Social Work Month
March is Social Work Month!
Higher Education Licensure Pros LLC recognizes the critical role that social workers and social work regulators play in our communities!
We join the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) in celebrating social workers as essential workers this month and highlighting, among other critical roles, the social work regulator as an essential worker. The social work blog put out by ASWB, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), “Social Work Responds” stated the following in its Special Edition in honor of Social Work Month:
Social workers who request to serve on a regulatory board go above and beyond their daily work. Reasons to volunteer are as individual as the person answering the call: protecting the public, giving back to the profession, honoring the social work values of service and social justice. It is selfless, often thankless work. It is also rewarding, as ASWB members tell us with regularity. That dedication and commitment deserve recognition and a fervent thank you.
http://www.socialworkblog.org/practice-and-professional-development/2021/02/12548/
Social workers are regulated in every U.S. state and jurisdiction. Hundreds of regulatory board members and staff across the country give of their time, talent, and expertise to protect the public and profession, while ensuring that social workers are trained and qualified to help people address personal and systemic barriers to living their best lives. With all of the added challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic of the past year, we give these regulatory board members and staff our sincere gratitude!
HELP recently completed a comprehensive social work licensure research project for a university partner. While Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) accreditation of a social work program is a key to licensure, some regulatory boards look for more. Our work highlighted some notable differences in social work licensing across U.S. states and territories.
Social Worker Licensure Differences
The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) found 56 different types of social work titles across the U.S. states and jurisdictions (Association of Social Work Boards. (2018). Regulatory differences (Research report). Culpeper, VA)
Ten U.S. states do not offer a license for applicants who have a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree (42 states and four U.S. territories do offer this level of licensure). The ten states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
Nine U.S. states have coursework or training requirements for the first-level license after graduating with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. The nine states are California, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Utah, and Washington.
Eleven U.S. states (and District of Columbia) have coursework or training requirements for the higher-level license. The eleven states are Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin.
With so many variations in social work licensure requirements, it can be a challenge to keep track. If you need support understanding how your social work program meets licensure requirements, we are here to HELP!