Washington Senate Bill SB6060

Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/12/26
• Refer: 1/12/26

Caption

AN ACT Relating to alternative routes to social worker licensure;

Summary

SB 6060 concerns alternative routes to licensure for several behavioral health professions in Washington, with the text specifically addressing licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, and licensed marriage and family therapists. The bill revises education, examination, supervised experience, and continuing education requirements for these licenses, and it allows certain applicants to qualify through alternative pathways such as enhanced supervision or equivalent graduate coursework in related disciplines. It also sets out detailed supervision standards, including minimum hours of direct client contact, one-on-one supervision, and the types of licensed professionals who may supervise applicants. The bill further directs the department to establish by rule what counts as adequate proof that an applicant meets the licensure criteria, and it provides that the rules in effect when a complete application is submitted control the application even if the rules later change before the license is issued. It also preserves the department’s authority to deny a license or issue a conditional license under existing chapter 18 RCW provisions. Overall, the measure appears designed to broaden and clarify pathways into these professions while maintaining oversight through supervised practice and rule-based verification.

Impact

SB 6060 would amend Washington licensing statutes governing social workers, mental health counselors, and marriage and family therapists by creating or clarifying alternative qualification routes and adjusting supervised experience requirements. It would affect applicants, supervising professionals, and the Department of Health or other licensing authority responsible for administering these credentials. The bill also reinforces the role of agency rulemaking in defining acceptable proof of qualifications and in applying the rules in place at the time a complete application is filed.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears neutral to supportive. The measure is framed as a licensure-access and workforce pathway bill, suggesting an intent to make entry into these professions more flexible while still preserving competency safeguards. No opposition, amendments, or recorded floor/committee controversy is available in the supplied context.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are the alternative licensure pathways and the reduced or substituted supervision requirements, especially where supervision may be provided by professionals other than the traditional license type. Another likely issue is whether the bill lowers barriers enough to expand the behavioral health workforce without weakening standards for public protection. The rulemaking provisions may also draw attention because they give the department significant discretion over what documentation is sufficient and how the new pathways are implemented.