What to know to be prepared for the compact kickoff
The news arrived March 15 that the Council of State Governments, in partnership with the Department of Defense, had selected the social work profession to receive technical assistance to develop an interstate compact for occupational licensing portability. In the letter, CSG stated, “DoD believes the Association of Social Work Boards is best suited to lead compact development efforts on behalf of the profession.” Other collaborators in the effort are the National Association of Social Workers and the Clinical Social Work Association. The three organizations have worked together successfully in the past, most recently collaborating on development of the 2017 Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice.
The opportunity
The DoD is providing funding to CSG to help professions develop new interstate compacts to support military spouses and other professionals in state-licensed occupations. Social work is one of five professions selected for this opportunity. These professions will work with the CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts to develop model compact legislation. States that wish to enter into a compact may use this model legislation to develop laws that all participants will enact, providing consistency in language and enforcement.
The scope of CSG’s assistance includes drafting model interstate compact legislation, developing a legislative resource kit, and convening a national meeting of legislators, regulators, and state policy makers to introduce the compact. CSG estimates that the development phase will take approximately 12 to 16 months. States will have the discretion to determine whether a compact model is appropriate to adopt.
Benefits for licensees, states, and the public
The benefits of interstate compacts include:
- Streamlined relicensing process between compact member states for all practitioners in the occupation
- Support for military spouses of relocating active duty military personnel through provisions recognizing the unique requirements of military life
- Creation of streamlined pathways for interstate practice
- Increased public access to care or services
- Enhanced ability for member states to protect the public’s health and safety
- Increased cooperation of compact member states in regulating multistate practice
- Enhanced exchange of licensure, investigative, and disciplinary information
The Council of State Governments
CSG was founded in 1933 to serve all three branches of state government. Its mission is to champion excellence in state governments to advance the common good. CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy.
National Center for Interstate Compacts
CSG developed its National Center for Interstate Compacts as a policy program to assist states in developing interstate compacts. NCIC serves as an information clearinghouse, a provider of training and technical assistance, and a primary facilitator in assisting states in the review, revision, and creation of new interstate compacts.
The Department of Defense-State Liaison Office
The Department of Defense-State Liaison Office engages state policy makers on the needs of military members and their families. Current efforts focus on 10 key issues that promote the well-being of service members and their families. The DSLO is the DoD’s point of contact for the cooperative agreement with CSG.
The kickoff meeting
CSG and DoD are hosting a compact kickoff meeting for the social work profession on Thursday, May 20, at 2 p.m. EDT via Zoom. Social work regulators and other interested stakeholders are invited to attend. Topics to be covered include aspirations for the project, the function of interstate compacts, the development process, and the need for license portability in the social work profession. The presentation will include a Q&A session with CSG, DoD, and profession experts. Visit the Social Work Compact Kickoff Meeting registration page to attend.