SF753 requires city and state agency social workers and certain social workers who are employed by nonprofit nontribal agencies who are currently exempt from licensure to become licensed.  This bill also includes grandfathering provisions for these individuals so that they can become licensed.  It also makes changes to the temporary license provisions and adds a provision for an alternative supervisor.

Section 2 (148E.0555) creates a grandfathering period for certain licenses.

Subdivision 3 establishes the grandfathering qualifications for licensure as licensed social worker (LSW).

Paragraph (b) requires the applicant to submit to the board a criminal background check fee and a form authorizing a criminal background check.

Subdivision 4 establishes the grandfathering qualifications for licensure as a licensed graduate social worker (LGSW).  These are the same as subdivision 3.

Subdivision 5 establishes the grandfathering qualifications for licensure as a licensed independent social worker (LISW).  These are the same as subdivision 3.

Subdivision 6 establishes the grandfathering qualifications for licensure as a licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW). The criminal background check requirement is the same as subdivision 3.

Section 7 (148E.060, subdivision 2a) authorizes the board to issue a temporary license to practice social work to an applicant who has completed the requirements for a bachelor’s or graduate degree in social work from a program in candidacy status with an accrediting body and the applicant meets certain requirements.  The criminal background check requirement is the same as section 2, subdivision 3.

Note that under current law in section 148E.055, subdivision 8 (copy attached), if a background check indicates that an applicant has engaged in criminal behavior, the board may take various adversarial or disciplinary actions.

KC:tg