Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1146, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote the professionalism of social workers by retaining the social worker classification in state social worker positions.

Specifically, this measure requires the Department of Human Resources Development to develop a plan for the implementation of separate classifications of a social worker class and a human services professional class. On May 1, 2004, the Department had eliminated the social worker class in all of its classifications and replaced it with the social worker/human services professional class. This measure re-establishes the social worker class separate from the human services professional class by dividing the social worker/human services professional classification into social workers and human services professionals. Also, the measure prohibits the Department of Human Resources Development from eliminating the social worker class in its classifications and eliminates the licensure exemption for government social workers, except for those employed by the State prior to July 1, 2007.

Your Committee finds that the previous reclassification divested social workers who held advanced social work degrees of their well-earned titles, by allowing individuals without social work degrees to be referred to as social workers under the new "social worker/human services professional class". Your Committee recognizes the unique services provided by social workers and their specialized education and training and believes that social work status should be restored. The class should also be upgraded by transitioning currently exempt state social workers into licensed social workers. Your Committee believes it is important to continue to use the title "social worker" and to maintain the requirements for social worker positions to ensure that clients who need social worker care will receive quality care from individuals who have received the appropriate social work education and training.

Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting amendments proposed by the National Association of Social Workers to:

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1146, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1146, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.