Becoming a Social Work Regulator: A Unique Area of Practice

Broaden Your Social Work Practice To Include Becoming a Social Work Regulator

by Mary Jo Monahan, MSW, LCSW

   Seriously, have you thought about becoming a social work regulator as an area of social work practice or to broaden your social work avenues to volunteer? Service on a state or provincial regulatory board offers opportunity to flex your macro muscles and help solve some of the biggest challenges facing the profession, such as practice mobility.

     The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) is the nonprofit association of social work regulatory bodies in the United States and Canada. Our 64 member boards currently count almost 500,000 licensed social workers in North America.

     Safeguarding the public interest, or public protection, is the compelling reason for regulating social work practice. The purpose of licensure is to ensure that only qualified persons are permitted to practice as defined in state law. Licensure also shows that social work is a learned profession affecting public health, safety, and welfare. To become licensed, social workers must demonstrate that they have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to practice safely, competently, and ethically. These professionals merit and should receive the confidence of the public. 

     The regulatory board is responsible for the enforcement of licensure laws and provides a policy framework for initial licensure, including standards for education, supervised experience, and examination; renewal of licenses; establishment and enforcement of compliance with professional standards of practice; legal recourse for the public if harmed; and regrettably, license removal, if necessary. 

     Regulatory boards offer interesting and important opportunities for licensed social workers to be involved: from being employed as staff to the board, to appointment as a voting board member, to being a consultant on a probable cause panel or for a disciplined licensee. Boards need competent, informed, and unbiased social workers who take their ethical responsibilities seriously and have the courage and fortitude to be trained as disciplined regulators. 

     Because the enforcement power of the board is at the very heart of regulation, it is paramount that regulators become comfortable with their responsibilities to stop wrongdoers, discipline them, and when appropriate, guide them in rehabilitation. In my five years as a regulator, this was the most challenging, complicated, stressful, yet fulfilling aspect of my service. 

     There are other aspects to service on a regulatory board besides the disciplinary component. Serving on a board allows social workers to exercise "macro practice muscles" that you might otherwise not be able to use in your day job. Board members contribute to legislation, set policy, and review the license applications of social workers. Change is implemented through regulatory boards and by working with legislators. This is one way that social workers “live” social work values: advocating for public protection through promotion of competent and safe practice. 

     The entry point for volunteer service on a regulatory board is often appointment by the governor. If you want to make a difference through service, be intentional about putting your name forward. If you wait to be “voluntold,” someone else will be making the changes to policy that affect our profession. You have the opportunity to contribute to the change you want to see occur. Stand Up!   

Mary Jo Monahan is the CEO of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB).

My Service to the Profession as a Social Work Regulator

by M. Jenise Comer, LCSW, MSW, ACSW

     More than two decades ago, NASW urged schools and state chapters to help draw attention to the nationwide problem of domestic violence. As a result of my efforts, the NASW chapter executive called to invite me to join the chapter’s board. I accepted and worked with other members to hire the board’s next executive director. 

     The new director’s first agenda item was to pass legislation to license clinical social workers. Success was achieved by focusing on licensure as a workforce issue. The director later asked if she could forward my name to the governor’s office for a position on the state licensing board. I agreed and was soon contacted for an interview, where I was asked why I wanted to be on the board. That question caused me to think: “Do I really want to be on the state licensing board?”  I was teaching full time and my mother had just moved in with my family to ease my role as her caretaker. I was a single parent. My oldest was away at college, and my second child was in high school and involved in competitive gymnastics. I worked part time to support these needs. I wondered if I had time to add the role of regulator. What encouraged me was the opportunity to make a difference to the profession in general and, specifically, in my state.  I was committed to public protection and energized by the goal of licensing all social workers, which required legislative changes. I responded by saying: “If you want something done, ask a busy person.”  

     Shortly thereafter, I was appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. The next two governors reappointed me to continue service for a total of 15 years. I worked on almost every task force to develop legislation on supervision, continuing education, and multi-level licensing. For several years, I was elected by the board to serve as secretary and then as chair.

     I attended conferences and training to increase my competence as a regulator. Board service encompasses many components, from responding to clients’ complaints to developing legislation to reviewing license applications and renewals. The mission in all these activities is public protection. I was saddened and disappointed by complaints of unethical and unprofessional conduct, including sexual and other dual relationships, exploitation, or billing fraud, and services delivered by impaired, unethical, or incompetent professionals. These instances confirmed for me that regulation is a social justice issue.

     Another important role of regulatory boards is granting licenses to practitioners in good standing in other jurisdictions, which is also known as practice mobility. During my board service, I worked diligently to reduce barriers to mobility. I remain passionate about achieving this objective and continue to work toward that end as president of the ASWB board of directors.

     I believe “regulator” is an additional social work role. At the micro level, we prepare for licensure and engage in continuing education.  At the mezzo level, we provide supervision and continuing education to other social workers. At the macro level, we serve on state licensing boards or in other policymaking positions. 

    I hope my story compels other licensed social workers to explore serving on their state boards. Collectively, we need to advance the profession by achieving licensure of all social workers and full practice mobility. For more information, go to www.aswb.org and www.movingsocialwork.org.

M. Jenise Comer, LCSW, MSW, ACSW, is the president of the ASWB Board of Directors.