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Legislative Updates
State Social Work Compact Signed by Governor
The Social Work Licensure Compact (HB 1939) was signed into law on March 19, 2024. NASW-WA Legislative Action Committee Chair Nichelle Curtis McQueen, Bob Cooper with Evergreen Public Affairs, and Executive Director Jeremy Arp joined Rep. Orwall, Department of Defense Representatives, Veterans Organizations and community members for the bill signing at Governor Inslee’s office. Washington was the fourth state to join the social work licensure compact, following Missouri, South Dakota, and Utah. There is compact legislation pending in many states currently: Check out the compact map to find out more.
The Compact creates a Commission (composed of member states) to help administer the program. To be eligible for a multistate license under the Compact, applicants would need to hold or be eligible for an active, unencumbered license in their home state; pay any applicable fees and submit application materials; notify their home state of any adverse actions or encumbrances on their license; and meet their home state’s continuing education requirements. The Compact’s aims are to ease mobility for licensees, expand employment opportunities, leverage technology, and support relocating military families.
The compact needs seven states to activate; that means that once the seventh state signs the bill into law and all states have met their effective dates, construction of the Compact Commission begins to help administer the agreement. Interstate Compact Licensure will take time to become active, however the compact is the first step in this process. Stay tuned!
E2SHB 2247: Addressing Behavioral Health Provider Shortages
This year’s legislative session included not only the Compact bill, but also E2SHB 2247 (Addressing behavioral health provider shortages.) sponsored by Rep. Bateman. This bill includes provisions to create an associate credential for psychologists and allows applicants for social work, counseling, and marriage and family therapist associate licenses to practice without a license under direct supervision for 120 days or until the applicant’s license is issued or denied (whichever is sooner).
E2SHB 2247 changes the supervisor stipend program for associate licensees from paying associates directly to providing supervisors a stipend to offset the costs of providing supervision to associates. The bill also eliminates the limit on the number of times an associate license may be renewed. The change in law allows for licensees whose associate license was not renewed due to exceeding the renewal limit will be treated as if the person’s license expired – that person would be allowed to return to active status.
The bill also includes a change to continuing education: Continuing education requirements for professions licensed under RCW 18.225 are eliminated from statute and retained in rule (WAC). The continuing education requirements in WAC would be subject to rules developed by the Department of Health in consultation with the Washington State Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Social Workers Advisory Committee. The association will continue to monitor the rulemaking process for HB 2247 as well as the continued work implementing last year’s HB 1724 which seeks, in part, to eliminate barriers to licensure.
National
Urge your Members of Congress to Improve Access to Telemental Health Services
The Telemental Health Care Access Act (S. 3651/H.R. 3432) is much-needed bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will permanently remove a problematic requirement that Medicare beneficiaries be seen in person as a prerequisite to receiving telemental health services. Click the link to take action!
The COMPLETE Care Act- Urge your members of Congress to co-sponsor.
The Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective Care Act or the COMPLETE Care Act would enhance Medicare payment rates for behavioral health integration services to help with the startup costs of implementing integrated care models. Click the link to take action!
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