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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2307 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1253
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Christine P. Barber and Michael P. Kushmerek
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to social work uplifting practices and exam removal.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/19/2023Michael P. Kushmerek3rd Worcester1/19/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/20/2023Kenneth I. Gordon21st Middlesex1/24/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin1/24/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester1/25/2023Steven Ultrino33rd Middlesex1/25/2023Christopher J. Worrell5th Suffolk1/25/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk1/25/2023Steven Owens29th Middlesex1/25/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester1/27/2023Jessica Ann Giannino16th Suffolk1/27/2023David M. Rogers24th Middlesex1/27/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk1/27/2023Margaret R. Scarsdale1st Middlesex1/30/2023Ryan M. Hamilton15th Essex1/30/2023Aaron L. Saunders7th Hampden1/31/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/31/2023 2 of 2
Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex2/1/2023Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and Norfolk2/1/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023Kevin G. Honan17th Suffolk2/2/2023Thomas M. Stanley9th Middlesex2/3/2023Jon Santiago9th Suffolk2/6/2023Mary S. Keefe15th Worcester2/6/2023Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol2/8/2023Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire2/9/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/9/2023James J. O'Day14th Worcester2/9/2023Adrian C. Madaro1st Suffolk2/13/2023Priscila S. Sousa6th Middlesex2/14/2023Rob Consalvo14th Suffolk2/14/2023Simon Cataldo14th Middlesex2/22/2023Kate Lipper-Garabedian32nd Middlesex2/22/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/23/2023James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/24/2023Tram T. Nguyen18th Essex2/27/2023Russell E. Holmes6th Suffolk3/1/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden3/2/2023James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex3/3/2023James Arciero2nd Middlesex3/9/2023 1 of 4
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2307 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1253
By Representatives Barber of Somerville and Kushmerek of Fitchburg, a petition (accompanied
by bill, House, No. 1253) of Christine P. Barber, Michael P. Kushmerek and others that the
Department of Education create and administer a field placement grant program to ensure a
stable, diverse workforce of licensed social workers. Higher Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to social work uplifting practices and exam removal.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 official version,
2shall be amended by inserting after Section 135C the following section:
3 Section 135D. To ensure a stable, diverse workforce of licensed social workers in the
4Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to provide for increased support and retention of
5practicing licensed social workers, The Department of Education (DOE) shall create and
6administer a field placement grant program (FPGP). This program shall, subject to appropriation,
7grant funding to designated recipients with a specific focus on recruiting and retaining Masters of
8Social Work (MSW) students from historically marginalized communities and low-income
9communities. Funds to establish this program shall be allocated from state, federal, or other
10dedicated resources, including existing trust funds. 2 of 4
11 For the purposes of this section, eligible applicants must attend a school of social work
12Master’s Program physically located in Massachusetts that has been accredited by the Council on
13Social Work Education (CSWE).
14 To be eligible for consideration, applicants must submit the following:
15 (i) Applicant demographic background information, including but not limited to: race,
16ethnicity, geographic location in the state, and date of birth for purposes of data collection
17 (ii) Applicant’s school of social work, type of Master’s program, and GPA
18 (iii) Applicant’s stated and signed commitment to working in Massachusetts post-
19graduation for at least 2 years
20 (iv) Applicant’s one-page statement on the importance of this stipend in the applicant’s
21life and how the grant will support their educational goals and the workforce needs of the
22Commonwealth.
23 Priority for the FPGP will be to first-generation college students, and at least 50 percent
24of recipients awarded grants must identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. Applications
25will be submitted and considered on a rolling basis between January 1st and no later than March
261st of each calendar year. Recipients of stipends shall be notified no later than April 15th of said
27calendar year.
28 Stipends shall be allocated as follows:
29 (i) A current MSW student in good standing completing their first-year field placement of
3016 hours per week shall be eligible for a monthly stipend of $1,000 per month, not to exceed
31$8,000 annually. 3 of 4
32 (ii) A current MSW student in good standing completing their second-year field
33placement of 24 hours per week shall be eligible for a monthly stipend of $2,000 per month, not
34to exceed a total of $16,000 annually.
35 (iii) Advanced standing students who are only required to conduct one field placement
36shall be eligible for the second-year field placement stipend.
37 Applicant data, including application details submitted, shall be tracked by the
38department such that the program efficacy can be evaluated.
39 SECTION 2. Section 131 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws, is hereby amended in the
40fourth paragraph by striking the words “Said individual shall also furnish evidence satisfactory to
41the board that he has passed an examination prepared by the board for this purpose”
42 SECTION 3. Said Section 131 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws, is hereby further
43amended in the fifth paragraph by striking in line one the following, “the examination and” and
44in line four the following “the examination or”
45 SECTION 4. Said Section 131 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws, is hereby further
46amended in the sixth paragraph by striking the following, “and has passed a specialty
47examination in clinical social work prepared by the board for this purpose.”
48 SECTION 5. Section 132 of Chapter 112 of the General Laws, is hereby struck in its
49entirety.
50 SECTION 6. Section 136 of said Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the
51official 2022 version, shall be amended by inserting after the fourth paragraph the following: 4 of 4
52 Licensed independent clinical social workers (LICSWs) engaged in independent clinical
53practice who provide one-on-one supervision to a licensed certified social worker, Master’s of
54social work intern, or Bachelor’s of social work intern, shall be eligible to receive up to eight
55continuing education credits during a licensing period for this supervision.