Rule-Making Notices
Notice of Hearing
Regulation and Licensing — Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling and Social Work Examining Board
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to authority vested in the Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling and Social Work Examining Board in sections 15.08 (5) (b), 227.11 (2), 457.03 (1), Wis. Stats., and interpreting section 459.09, Wis. Stats., the Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling and Social Work Examining Board, Social Worker Section will hold a public hearing at the time and place indicated below to consider an order to revise Chapter
MPSW 3, relating to social work training certificate.
Hearing Information
Date and Time Location
June 1, 2011 1400 East Washington Avenue
Wednesday Room 121 C
at 9:00 A.M. Madison, WI 53703
Appearances at the Hearing
Interested persons are invited to present information at the hearing. Persons appearing may make an oral presentation but are urged to submit facts, opinions and argument in writing as well. Facts, opinions and argument may also be submitted in writing without a personal appearance by mail addressed to the Department of Regulation and Licensing, Division of Board Services, P.O. Box 8935, Madison, Wisconsin 53708. Written comments must be received at or before the public hearing to be held on June 1, 2011, to be included in the record of rule-making proceedings.
Copies of Proposed Rule
Copies of this proposed rule are available upon request to Sharon Henes, Paralegal, Department of Regulation and Licensing, Division of Board Services, 1400 East Washington Avenue, P.O. Box 8935, Madison, Wisconsin 53708, or by email at
sharon.henes@wisconsin.gov.
Submittal of Written Comments
Comments may be submitted to Sharon Henes, Paralegal, Department of Regulation and Licensing, Division of Board Services, 1400 East Washington Avenue, Room 151, P.O. Box 8935, Madison, WI 53708-8935, or by email to
sharon.henes@wisconsin.gov. Comments must be received at or before the public hearing to be held on
June 1, 2011 to be included in the record of rule-making proceedings.
Analysis Prepared by the Department of Regulation and Licensing
Statute(s) interpreted
Statutory authority
Explanation of agency authority
Pursuant to s.
457.03 (1), Wis. Stats., the Joint Board of the Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling and Social Work Examining Board Social Work has the authority upon the advice of the social worker section to promulgate rules establishing minimum standards for educational programs that must be completed for certification or licensure as a social worker under this chapter.
Related statute or rule
Plain language analysis
The purpose of the proposed rules is to clarify and improve the Social Work Training Certificate (SWTC) procedure, to reduce confusion among prospective applicants, and to streamline the certificate approval process by clarifying the requirements for approval of one of the qualifying degree programs. The Social Work Training Certificate was created by the Legislature to allow students with undergraduate degrees in a small number of social-science majors to obtain basic-level social work certification by completing a number of social work courses and a supervised internship or work experience.
Section 1 repeals the language in MPSW 3.13 (1) (a) 1. and adds language that defines the standards for a human services program to be approved by the section. This Section repeals the language in MPSW 3.13 (1) (a) 2. and adds language to define the standards for an approved human services major. This Section repeals the language in MPSW 3.13 (1) (a) 3. and the note which follows because the proposed revisions in MPSW 3.13 (1) (a) 1. and MPSW 3.13 (1) (a) 2. provide definitive standards for approving a human services degree.
Section 2 amends MPSW 3.13 (2) to add language that increases the total number of required social work courses to be taken by the applicant while holding the Social Worker Training Certificate. The proposed rule clarifies the courses must be successfully completed and not merely taken. The proposed rule specifies the educational background of the course instructor, the type of educational materials to be used, and the minimum number of courses which must be taken at the same institution.
Section 3 amends the language in MPSW 3.12 (2) (b) to increase the number of social work practice and methods courses required to obtain social worker degree equivalency and an overall description of the nature of the qualifying coursework.
Section 4 amends the language in MPSW 3.13 (2) (b) 1. to describe the categories of social work practice and methods courses required to be completed to obtain social worker degree equivalency.
Section 5 amends the language in MPSW 3.13 (2) (b) 2. to describe the learning outcomes under the social work practice coursework and to describes the skills which the coursework will prepare the student to perform.
Section 6 renumbers the subparagraphs following MPSW 3.13 (2) (b) 2. to accommodate the new proposed language in MPSW 3.13 (2) (b) 1.
Section 7 repeals MPSW 3.13 (2) (b) 5. in its entirety due to proposed revisions in MPSW 3.13 (2) (b).
