Important Updates on the Social Work Licensure Compact
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
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MARCH 2023 COMPACT UPDATE
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) welcomed the release this week of the Social Work Interstate Compact Model Bill on February 27, 2023. The bill will expand opportunities for social workers to provide services in multiple states. Seven states must enact the Model Social Work Compact Bill before the Compact Commission is established. The Commission will serve as an administrative body overseeing the Interstate Compact for Social Workers. The Council of State Governments (CSG) oversaw the development of the legislation.
NASW-Michigan is discussing this with our legislative partners to determine our path forward.
Learn more about the Model Social Work Interstate Compact Bill Read the NASW Press Release View the Frequently Asked Questions
FEBRUARY 2023 COMPACT UPDATE
An interstate compact is a legal contract between two or more states/territories that would enable social workers to practice in each other’s jurisdiction, giving members of the profession more license mobility. The Council of State Governments (CSG) is overseeing development of the compact and the Association of Social Work Boards is the lead. NASW and the Clinical Social Work Association (CSWA) are partners. The interstate compact would facilitate mobility of regulated (licensed) social workers by authorizing the social worker who holds an interstate compact license in a member state (the “home state”) to practice social work in all member states (“remote states”). State participation in the compact would be voluntary/optional. A social worker with an interstate compact license would only be authorized to practice in the states that have opted in to the compact. When practicing telehealth services, the social worker’s scope of practice would be determined by the laws of the state in which the client is located when receiving services. In other words, if you are located in Pennsylvania and providing telehealth to a client who is located in Kentucky at the time of service, you are practicing in Kentucky and must abide by Kentucky licensing laws and regulations. Renewal requirements for the interstate compact license, such as continuing education, would be determined by the laws/regulations of the social worker’s home state. Obtaining a social work license when moving from one member state to another member state would be simplified. A remote member state can take “adverse action” against a licensed social worker with an interstate compact license, but only the social worker’s home state can revoke the license.
According to a statement released by CSG after the meeting this week, the Model Social Work Compact Bill will be finalized and ready for state enactment by February 27, 2023. Seven states must enact the Model Social Work Compact Bill in its entirety before the Compact Commission and infrastructure necessary to implement it can be put in place.
Though we don’t have the final Model Social Work Compact Bill in hand, we look forward to seeing the final legislation in the coming weeks and will plan to assist social workers with understanding what it means related to their practice and social work regulation across the country. In preparation for all the exciting changes that are on the forefront, NASW is preparing resources that will aid state chapters by offering technical assistance to address compact-related issues and will continue to provide updates as available and/or appropriate.
On Friday, July 8, 2022 the draft legislation for the social work interstate licensure compact was released by the Council of State Governments (CSG); the public comment period is now open and is expected to last for approximately two months. The goal of a licensure compact is to facilitate multistate practice among member states and reduce the barriers to license portability. While many thoughtful social workers from across the country have been part of the drafting process – including several representing NASW - licensure is different in every state and this legislation will affect each state differently. It is vital that social workers across the country review this draft legislation and weigh in during this public comment period.
Once finalized and with the support of our social work community, we hope it will be a bill we can get passed in the Michigan Legislature so that social workers in our state can participate in the compact. We will need your advocacy once this process begins.
To download a copy of the draft legislation, review the fact sheet, read FAQs, register for CSG’s weekly stakeholder review sessions, and access the survey link to provide your comments - visit the Council on State Governments (CSG) website at
https://compacts.csg.org/compact-updates/social-work/
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Want to learn more about what it all means before submitting your comments? Check out these opportunities:
When you are ready to submit your comments, please complete the feedback survey at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/socialworkcompact
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Some of the benefits of a licensure compact:
- Eliminates the need for social workers to hold licenses in multiple states
- Facilitates telehealth
- Support workforce needs across states
- Streamlines licensing administration for both licensing boards and licensed social workers
- Promotes continuity of care when social workers or clients relocate
- Allows social workers to expand services into new markets
- Promote uniformity of licensing standards
NASW-Michigan will continue to keep you updated as conversations on the compact continue.
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