The year 2020 ushers in a new decade for all of us, and it is sure to bring changes. Will those changes be social, economic, and /or political? We will have to “stay tuned” to see what the future holds. However, one thing we know for certain is that 2020 will be a year of […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Harold Dean, President, staff, strategic framework
“Whatever you are, be a good one.”—Abraham Lincoln Dwight Hymans, ASWB chief operating officer, shared Lincoln’s quote during his remarks following ASWB President Harold Dean’s announcement to staff that the Board of Directors had selected Hymans as incoming CEO. Hymans used the opportunity to offer thoughts about leadership and teamwork to the rest of […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Dwight Hymans, staff
The North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners is currently drafting administrative rules after the 2019 passage of a new law that improves the state’s mobility readiness. SB 2361 amends the state’s social work practice act to align with licensing standards in other states. It was signed by the governor on April 1, 2019. In […]
Category: newsletter
The issue of delegation of authority is an important concept for board members, staff, and relevant attorneys to understand. In short, the legislature enacts statutes that create and delegate authority to the social work boards to enforce the practice act in the interest of public protection. Where appropriate, social work boards delegate authority through the […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: code of ethics, counsel's column, public protection, Regulation
A grateful farewell LYNN KING of Alberta retired this month from her position as executive director and registrar of the Alberta College of Social Workers. She also stepped down from the role of president of the Canadian Council of Social Work Regulators. In sharing the news with ASWB, LYNN wrote, “I want to relay sincerest […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: ACE, asides, staff, volunteers
The Association of Social Work Boards started focusing on practice mobility in 2013, when its Board of Directors identified mobility as a strategic objective. Since that time, ASWB has collected qualitative data and collaborated with stakeholders to help its member boards understand the challenges faced by social workers who are adding a new license. Eventually, […]
Category: mobility, newsletter
Tag: Mobility
Embracing Regulatory Research, the 2020 education meeting, will be held April 23–25 in Chicago. Look for registration information in late January! Like a Classical Greek labyrinth, research is full of intricate passageways and blind alleys. Venturing into this maze will reveal ideas that lead to tantalizing places and ideas that lead to anticipated outcomes […]
Category: newsletter
“The big picture was the public protection that is provided by having an exam in place. That was a motivator.” Elizabeth Pope, Executive Director North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board For the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board, a process that began three and a half years ago—when ASWB […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Board exchange, exam administration, legislative partnerships
ASWB presented awards to three long-term contributors to the regulation of social work at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly. Contributor Award The Contributor Award—given this year for the first time—went to Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D. “What a career!” ASWB President Tim Brown said upon presenting Reamer with the award. A professor in […]
Category: newsletter
“Welcome to Florida!” quipped Lisa Bolhouse, a member of the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling, as delegates prepared to cast another ballot for the 2020 Nominating Committee. The election process at the Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly, complete with runoffs and ties, was the first […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Elections, volunteers
As most of you know, I announced my intention to retire in 2020 on November 9, 2019, at our Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly in Orlando, Florida. It has been a curious journey for me to get to this important life decision and now that I am here, I am persisting in embracing this […]
Category: newsletter
A total of 53 delegates attended ASWB’s 2019 Annual Meeting, one of the highest turnouts in the association’s 40-year history. All delegates came prepared to represent their jurisdictions in business matters before the assembly. In addition to electing members to the 2020 Board of Directors and the 2020 Nominating Committee, delegates voted on proposed amendments […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: meetings, strategic framework
As I discussed at ASWB’s 2019 Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly in Orlando, Florida, the issue of good moral character as related to eligibility for initial licensure and licensure renewal is facing an ever-changing landscape. Most jurisdictions have a good moral character requirement as a prerequisite to licensure eligibility. Under scrutiny is what constitutes […]
Category: newsletter
They say it’s your birthday After hearing that CLAUDE SAVOIE of New Brunswick was celebrating a birthday, DJ Adam gave him a moment in the center of the dance circle, playing the Beatles classic so CLAUDE could showcase his moves. The dance party, featuring hit songs from years that were significant in ASWB history, was […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: asides, Mary Jo Monahan, training, volunteers