Section 8 amends MPSW 3.13 (2) (b) to add three new competencies that are required for the qualifying social work methods courses.
Section 9 amends MPSW 3.13 (2) (c) to add language which expands the theories and knowledge to be included in the human behavior in the social environment (HBSE) course.
Section 10 repeals MPSW 3.13 (3) (a) 1. in its entirety due to proposed language in MPSW 3.13 (3m).
Section 11 renumbers MPSW 3.13 (3) (a) 2. due to the repeal of MPSW 3.13 (3) (a) 1.
Section 12 amends the language in MPSW 3.13 (3) (b) to eliminate the language allowing the one year of social work employment to be completed in the applicant's degree program. Employment is not part of a program leading to the degree.
Section 13 repeals MPSW 3.13 (b) 1. in its entirety due to proposed language in MPSW 3.13 (3m). This Section repeals MPSW 3.13 (3) (b) 2. in its entirety due to the grandfather time period for employment while holding the social worker training certificate has passed.
Section 14 creates MPSW 3.13 (3m) to add new language describing the human services internship and employment competencies and to reflect the learning outcome and skills to be obtained in the internship or employment.
Section 15 amends MPSW 3.13 (4) to add proposed language which requires the student intern and the internship supervisor to enter into a learning contract to facilitate the goals and expectations of the internship.
Section 16 amends MPSW 3.13 (6) (b) to describe the type of changes made to an approved human services program which require the submittal of the program to the section for approval.
Comparison with similar rules in adjacent states
Illinois:
Illinois does not have a training certificate, temporary license, or diploma equivalency comparable to MPSW §
3.13. Illinois grants only two types of social work license:
• a clinical social work license requires a doctorate degree in social work with the completion of at least 2,000 hours of supervised clinical professional experience or a master's degree in social work with the completion of 3,000 hours of supervised clinical professional experience;
• a social work license requires a graduate degree in social work or an undergraduate degree in social work with the completion of at least 3 years of supervised professional experience subsequent to obtaining the degree.
Other than fulfilling the requirements of these two licenses, an applicant cannot obtain a new social work license in Illinois (with the exception of licensed social workers moving into Illinois from another state or country). For more information, please see the Illinois statutes here:
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1295&ChapterID=24.
Iowa:
Iowa does not have a training certificate, temporary license, or diploma equivalency comparable to MPSW §
3.13. Iowa grants four types of social work license with the following educational requirements:
• Bachelor level social worker — evidence that the applicant possesses a bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school.
• Master level social worker — evidence that the applicant possesses a master's degree in social work or doctoral degree in social work from an accredited school.
• Independent level social worker — evidence that the applicant possesses a master's degree in social work or a doctoral degree in social work from an accredited school, and have the equivalent of two years of full-time post-master's social work degree practice or 4000 hours of post-master's social work degree experience over a minimum of two-year and maximum of six-year period.
• Foreign-trained social worker — equivalency evaluation of their educational credentials by International Educational Research Foundations and a notarized copy of the certificate or diploma awarded to the applicant from a social work program in the country in which the applicant was educated.
Michigan:
Michigan does not have a training certificate, temporary license, or diploma equivalency comparable to MPSW §
3.13. Michigan grants two types of social work license:
• A licensed bachelor's social worker must have a bachelor's degree in social work and complete at least 2 years of full-time postbachelor degree experience, or the equivalent in part-time hours, in the practice of social work at the bachelor's level under supervision of a licensed master's social worker; and;
• A licensed master's social worker must have a master's or doctoral degree in social work and complete at least 2 years of full-time postmaster's/postdoctoral degree experience, or the equivalent in part-time hours, in the practice of social work at the master's level under supervision of a licensed master's social worker.
The Board may grant a limited license to applicants to engage in the 2-year post degree experience required under Michigan's social work licensing requirements if the applicant has completed all the educational requirements for licensure.
In addition, Michigan offers a “Social Service Technician" license, which allows an individual who is specially trained to practice only under the supervision of a licensed master's or bachelor's social worker to work under such licensed social worker. An individual may be registered as a social service technician if s/he:
• Has 1 year of social work experience or completed 2 years of college that included some coursework relevant to human services areas; and;
• Is employed in the practice of social work and applies social work values, ethics, principles, and skills, or has the equivalent of 2,000 hours of service in social work.
For more information, please see Part 185 of Chapter
333 of the Michigan statutes here:
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(5xo1jau0c41qwsirrdwvopze))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-368-1978-15-185.
