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Minutes for HB2375 - Committee on Education
Short Title
Establishing the temporary candidacy baccalaureate and masters social work licenses and providing requirements and fees therefor.
Minutes Content for Mon, Mar 13, 2023
The Chair opened the hearing.
The Revisor gave an overview of the bill. (Attachment 2)
Matt Lindsey, President, Kansas Independent College Association (KICA), said this bill seeks to remedy a frustrating statutory and regulatory barrier to students pursuing a college degree in social work at certain institutions in Kansas. K.S.A. 65-6306, which provides BSRB with the statutory authority to regulate social work programs, does not distinguish between "accredited" and "in candidacy" programs in social work. "In candidacy" means that the program has applied for candidacy from the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE) and has met the initial test required. However, the statute does not allow for the BSRB to grant a license to students who graduate from a social work program that is only "in candidacy". Thus, why would any student choose to enroll in a program that is "in candidacy"? The online Master of Social Work (MSW) program at the University of Saint Mary (USM) falls into this catch-22 right now. They will be considered "in candidacy" next month, but their students will not be eligible to sit for a social work licensure exam and be licensed by the BSRB.
K.A.R. 102-2-6 is one of the regulations under the BSRB that deals with social work licensure. In it, the BSRB states that only degree programs where at least 50% of the curriculum is delivered "in residence" will be considered as suitable. "In residence" is defined specifically as face-to-face instruction. It prohibits online programs.
The University of Saint Mary faces a difficult choice. They cannot in good conscience recruit and educate students to their social work master's program as the students would be unable to earn a living in social work under the current law. USM can either abandon its program or educate students from other states.
Kansas needs social workers. This bill creates a fair pathway for temporary provisional license for graduates from programs that are "in candidacy" status and it explicitly authorizes online degree programs as allowable as a modality for delivery of high-quality post-secondary education in social work. (Attachment 3)
Dr. Joe Squillace, MSW, Program Director, Social Work Department, University of Saint Mary, said there is a growing shortage of Social Workers in Kansas. An NPR story in October, 2022, exhorted that "Kansas ranks among the worst in the country on both mental illness and its treatment." One issue is that Kansas is behind the rest of the nation by failing to provide temporary licensure for programs expanding education opportunities. There are at least four universities in Kansas developing new programs and are in some stage of the accreditation process with the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE). Providing a temporary licensing option for students graduating from these programs allows these programs to actively recruit and train the future social workers of Kansas.
Kansas is losing social work students to universities and colleges in other states, including major online education programs. Therefore, passing this statute will allow Kansas universities and colleges to be competitive in the market that Kansas is losing to other states while also guaranteeing protections of quality, competent, and professional social workers practicing in the State. (Attachment 4)
David Fye, Executive Director, Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB), explained that applicants who receive their education from programs accredited by the national accrediting body, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), will have their licensure applications expedited by BSRB. If students do not receive their education from programs accredited by CSWE, then those students must have received their education from a program that meets alternative requirements in the licensing regulations for the profession.
The CSWE accreditation process can take three to three and a half years to complete so newly created programs would have some individuals graduate from those programs prior to the programs reaching accreditation. If a program reaches accreditation, CSWE will backdate the date of the program's accreditation to the date they entered candidacy.
CSWE utilizes steps to accreditation that includes Pre-Candidacy, Candidacy and Accreditation. Four Advisory Committees for the BSRB are the Social Work Advisory Committee, Professional Counseling Advisory Committee, Addiction Counseling Advisory Committee and Marriage and Family Therapy Advisory Committee.
The changes in this bill are consistent with recommendations by the Board to the Statues and Regulations for social work profession and these changes will address workforce concerns while not endangering the public protection mission of the Board. (Attachment 5)
Discussion followed.
The Chair closed the hearing.
The meeting adjourned at 2:27 pm.
The next meeting will be held March 14, 2023 at 1:30 PM in Room 144-S.