At the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly, ASWB membership afforded trust in me to fill the Office of President. This position consists of one year as president-elect, two years as president, and a final year as past president. At the end of the 2019 Delegate Assembly, it will be my time to transition […]
Category: newsletter
“My goal as president is to make sure the work of the association is staying true to the 2019–2021 Strategic Framework. … One of the things delegates entrusted to the president is keeping those goals ever present in our work.”– Harold Dean, incoming ASWB president Incoming ASWB president Harold Dean of Arkansas has had a […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Harold Dean, President
When California governor Gavin Newsom signs a bill into law, it often makes national news. But even though his signature on Senate Bill 679 may not have garnered media headlines, the legislation is big news for regulators of social work and other licensed professions. The law, which goes into effect on January 1, 2020, will […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: legislative partnerships, Mobility, strategic framework
An innovative collaboration between an ASWB member board and a group of educators took place in September in Columbus, Ohio, when that state’s Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board hosted more than 50 educators and guests for a day of information-sharing. ASWB’s Education and Research Senior Manager Janice Fitts was on hand […]
Category: newsletter
Building on the popularity of New Board Member Training, ASWB began offering additional trainings aimed at specific roles. “After the Executive Leadership Training for board chairs and board administrators in 2018, many of the participants asked for training on becoming the board chair for the first time,” says CEO Mary Jo Monahan. “So Jennifer [Henkel, […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Member services, training
As they sit in front of a computer screen taking an ASWB social work licensing exam, test-takers might not think much about each question’s origin story. But ASWB puts abundant thought, effort, expertise, and careful monitoring into making sure every exam item contributes to a valid and reliable exam. “The ASWB social work examinations measure […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: exam development, Exams, item writers
“The proposed amendments to the ASWB bylaws related to membership provide ASWB with the flexibility to ensure member board participation in important decision-making related to programs and services, as well as alleviate, or perhaps eliminate, the need for formal state letter agreements. … To be clear, to the extent a state law requires a […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: counsel's column, meetings
Then and Now Note: During our 40th anniversary year, we’ll be bringing you Then and Now, featuring memories from the archives and current items, for a look at how ASWB has changed and grown! Then: An early website news page from 2000 announces two big moments in ASWB history: the change of the association’s name from […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: asides
Member boards have a role in achieving the strategic framework—ASWB staff are ready to assist Exemptions allow social work practice to occur without requiring the practitioner to be licensed. Generally, exemptions are based on practice setting. During early legislative wrangling to get licensing laws on the books, exemptions were often viewed as a politically necessary […]
Category: newsletter
ASWB’s Exam Committee is the largest committee in the association. At multiple in-person meetings each year, committee members review dozens of exam questions to approve their use as unscored items on the licensing exams. But Exam Committee members aren’t the only volunteers pondering important questions. Five other ASWB committees met in Alexandria, Virginia, in July […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Continuing competence, Nominating Committee, volunteers
Recognizing volunteers for leadership and commitment is part of the Volunteer Engagement and Outreach department’s role in serving ASWB membership. In 2018, the department conceived of the Contributor Award in response to executive management’s desire to recognize individuals who have contributed to the work of ASWB who are not ASWB members. “The Contributor Award recognizes […]
Category: newsletter
Government regulation involves the enactment of a statute (practice act) that sets forth the legislative intent to restrict practice of the profession to those duly licensed by a governmental agency/board. Licensure is required as a prerequisite to lawful practice of the profession, and practice without a license may result in criminal and/or administrative sanctions. […]
Category: newsletter
Six scholars and two faculty members gathered this June at ASWB headquarters in Culpeper, Virginia, for the 2019 Path to Licensure Institute intensive. Representing colleges and universities from several regions in the United, these educators engaged in a weeklong learning experience facilitated by ASWB staff and led by two faculty members who have a longtime affiliation […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Path to Licensure
ASWB and NASW talk about licensure by endorsement CEOs MARY JO MONAHAN of ASWB and ANGELO McCLAIN of NASW discussed ASWB’s mobility plan and licensure by endorsement on Social Work Talks, NASW’s monthly podcast. The podcast was posted Tuesday, August 27. Be sure to listen and share with others! Congratulations Congratulations to RUTH WEINZETTLE of […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: asides, ASWB headquarters, item writers, media, Mobility, New Board Member Training
