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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1967 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 93
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Adam Gomez
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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 to ensure parity in social work licensure.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Adam GomezHampdenJacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester1/25/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/27/2023Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex1/27/2023Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk1/27/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin1/27/2023Jason M. LewisFifth Middlesex1/31/2023John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth2/9/2023Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester2/9/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk2/9/2023Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex2/9/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/13/2023 1 of 5
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1967 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 93
By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 93) of Adam Gomez, Jacob R.
Oliveira, Jack Patrick Lewis, Rebecca L. Rausch and other members of the General Court for
legislation to ensure parity in social work licensure. Children, Families and Persons with
Disabilities.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to ensure parity in social work licensure.
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. Section 131 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in the first paragraph, the following:- “has
3passed an examination prepared by the board for this purpose; and”.
4 SECTION 2. Said Section 131 of Chapter 112, as so appearing, is further amended by
5striking out, in the second paragraph, the words “he has passed an examination prepared by the
6board for this purpose; and will conduct his”, and inserting in place thereof the following: “they
7will conduct their”.
8 SECTION 3. Said Section 131 of Chapter 112, as so appearing, is further amended by
9striking out the third paragraph in its entirety.
10 SECTION 4. Said Section 131 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is
11hereby amended by striking out, in the fourth paragraph, the words “he has passed an 2 of 5
12examination prepared by the board for this purpose; and will conduct his” and inserting in place
13thereof the following: “they will conduct their”.
14 SECTION 5. Said section 131 of Chapter 112, as so appearing, is further amended by
15striking out the fifth paragraph in its entirety.
16 SECTION 6. Said section 131 of Chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
17striking out, in the sixth paragraph, the words “and has passed a specialty examination in clinical
18social work prepared by the board for this purpose”.
19 SECTION 7. Section 132 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
20Official edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in the first paragraph, the words “licensed
21certified social workers, including those in independent clinical practice, licensed social workers
22and”.
23 SECTION 8. Chapter 112, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended
24by inserting after section 132 the following new section:-
25 Section 132A: (a) A provisional license shall be granted to those applicants who have
26taken the examination for a social work associate no less than two times and failed within 15
27points. The provisional license shall be valid for a maximum of one year. The licensee shall
28complete professional development, supervisory and educational requirements within no less
29than one year. Upon completion of the provisional license requirements the licensee shall be
30exempt from the testing requirement within section 132 and granted a full license.
31 (b) A licensee operating with a provisional license shall maintain a professional portfolio
32that shall include the following: 3 of 5
33 i. Affidavits of understanding regarding the provisional licensing process and
34requirements;
35 ii. Eleven separate 3-5 page typed, double spaced papers, each one covering a separate,
36specific core content area of social work practice;
37 iii. A daily journal of the probationary licensee’s activities and supervision for the
38probationary period;
39 iv. A 7-10 page typed, double spaced case analysis covering the probationary licensee’s
40work with a typical client during the probationary period;
41 v. A 3-5 page typed, double spaced self-evaluation completed by the probationary
42licensee which includes an analysis of the licensee’s professional knowledge, skills and abilities;
43 vi. Quarterly evaluations completed and submitted to the board by the supervisor
44regarding the probationary licensee’s development;
45 vii. An evaluation of the supervisor’s supervision skills completed by the probationary
46licensee;
47 viii. A notarized affidavit from the supervisor attesting to the readiness of the
48probationary licensee’s ability to perform as a professional social worker based on the
49knowledge, skills and abilities observed during the supervision period.
50 SECTION 9. There shall be established a special legislative commission, hereinafter the
51commission, to investigate the creation of a new certification for child welfare workers at the
52department of children and families. The commission shall consist of the house and senate chairs
53of the joint committee on children, families, and persons with disabilities, or their designees, who 4 of 5
54shall serve as co-chairs; the child advocate, or a designee; the commissioner of the department of
55children and families, or their designee; two current workers employed by the department of
56children and families and appointed by SEIU Local 509 who have served at the department for
57over five years; two representatives of child or family welfare organizations from communities
58which are disproportionately involved with the department of children and families, appointed by
59the co-chairs; and two individuals previously personally involved with the department of
60children and families, appointed by the co-chairs. All appointments shall be made not later than
6160 days after the effective date of this act. The commission shall convene its first meeting not
62more than 90 days from the effective date of this act.
63 The commission shall examine the feasibility and make recommendations regarding the
64creation of a new certification for child welfare workers at the department of children and
65families, including, without limitation: 1) whether social work licensure, as outlined in section
66121 of Chapter 112 of the general laws, is the only appropriate qualification to be a child welfare
67professional employed by the department of children and families; 2) explore the possibility of a
68new certification or form of licensure to be made available in addition to social work licensure,
69with training and education requirements specific to child protection and the work of the
70department of children and families; 3) consider what would qualify an individual for this new
71certification, recognizing that standardized tests are inherently biased and do not effectively
72evaluate a person’s ability to provide services to children and families; 4) ensure that the
73recommended criteria for child welfare certification not serve as a barrier to certification for
74members of communities disproportionately involved with the department of children and
75families, and ensures parity for workforce access regardless of primary language, cultural
76background, or race. 5 of 5
77 The Commission shall, no later than fifteen months from the effective date of this act,
78report to the general court on the results of its investigation and study together with its finding,
79by filing the same with the clerks of the house of representatives and senate who shall forward
80the same to the secretary of the executive office of health and human services, the house and
81senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on children, families, and persons
82with disabilities, and the joint committee on consumer protection and professional licensure.