State Board of Social Work Examiners - Provisional License to Practice Social Work - Established
Summary
SB 18 revises Maryland’s social work licensure framework by changing when the State Board of Social Work Examiners may issue a conditional license and by creating a new provisional license pathway. Under the bill, the Board must issue a conditional license to eligible initial applicants who have met education and experience requirements but have not yet passed the required exam, and the bill also establishes a provisional license beginning November 1, 2026 for similarly qualified applicants. Both licenses allow practice only within the relevant bachelor’s or master’s social work category and require supervision by a Board-approved supervisor.
The bill gives conditional and provisional license holders two routes to full licensure: passing the exam or, for conditional license holders, completing at least 1,500 hours of supervised social work experience during the conditional period. Provisional license holders may also count supervised hours toward the experience needed for independent practice approval, but not toward clinical social worker licensure. The Board is directed to adopt regulations on supervision, reporting, tracking, and fees, and must report annually to the legislature on the number of licenses issued, conversions to full licensure, and recommendations for improving implementation and workforce impact.
Impact
The bill amends Title 19 of the Health Occupations Article by redefining “license” to include provisional licenses, adding a new provisional license section, and revising the conditional license section to make issuance mandatory rather than dependent on exam unavailability. It also changes the conditions, duration, supervision requirements, and conversion pathways for both conditional and provisional social work licenses, while preserving the Board’s authority to regulate fees and supervision standards. The measure affects applicants for bachelor social work and master social work licensure, supervising social workers, the State Board of Social Work Examiners, and the broader health care workforce.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad legislative support, passing both chambers with substantial majorities and no recorded committee opposition in the materials provided. Its emergency status suggests lawmakers viewed the measure as important for immediate implementation, likely to address licensure access and workforce needs. The overall tone is favorable toward expanding pathways into the profession while maintaining supervision and competency requirements.
Contention
The main policy issue is how to balance workforce access with public protection and licensure standards. The bill expands opportunities for applicants who have completed education and experience requirements but have not yet passed the exam, which may be seen as helping address workforce shortages. At the same time, it preserves supervision requirements, limits provisional licenses to initial applicants, and excludes provisional hours from counting toward clinical licensure, reflecting concern that expanded pathways should not weaken higher-level practice standards. No specific opposition is reflected in the provided transcripts, but the statutory changes indicate the legislature considered the scope of supervised practice and the role of examination versus experience in full licensure.
State Boards, Committees, Commissions, Task Forces, and Workgroups - Elimination of Citizenship Requirements and Establishment of Diversity Requirements
State Boards, Committees, Commissions, Task Forces, and Workgroups - Elimination of Citizenship Requirements and Establishment of Diversity Requirements