Section 84. The board shall, at its first meeting, and annually thereafter, organize by electing from its membership a chairman, vice-chairman, and a secretary. Such officers shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.
The board shall hold at least two regular meetings each year, but additional meetings may be held upon the call of the chairman, or the secretary, or at a written request of any two members of the board. Four members of the board shall constitute a quorum, provided, however, that at least one of those four members shall be a member who was selected from and who represents the general public.
The board shall examine and pass upon the qualifications of applicants for license to practice social work in the commonwealth and shall issue licenses to qualified applicants but no action shall be taken with respect to the granting of a license or its revocation or suspension without the concurrence of at least four members of the board, provided, however, that at least two of those four members shall be members who were selected from and who represent the general public. The board shall adopt a seal which shall be affixed to all licenses issued by the board.
Fees shall be as established and published by the board and shall be non-refundable. Clerical staff and supportive services shall be appointed or provided under the division of professional licensure.
The board shall have the following powers, duties and functions:
(a) promulgate rules and regulations that set professional standards for all licensed social workers, including, licensed, independent clinical social workers, and from time to time adopt such other rules and regulations and such amendments and supplements thereto as it may deem necessary;
(b) recommend to the governor and the legislature, after a public hearing which shall be advertised by notification of the major social work organizations and publication of notices in the media throughout the commonwealth, modifications and amendments to statutes regulating the licensing of social workers;
(c) cause examinations to be held not less than four times a year and carefully evaluate examinations to try to make them free from cultural bias and balanced in theory;
(d) annually publish a list of the names and addresses of persons who are licensed to practice social work;
(e) set fees for examinations, initial application and renewal procedures at nominal rates sufficient to cover operating expenses incurred by the board in carrying out its functions;
(f) establish regulations for continuing education requirements for licenses, and negotiate for a sliding scale fee for such educational requirements with the participating educational institutions. Said regulations shall not require more than two semester hours per year at an accredited educational institution as a condition for continuing registration. Should there not be any continuing education courses available at a fee that an individual applicant can afford, if the applicant meets the other conditions of licensing, the board shall issue a provisional license while continuing to negotiate to make such courses available.
The board shall cause public hearings to be held prior to setting specifications for any continuing education requirements.
The board shall appoint an educational committee consisting of seven members. It shall consist of one social worker actually engaged in the field of social work education, one actually engaged in private agency practice, one actually engaged in independent clinical social work practice and one an active member of an organized labor organization representing social workers, and three members selected from the general public. At least one licensed social worker and one member representing the general public shall be from a minority group, as defined by the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare. At least one member representing the general public shall be a consumer of social work services. The composition of the educational committee shall represent a balance of theoretical perspectives. The board member representing social work education shall be the chairman of the educational committee. The educational committee shall make specific recommendations on an annual basis to the board concerning continuing education.
(g) investigate all complaints relating to the proper practice of social work by any person licensed under the provisions of section one hundred and thirty-six of chapter one hundred and twelve.
No person filing a complaint, reporting or providing information pursuant to this clause or assisting the board at its request in any manner in discharging its duties and functions, shall be liable in any cause of action arising out of such complaints, reporting or providing of information or assistance; provided, however, that the person making such complaint or reporting or providing such information or assistance does so in good faith. Any complaint, report, record or other information received or kept by the board in connection with an investigation conducted by the board pursuant to this clause shall be confidential; provided, however, that investigative records or information of the board shall not be kept confidential after the board has disposed of the matter under investigation by issuing an order to show cause, by dismissing a complaint or by taking other final action, except as otherwise provided by law or by rules or regulations of the board. The requirement that investigative records or information be kept confidential shall not at any time apply to requests from the person under investigation, the complainant, or such state or federal agencies, boards or institutions as the board shall determine by rule or regulation.
Section 84. The board shall, at its first meeting, and annually thereafter, organize by electing from its membership a chairman, vice-chairman, and a secretary. Such officers shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.
The board shall hold at least two regular meetings each year, but additional meetings may be held upon the call of the chairman, or the secretary, or at a written request of any two members of the board. Four members of the board shall constitute a quorum, provided, however, that at least one of those four members shall be a member who was selected from and who represents the general public.
The board shall examine and pass upon the qualifications of applicants for license to practice social work in the commonwealth and shall issue licenses to qualified applicants but no action shall be taken with respect to the granting of a license or its revocation or suspension without the concurrence of at least four members of the board, provided, however, that at least two of those four members shall be members who were selected from and who represent the general public. The board shall adopt a seal which shall be affixed to all licenses issued by the board.
Fees shall be as established and published by the board and shall be non-refundable. Clerical staff and supportive services shall be appointed or provided under the division of professional licensure.
The board shall have the following powers, duties and functions:
(a) promulgate rules and regulations that set professional standards for all licensed social workers, including, licensed, independent clinical social workers, and from time to time adopt such other rules and regulations and such amendments and supplements thereto as it may deem necessary;
(b) recommend to the governor and the legislature, after a public hearing which shall be advertised by notification of the major social work organizations and publication of notices in the media throughout the commonwealth, modifications and amendments to statutes regulating the licensing of social workers;
(c) cause examinations to be held not less than four times a year and carefully evaluate examinations to try to make them free from cultural bias and balanced in theory;
(d) annually publish a list of the names and addresses of persons who are licensed to practice social work;
(e) set fees for examinations, initial application and renewal procedures at nominal rates sufficient to cover operating expenses incurred by the board in carrying out its functions;
(f) establish regulations for continuing education requirements for licenses, and negotiate for a sliding scale fee for such educational requirements with the participating educational institutions. Said regulations shall not require more than two semester hours per year at an accredited educational institution as a condition for continuing registration. Should there not be any continuing education courses available at a fee that an individual applicant can afford, if the applicant meets the other conditions of licensing, the board shall issue a provisional license while continuing to negotiate to make such courses available.