Many ASWB members and staff attended the Council on Licensure, Enforcement & Regulation’s International Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia, in June. ASWB also hosted the business meeting of the International Federation of Social Work Regulators, an informal voluntary group of professional social work regulators from around the world. IFSWR meets in conjunction with the meetings […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Mary Jo Monahan, Mobility
A nonprofit association’s board of directors is a group of individuals who work collaboratively with and empower the association’s chief executive officer to lead the organization toward a sustainable future. The ASWB Board achieves this responsibility by embracing healthy, ethical, and legal governance and prudent financial oversight; ensuring adequate resources; and focusing on issues pertinent […]
Category: newsletter
Regulatory research and ASWB have gone hand in hand for decades, so much so that it is a central purpose of the association’s bylaws. By incorporating research into the strategic framework, the ASWB Board of Directors acknowledges its continuing importance to members and the regulatory community at large. Although nursing and medicine are at the […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Research, strategic framework
The 2019 Education Conference wrapped up on Saturday afternoon with an active, participatory session designed to solidify the points of view participants had learned about during the previous conference sessions. Moderator Jennifer Henkel, senior director of member services and strategic initiatives, introduced the four-speaker panel, affectionately calling them a “man-el.” She assigned the speakers and […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: education conference, legislative partnerships, public protection
A special opportunity With the 2019 Education Conference taking place in Arlington, Virginia, just an hour from Culpeper, all ASWB staff got to attend the conference on Friday, participating in two sessions and joining members for lunch. It was an opportunity for staff to increase their knowledge about ASWB activities and meet the members whom […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: asides
David Benton, CEO of the National Council of State Nursing Boards, took to the podium at ASWB’s 2019 Education Conference with a message for social work regulators: Pressure to deregulate is happening in all professions, and the strongest leverage regulators have is data. “In God we trust,” he said. “Everyone else has to bring data. […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: education conference, Research
Social work regulatory boards are statutorily created and delegated with the authority to carry out the intent of the law in the interest of health, safety, and welfare of the public. As part of this delegated statutory authority, social work boards should be delegated with the right to summarily suspend a license under certain circumstances. […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: counsel's column
During the first session of the 2019 ASWB Education Conference, attorneys Dale Atkinson and Julie Maciura prepared attendees for later sessions on ways to effect change and make improvements in legislation and regulation. Each offered a wide-angle look at regulation, bringing a historical and multiprofession perspective to an audience of social work regulators whose daily […]
Category: newsletter
When Tobi Zavala was named executive director of the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners in 2014, she was glad to have a registered lobbyist available who could notify the board of pending legislation and help the board build relationships in the Arizona Capitol. “The governor decided that he was going to introduce an executive […]
Category: newsletter
The second goal of the 2019–2021 Strategic Framework, “Facilitate mobility by licensure through endorsement,” carries to the next step the work done by ASWB members over the past several years: To effect change in social work regulation to decrease burdens on social workers who want to add a license in a new jurisdiction. When ASWB […]
Category: newsletter
“Once again, the ASWB examination program is proud to welcome a group of committed and diverse subject matter experts to the Examination Committee.” — Lavina Harless, Director of Examination Development. Social work is called a “helping profession.” This attribute was at the forefront during the first meeting of the 2019 Examination Committee in Charleston, South Carolina, […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: exam development, volunteers
This month saw a big change for ASWB’s Approved Continuing Education program, one that is welcomed by members who count on ASWB to evaluate CE offerings. Beginning April 1, 2019, ACE began offering individual course approval in addition to the provider approval that has been the program’s cornerstone service to member boards. Continuing education providers […]
Category: newsletter
“THINK POSITIVE” says the sign on the wall over Felicia Dennison’s desk. Another plaque just below her computer monitors says “Make it Happen.” Dennison, who joined ASWB as candidate services manager in July 2018, clearly brings the same upbeat attitude to her work. Her management of the Candidate Services Center focuses on “growth for the […]
Category: newsletter
