Social Work Investment Initiative Call-in Day (February 6)

• What are we asking? 

We are asking New York State legislators to end the licensure exemption that allows seven state agencies to hire unlicensed professionals to provide mental health services (including diagnosis and treatment of serious mental illness) and vote in favor of the Social Work Investment Initiative.

For nearly 14 years, programs operated, funded, or regulated by seven of the state’s agencies have been exempt from hiring licensed employees to provide mental health services, including the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, despite the fact that unlicensed employees do not have the same extensive education and external legal standards of professional conduct as licensed practitioners. As it stands right now, New Yorkers accessing services through the state may see a licensed professional, or they may see someone with no more than a high school education. It’s time to end this tradition of inequality in New York’s mental health system.

• What is the Social Work Investment Initiative?

The Social Work Investment Initiative (SWII) is a proposal for a substantial state investment to fully implement the 2002 social work licensure law. This includes funding for culturally sensitive and ESL licensing test preparation development, social work student loan forgiveness, increasing the availability of licensed social workers for supervision in currently exempt agencies, and data gathering focused on identifying workforce gaps.

Watch the videos below or visit www.naswnys.org/invest for more information!

• Your Script:
  

Hello, my name is ____________, I am a constituent from (City), (Zip Code) . I don’t need a response; I am opposed to the licensure exemption and I am in favor of the Social Work Investment Initiative. Thank you so much for your hard work answering these phones, I know how integral you are to the democratic process!

OR

Hello, my name is ____________, I am a constituent from (City), (Zip Code). I am asking you to support and vote in favor of the Social Work Investment Initiative and help end the licensure exemption that allows seven state agencies to hire non-licensed providers for tasks within the licensed scope of practice. Thank you for bringing these agencies to compliance with the state’s licensing this law and ensuring equal access to quality care.

Please note: There is no bill number attached to the Social Work Investment Initiative. The exemption stems from the original licensure law passed in 2002. The law itself can be found in the Education Law, Article 154 Social Work.

The exemption language is located in §9 Chapter 420 of the Laws of 2002, as amended by §1 of Chapter 433 of the Laws of 2004, as amended by chapter 132 of the laws of 2010 and chapter 57 of the laws of 2013.

• Find your Legislators:

  • Find your Senator: https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator
  • Find your Assemblymember: http://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/