STAND. COM. REP. NO.282-02
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: H.B. No. 2056
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2056 entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOCIAL WORK,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is to create a three-tier licensure program for social workers and change the regulatory oversight from "title protection" to "practice protection".
More specifically, social workers would be regulated at the following levels:
(1) A licensed bachelor social worker (LBSW), with a bachelor's social work degree and successful passing of the basic level examination of the Association of Social Work Boards;
(2) A licensed social worker (LSW), with a master's or a doctoral degree and successful passing of the intermediate or higher level examination of the Association of Social Work Boards; and
(3) A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who has not only the degrees of the LSW, but also:
(A) Successfully passed the clinical level national examination of the Association of Social Work Boards; and
(B) Provides evidence of having successfully completed specific post masters clinical social work experience in terms of years or hours, working with groups, face-to-face clinical diagnosis, and psychotherapy.
Your Committee finds that social workers often provide the first contact with clients who need mental health services, addiction rehabilitation services, counseling of all types, and social services for the elderly. Consumers of these services do not know exactly what they need and may have help at the hospital level, community centers, or health clinics to find a social worker who can help. In order to assure quality of service and a suitable level of assistance depending on the level of need, social workers come in a variety of levels in terms of education, experience, and training. This bill is designed to assure that the right "match" is made for the client, and that the social worker is held accountable for honesty and ethical behavior, as well as professional skill and knowledge.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2056, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2056, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Housing and Health,
|
____________________________ DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair |
____________________________ MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Chair |
|