117
THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
REQUESTING A STUDY OF SOCIAL WORK LICENSING LAWS.


 1       WHEREAS, there is an increased interest in the professional
 2   social work community to enhance and restructure the current
 3   social work licensure law; and
 4   
 5       WHEREAS, there are a variety of licensure options that may
 6   be considered in restructuring the current law; and
 7   
 8       WHEREAS, one option is to increase the levels of licensure,
 9   including the addition of a "clinical level" of licensure and a
10   "bachelor level" of licensure; and
11   
12       WHEREAS, an independent review of the options available, in
13   consultation with the major professional social work groups,
14   the public, and other stakeholders, will facilitate an
15   understanding of the various restructuring options; now,
16   therefore,
17   
18       BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
19   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2000, the House of
20   Representatives concurring, that the Legislative Reference
21   Bureau (LRB) is requested to review Chapter 467E, Hawaii
22   Revised Statutes (HRS), and other social work licensure laws,
23   including multi-tiered laws that allow for "clinical level",
24   "bachelor level", and other levels of licensure; and
25   
26       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LRB is requested to include in
27   its review:
28   
29       (1)  The licensing provisions of chapter 467E, HRS;
30   
31       (2)  The social work licensure laws of other states;
32   
33       (3)  The rationale of the majority of states to support
34            multi-tiered licensing of social workers;
35   
36       (4)  The impact on, and benefits to, the public of multi-
37            tiered licensing;
38   
39       (5)  The rationale for states to choose "practice laws"

 
Page 2                                                     117
                                  S.C.R. NO.            S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1            rather than "title protection" licensure laws;
 2   
 3       (6)  The continuing education requirements that are
 4            embedded in other states' licensing requirements;
 5   
 6       (7)  The funding mechanisms that are used to fund social
 7            work licensing in other states;
 8   
 9       (8)  The levels of supervision, credentialing, education,
10            training, experience, and expertise that are required
11            in other states' licensing laws; and
12   
13       (9)  The cost of implementing alternative social work
14            licensure laws for Hawaii;
15   
16   and
17   
18       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LRB is requested to consult
19   with:
20   
21       (1)  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;
22       
23       (2)  National social work professional groups, including
24            the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the
25            Clinical Social Work Federation (CSWF), the American
26            Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (ABECSW),
27            Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and the
28            Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB);
29   
30       (3)  Hawaii chapters of national professional
31            organizations, including the Clinical Social Work
32            Society of Hawaii (CSWSH) and the Hawaii Chapter of
33            NASW; and
34   
35       (4)  Hawaii social work educational institutions; 
36       
37   and
38   
39       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that LRB is requested to submit its
40   findings, conclusions, and recommendations, including proposed
41   legislation, if any, with respect to an appropriate social work
42   licensure structure for Hawaii, to the Legislature no later

 
 
 
 
 
Page 3                                                     117
                                  S.C.R. NO.            S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1   than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session
 2   of 2001; and
 3   
 4       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
 5   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the
 6   LRB; the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; the
 7   Presidents of the NASW, CSWF, ABECSW, CSWE, ASWB, and the
 8   University of Hawaii; and the Executive Directors of the CSWSH
 9   and the Hawaii Chapter of NASW.