H-0047.2

HOUSE BILL 1021

ByRepresentatives Thai, Orwall, Leavitt, Ryu, Simmons, Reed, Lekanoff, Callan, Macri, Reeves, Wylie, Kloba, Ormsby, and Ramel

AN ACT Relating to aligning social worker licensing requirements with national standards and requirements for other mental health professionals; amending RCW 18.225.090; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the standards for licensing social workers have changed since social workers were first licensed in the state of Washington in 2001. Therefore, the legislature intends to align licensing standards more closely to those articulated by the national association of social workers, the association of social work boards, and the forthcoming interstate compact on social work licensing.

Sec. 2. RCW 18.225.090 and 2021 c 21 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The secretary shall issue a license to any applicant who demonstrates to the satisfaction of the secretary that the applicant meets the following education and experience requirements for the applicant's practice area.

(a) Licensed social work classifications:

(i) Licensed advanced social worker:

(A) Graduation from a master's ((or doctorate)) social work educational program accredited by the council on social work education or a social work doctorate program at a university accredited by a recognized accrediting organization, and approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards;

(B) Successful completion of an approved examination;

(C) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The supervised experience requirement consists of a minimum of ((three thousand two hundred))3,000 hours with supervision by an approved supervisor who has been licensed for at least two years. Of those supervised hours:

(I) At least ((ninety))90 hours must include direct supervision as specified in this subsection by a licensed independent clinical social worker, a licensed advanced social worker, or an equally qualified licensed mental health professional. Of those hours of directly supervised experience((:

(2) At))at least ((forty))40 hours must be in one-to-one supervision and ((fifty))50 hours may be in one-to-one supervision or group supervision; and

(II) Eight hundred hours must be in direct client contact; and

(D) Successful completion of continuing education requirements of ((thirty-six))36 hours, with six in professional ethics.

(ii) Licensed independent clinical social worker:

(A) Graduation from a master's ((or doctorate)) level social work educational program accredited by the council on social work education or a social work doctorate program at a university accredited by a recognized accrediting organization, and approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards;

(B) Successful completion of an approved examination;

(C) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The supervised experience requirement consists of a minimum of ((four thousand))3,000 hours of experience, over a period of not less than ((three))two years, with supervision by an approved supervisor who has been licensed for at least two years and, as specified in this subsection, may be either a licensed independent clinical social worker who has had at least one year of experience in supervising the clinical social work of others or an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner. Of those supervised hours:

(I) At least ((one thousand))1,000 hours must be direct client contact; and

(II) Hours of direct supervision must include:

(1) At least ((one hundred thirty))100 hours by a licensed mental health practitioner;

(2) At least ((seventy))70 hours of supervision with a licensed independent clinical social worker meeting the qualifications under this subsection (1)(a)(ii)(C); the ((other sixty))remaining hours may be supervised by an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner; and

(3) At least ((sixty))60 hours must be in one-to-one supervision and ((seventy))the remaining hours may be in one-to-one supervision or group supervision; and

(D) Successful completion of continuing education requirements of ((thirty-six))36 hours, with six in professional ethics.

(b) Licensed mental health counselor:

(i) Graduation from a master's or doctoral level educational program in mental health counseling or a related discipline from a college or university approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards;

(ii) Successful completion of an approved examination;

(iii) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The experience requirement consists of a minimum of ((thirty-six))36 months full-time counseling or ((three thousand))3,000 hours of postgraduate mental health counseling under the supervision of a qualified licensed mental health counselor or equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner, in an approved setting. The ((three thousand))3,000 hours of required experience includes a minimum of ((one hundred))100 hours spent in immediate supervision with the qualified licensed mental health counselor, and includes a minimum of ((one thousand two hundred))1,200 hours of direct counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups; and

(iv) Successful completion of continuing education requirements of ((thirty-six))36 hours, with six in professional ethics.

(c) Licensed marriage and family therapist:

(i) Graduation from a master's degree or doctoral degree educational program in marriage and family therapy or graduation from an educational program in an allied field equivalent to a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards;

(ii) Successful passage of an approved examination;

(iii) Successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. The experience requirement consists of a minimum of two calendar years of full-time marriage and family therapy. Of the total supervision, ((one hundred))100 hours must be with a licensed marriage and family therapist with at least five years' clinical experience; the other ((one hundred))100 hours may be with an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner. Total experience requirements include:

(A) A minimum of ((three thousand))3,000 hours of experience, ((one thousand))1,000 hours of which must be direct client contact; at least ((five hundred))500 hours must be gained in diagnosing and treating couples and families; plus

(B) At least ((two hundred))200 hours of qualified supervision with a supervisor. At least ((one hundred))100 of the ((two hundred))200 hours must be one-on-one supervision, and the remaining hours may be in one-on-one or group supervision.

Applicants who have completed a master's program accredited by the commission on accreditation for marriage and family therapy education of the American association for marriage and family therapy may be credited with ((five hundred))500 hours of direct client contact and ((one hundred))100 hours of formal meetings with an approved supervisor; and

(iv) Successful completion of continuing education requirements of ((thirty-six))36 hours, with six in professional ethics.

(2) The department shall establish by rule what constitutes adequate proof of meeting the criteria. Only rules in effect on the date of submission of a completed application of an associate for her or his license shall apply. If the rules change after a completed application is submitted but before a license is issued, the new rules shall not be reason to deny the application.

(3) In addition, applicants shall be subject to the grounds for denial of a license or issuance of a conditional license under chapter 18.130 RCW.

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