Supervision is one of the most familiar milestones on the path to independent social work practice. But a recent workshop for social work regulators at the 2026 ASWB Education Meeting made it clear that even familiar systems can raise complicated questions.

In August 2026, the ASWB Regulatory Research Committee finalized a two-year cycle of requesting, evaluating, and selecting regulatory research proposals. The committee, made up of volunteer regulatory board members, met to make funding decisions on proposals for research into social work supervision and technology use in social work.

Twenty-eight social workers—one of the largest cohorts ever recruited by ASWB—trained to write questions for the Social Work Licensing Exams in August. This diverse group represents a wide range of practice areas, geographic locations, and racial and ethnic identities.

Collecting workforce information can help regulators and policymakers gain a clearer picture of the social work workforce, including the difference between those who hold licenses and those who are actively practicing.