We have heard questions about legislation regarding the social work profession in DC. This page outlines the specifics of the pieces of legislation; please see our FAQ page to get the answers to common questions about the legislation.

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What does the Social Work License Modernization Amendment Act of 2023 do? 

Note: Christina Henderson has refused to move this bill forward, so it will "die" at the end of 2024.

• Eliminate the ASWB exam requirement at the Bachelors (LSWA) and Masters (LGSW) level, while keeping all other licensing requirements in place.

• ASWB exams for LICSW and LISW currently remain in place.

• Convene a taskforce to determine steps forward for assessment at the Clinical (LICSW) and Independent (LISW) levels. The taskforce includes:

  • The Director of the Department of Health, or the Director’s designee

  • The Director of the Department of Human Services, or the Director’s designee

  • The Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, or the Director’s designee

  • The Chair of the Board of Social Work, or the Chair’s designee

  • One representative of the DC Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, designated by the Executive Director of the DC Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers

  •  The following members appointed by the Mayor:

    • One representative from the DC Behavioral Health Association

    • At least 3 representatives from non-governmental social service agencies

    • At least 3 Masters of Social Work or Bachelor of Social Work graduates, at least 1 of whom has been negatively impacted by examination

You can read Robert White's press release here and the bill text here.

 

We hosted an information session about this bill, which you can view here. We also have our presentation slides and a two-page policy brief.

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What does the Pathways to Behavioral Health Degrees Act of 2023 do?

Note: This bill is now law!

• Provide full scholarships for DC residents to get Masters in Social Work or Counseling at UDC. 

• The scholarship includes: tuition, books, a monthly stipend for living and transportation expenses. 

• Graduates will then be committed to working in DC for two years following their graduation.

• The first year will have 20 students, subsequent years will have 40.

You can read Robert White's press release here and the bill here.

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What about the Social Work Interstate Compact? 

• DC has not yet introduced Interstate Compact legislation. You can find out more about where it has been introduced and passed here.

• The Compact is not yet in effect. 22 states have signed on so far, and the Compact Commission is meeting regularly to determine rules. It is estimated that the Multistate Compact licenses will become available late 2025 or early 2026.

• Compact language cannot be changed. It requires a "qualifying national exam" or "substantial equivalency" enshrined for the Bachelors, Masters, and Clinical level exams. This means ASWB exams.

• States (and DC) are allowed to have their own rules for their own single state licenses that are distinct from Compact licenses. So, removal of any exam requirements for DC does not affect DC's ability to join the Compact.

• Social workers can only get a Compact license if they live in a Compact state. So any concerns about obtaining DC Compact licenses would only apply to social workers who are also DC residents.