In the past few months, we have been lobbying for the Social Work Interstate Compact.  If DC signed on to the Compact, the need to have multiple licenses in multiple states would be eliminated. The Board of Social Work has been decidedly cool to the idea, so we initiated a letter-writing campaign to the Chair of the Committee on Health, Cristina Henderson, and City Council members.  Meanwhile, the psychologists have Psypact, and a Counseling Compact is going to get a City Council hearing on December 7.

We have been advocating for Group Supervision to count as part of the supervision hours required for LICSW licensure (as Maryland does).  The BOSW has been considering the issue and wrote a draft group supervision policy statement that was discussed at the November meeting.  The Executive Director, Latrice Herndon, emphasized that supervisees are responsible for maintaining the necessary documentation of their supervision hours:  “Your license, your livelihood, your responsibility."  

The Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act passed the Council and is on its way to Mayor Bowser’s desk.  The bill provides for free tuition and associated expenses for DC residents to get degrees in Social Work or Counseling, after which there is a 2-year work commitment.  A Board member questioned the quality of education and career preparation at UDC.  The MSW program has not yet been set up.

Having completed the licensing cycle, he Board has begun auditing license applications for such things as lateness and incomplete CEU requirements.  The Board is planning to increase fines and assessments for licensing or license application infractions.