The board shall cause public hearings to be held prior to setting specifications for any continuing education requirements.
The board shall appoint an educational committee consisting of seven members. It shall consist of one social worker actually engaged in the field of social work education, one actually engaged in private agency practice, one actually engaged in independent clinical social work practice and one an active member of an organized labor organization representing social workers, and three members selected from the general public. At least one licensed social worker and one member representing the general public shall be from a minority group, as defined by the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare. At least one member representing the general public shall be a consumer of social work services. The composition of the educational committee shall represent a balance of theoretical perspectives. The board member representing social work education shall be the chairman of the educational committee. The educational committee shall make specific recommendations on an annual basis to the board concerning continuing education.
(g) investigate all complaints relating to the proper practice of social work by any person licensed under the provisions of section one hundred and thirty-six of chapter one hundred and twelve.
No person filing a complaint, reporting or providing information pursuant to this clause or assisting the board at its request in any manner in discharging its duties and functions, shall be liable in any cause of action arising out of such complaints, reporting or providing of information or assistance; provided, however, that the person making such complaint or reporting or providing such information or assistance does so in good faith. Any complaint, report, record or other information received or kept by the board in connection with an investigation conducted by the board pursuant to this clause shall be confidential; provided, however, that investigative records or information of the board shall not be kept confidential after the board has disposed of the matter under investigation by issuing an order to show cause, by dismissing a complaint or by taking other final action, except as otherwise provided by law or by rules or regulations of the board. The requirement that investigative records or information be kept confidential shall not at any time apply to requests from the person under investigation, the complainant, or such state or federal agencies, boards or institutions as the board shall determine by rule or regulation.
Section 84. The board shall, at its first meeting, and annually thereafter, organize by electing from its membership a chairman, vice-chairman, and a secretary. Such officers shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.
The board shall hold at least two regular meetings each year, but additional meetings may be held upon the call of the chairman, or the secretary, or at a written request of any two members of the board. Four members of the board shall constitute a quorum, provided, however, that at least one of those four members shall be a member who was selected from and who represents the general public.
The board shall examine and pass upon the qualifications of applicants for license to practice social work in the commonwealth and shall issue licenses to qualified applicants but no action shall be taken with respect to the granting of a license or its revocation or suspension without the concurrence of at least four members of the board, provided, however, that at least two of those four members shall be members who were selected from and who represent the general public. The board shall adopt a seal which shall be affixed to all licenses issued by the board.
Fees shall be as established and published by the board and shall be non-refundable. Clerical staff and supportive services shall be appointed or provided under the division of professional licensure.
The board shall have the following powers, duties and functions:
(a) promulgate rules and regulations that set professional standards for all licensed social workers, including, licensed, independent clinical social workers, and from time to time adopt such other rules and regulations and such amendments and supplements thereto as it may deem necessary;
(b) recommend to the governor and the legislature, after a public hearing which shall be advertised by notification of the major social work organizations and publication of notices in the media throughout the commonwealth, modifications and amendments to statutes regulating the licensing of social workers;
(c) cause examinations to be held not less than four times a year and carefully evaluate examinations to try to make them free from cultural bias and balanced in theory;
(d) annually publish a list of the names and addresses of persons who are licensed to practice social work;
(e) set fees for examinations, initial application and renewal procedures at nominal rates sufficient to cover operating expenses incurred by the board in carrying out its functions;
(f) establish regulations for continuing education requirements for licenses, and negotiate for a sliding scale fee for such educational requirements with the participating educational institutions. Said regulations shall not require more than two semester hours per year at an accredited educational institution as a condition for continuing registration. Should there not be any continuing education courses available at a fee that an individual applicant can afford, if the applicant meets the other conditions of licensing, the board shall issue a provisional license while continuing to negotiate to make such courses available.
The board shall cause public hearings to be held prior to setting specifications for any continuing education requirements.
The board shall appoint an educational committee consisting of seven members. It shall consist of one social worker actually engaged in the field of social work education, one actually engaged in private agency practice, one actually engaged in independent clinical social work practice and one an active member of an organized labor organization representing social workers, and three members selected from the general public. At least one licensed social worker and one member representing the general public shall be from a minority group, as defined by the federal Department of Health, Education and Welfare. At least one member representing the general public shall be a consumer of social work services. The composition of the educational committee shall represent a balance of theoretical perspectives. The board member representing social work education shall be the chairman of the educational committee. The educational committee shall make specific recommendations on an annual basis to the board concerning continuing education.
(g) investigate all complaints relating to the proper practice of social work by any person licensed under the provisions of section one hundred and thirty-six of chapter one hundred and twelve.
No person filing a complaint, reporting or providing information pursuant to this clause or assisting the board at its request in any manner in discharging its duties and functions, shall be liable in any cause of action arising out of such complaints, reporting or providing of information or assistance; provided, however, that the person making such complaint or reporting or providing such information or assistance does so in good faith. Any complaint, report, record or other information received or kept by the board in connection with an investigation conducted by the board pursuant to this clause shall be confidential; provided, however, that investigative records or information of the board shall not be kept confidential after the board has disposed of the matter under investigation by issuing an order to show cause, by dismissing a complaint or by taking other final action, except as otherwise provided by law or by rules or regulations of the board. The requirement that investigative records or information be kept confidential shall not at any time apply to requests from the person under investigation, the complainant, or such state or federal agencies, boards or institutions as the board shall determine by rule or regulation.
