the associate level”. 44
(2) New subsection (c) is added to read as follows: 45
“(c) The Board of Social Work shall not require a L.S.W.A to pass an examination as a 46
requirement for licensure.”. 47
(c) Section 802 (D.C. Official Code § 3-1208.02) is amended as follows: 48
(1) Subsection (a) is amended by striking the phrase “, and has satisfactorily 49
completed the examination process at the graduate level”. 50
(2) New subsection (c) is added to read as follows: 51
“(c) The Board of Social Work shall not require a L.G.S.W. to pass an examination as a 52
requirement for licensure.”. 53
(d) A New section 807 is added to read as follows: 54
“(a) The Department of Health shall establish a Social Worker Licensure Task Force 55
(“Task Force”) to: 56
“(1) Identify alternatives to examination requirements that may be used to assess 57
an applicant’s fitness for licensure as a licensed independent social worker and a licensed 58
independent clinical social worker; 59
“(2) Develop recommendations for an assessment method for independent social 60
work practice to replace the Association of Social Work Boards examination; 61
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“(3) Provide a report of findings to the Council no later than 1 year after the 62
effective date of this act. 63
“(b) The Task Force shall consist of the following members: 64
“(1) The Director of the Department of Health, or the Director’s designee; 65
“(2) The Director of the Department of Human Services, or the Director’s 66
designee; 67
“(3) The Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, or the Director’s 68
designee; 69
“(4) The Chair of the Board of Social Work, or the Chair’s designee; 70
“(5) One representative of the DC Chapter of the National Association of Social 71
Workers, designated by the Executive Director of the DC Chapter of the National Association of 72
Social Workers; 73
“(6) The following members appointed by the Mayor: 74
“(A) One representative from the DC Behavioral Health Association; 75
“(B) At least 3 representatives from non-governmental social service 76
agencies; and 77
“(C) At least 3 Masters of Social Work or Bachelor of Social Work 78
graduates, at least 1 of whom has been negatively impacted by examination; 79
“(c) The Mayor shall designate the chair of the Task Force. 80
“(d) The Department of Health shall provide staffing for the Task Force.”. 81
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact. 82
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The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact 83
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 84
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 85
Sec. 4. Effective date. 86
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 87
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of Congressional review as 88
provided in sections 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 89
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 90
Columbia Register. 91