Updates to the Social Work General Rules Approved

Last Fall, Michigan social workers were notified that the social work General Rules were reopened for changes and review.  That open hearing was held on January 7, 2022 and NASW-Michigan was in attendance for the hearing. All the changes made to the existing rules can be found here: https://ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us/Transaction/RFRTransaction?TransactionID=1311

Some of the key changes:

• The amendments to the rules clarify definitions, update educational standards, and update the training standards for identifying victims of human trafficking.

• The amendments also clarify the requirements for registration, registration by endorsement, and reregistration and amend the registration by endorsement and reregistration rules to require an applicant to disclose each license, registration, or certification in a health profession or specialty issued by any other jurisdiction or entity and require the applicant to demonstrate that no disciplinary proceedings are currently pending and that any prior sanction has been satisfied.

• The amendments add the requirements for a Canadian-licensed applicant to apply for licensure by endorsement as a bachelor’s or master’s social worker, and they require an applicant for licensure by endorsement or relicensure as a bachelor’s or master’s social worker to disclose each license, registration, or certification in a health profession or specialty issued by any other jurisdiction or entity and require the applicant to demonstrate that no disciplinary proceedings are currently pending and that any prior sanction has been satisfied.

• Amendments have also been made to the requirements for relicensure as a bachelor’s or master’s social worker to reduce the number of hours of supervised work experience hours needed for those applicants whose license has been lapsed for more than 3 years but less than 7 years.

• The amendments also clarify the requirements for license renewal and the accumulation of continuing education credit hours.

The revised rules can be found here: https://ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us/Transaction/DownloadFile?FileName=FinalRule.doc&FileType=FinalRule&TransactionID=1311&EffectiveDate=Pending

There has not yet been a date set for when the rules will be promulgated, but we will notify membership as soon as that date is published.

We at NASW-Michigan encourage all social workers, if possible, to attend these meetings and the six annual Board of Social Work meetings.  Together our presence may help move the profession further.  You can find the meeting schedule on our calendar of events at www.nasw-michigan.org

Thank you for all that you do!  Happy Social Work Month!