“We are always willing to talk to your board members and board staff to answer questions or concerns about compliance with exam policy. We want to support you through this process.” — Dwight Hymans, ASWB Chief Operating Officer In 2016, ASWB drew a line. To protect the validity and reliability of the licensing examinations, […]
Category: newsletter
I want to brag about one of ASWB’s most visible yet unseen teams: the candidate services representatives who staff our call center. Providing customer service to exam candidates is a large part of what ASWB does, Monday through Friday. Our Candidate Services Center representatives handled 69,485 telephone calls in 2018. Think about that number. Despite […]
Category: newsletter
Who are the heroes you work with in social work regulation? Is there a board chair who steered your board through a difficult sunset process? Do you know an administrator who found a way to process applications more efficiently? Would you like to recognize a board member who has a knack for getting to the […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Awards, volunteers
As we celebrate 40 years of service, ASWB will be displaying and sharing images of items from our history. If you have something to share, email jwood@aswb.org. The history table will be on display at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly in Orlando, Florida. Asides Crafty hero When JENNIFER HENKEL wanted beauty-pageant-style sashes for […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: asides, Mary Jo Monahan, meetings, Tim Brown, volunteers
Having just completed serving as facilitator at the first of three annual Association of Social Work Boards New Board Member Training sessions, I am writing this column to reflect on the enthusiasm shared by the participants and identify anticipated issues for social work boards. As self-serving as this article may seem, NBMT breathes life into […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: counsel's column, Disciplinary actions, New Board Member Training
Mem’ries…. Do you still have that binder from the 1992 Delegate Assembly? An award for ASWB committee service that you received in the ’80s? A tote bag with the AASSWB logo? Photos from ASWB gatherings? We’d love to see them! As we celebrate 40 years of service in 2019, ASWB will be displaying and sharing […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: asides, volunteers
This year the association news will feature articles related to the 2019–2021 Strategic Framework. Watch for the icon appearing next to the title in each issue. Dale Atkinson’s Counsel’s Column makes the case for using the current emphasis on regulatory reform to educate the public, including legislators, consumers, and other constituents, about the positive role […]
Category: newsletter
Member services department expands to include strategic initiatives The new 2019–2021 Strategic Framework is already more than just a plan. With three overarching goals that focus on 1. acceptance and recognition of licensure in social work, 2. practice mobility, and 3. regulatory research, the framework affirmed at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly reflects […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: staff
Bruce Tuckman’s model of group development notes that well-functioning groups take time to develop. Time is required for individual members of a group to feel united, to become effective, and to arrive at an understanding of the importance of working toward greater causes—such as those of the Association of Social Work Boards. President’s message In […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: President
Carla Moore’s journey to reach the position of chair of the Nominating Committee serves as an example to all ASWB aspiring leaders. Moore put her name forward more than once before she was elected to the Nominating Committee, and she is quick to encourage others to “try, try again” if their desire to serve as […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: Nominating Committee
In a previous newsletter article (February 2018), the Counsel’s Column focused on why regulation is under political scrutiny and suggested that social work boards embrace this spotlight as an opportunity to shine. This column will focus on government involvement in regulation and continue to justify the need for public-sector regulation of the occupations and professions. […]
Category: newsletter
For the 2019 Education Conference in April, the association is returning to the metro D.C. area—a location familiar to ASWB committee members and volunteers over the last 40 years. The hotel’s address is Arlington, Virginia, but it’s situated less than a mile from the Virginia/District of Columbia border (the Potomac River), with easy access to […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: meetings
Pressures for change in licensure and regulation can seem to come at regulators with the force and relentlessness of ocean waves. Join ASWB for its 2019 Education Conference, “Preparing & Partnering for Regulation and Legislation: Rising Above the Waves,” to learn more about the challenges that regulators face—including pressure to deregulate, sunset laws, social issues […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: education conference, meetings
“There does not seem to be evidence that a wage premium or employment gap exist attributable to licensing.” Matthew Shafer, Council of State Governments The ASWB Board of Directors, ASWB staff, and members and staff from many member boards were part of the record-breaking attendance at the 2019 FARB Forum held in New Orleans, Louisiana, […]
Category: newsletter
Tag: FARB