PRINTER'S NO. 2213
No. 1498 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY WAUGH, WASHINGTON, PUNT, STOUT, RAFFERTY AND FUMO, JUNE 19, 2008
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, JUNE 19, 2008
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of July 9, 1987 (P.L.220, No.39), entitled "An 2 act licensing and regulating the practice of social work; 3 providing penalties; and making an appropriation," further 4 providing for qualifications for license. 5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 6 hereby enacts as follows: 7 Section 1. Section 7(d), (e) and (f) of the act of July 9, 8 1987 (P.L.220, No.39), known as the Social Workers, Marriage and 9 Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act, amended 10 December 21, 1998 (P.L.1017, No.136), are amended to read: 11 Section 7. Qualifications for license. 12 * * * 13 (d) Clinical social work license.--An applicant shall be 14 qualified for a license to hold oneself out as a licensed 15 clinical social worker if the applicant submits proof 16 satisfactory to the board that all of the following apply: 17 (1) The applicant is of good moral character. 18 (2) The applicant has successfully met both of the
1 following requirements: 2 (i) Holds a master's degree in social work or social 3 welfare or a doctoral degree in social work from an 4 accredited school of social work as recognized by the 5 board. 6 (ii) Is licensed under this act as a social worker. 7 (3) The applicant has completed at least [three years 8 or] 3,600 hours of supervised clinical experience acceptable 9 to the board as determined by regulation after completion of 10 the master's degree in social work. 11 (4) The applicant has passed a clinical social work 12 examination adopted by the board. 13 (5) The applicant has submitted an application 14 accompanied by the application fee. 15 (6) The applicant has not been convicted of a felony 16 under The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act 17 or of an offense under the laws of another jurisdiction which 18 if committed in this Commonwealth would be a felony under The 19 Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act unless: 20 (i) at least ten years have elapsed from the date of 21 conviction; 22 (ii) the applicant satisfactorily demonstrated to 23 the board that the applicant has made significant 24 progress in personal rehabilitation since the conviction 25 such that licensure of the applicant should not be 26 expected to create a substantial risk of harm to the 27 health and safety of clients or the public or a 28 substantial risk of further criminal violations; and 29 (iii) the applicant otherwise satisfies the 30 qualifications contained in or authorized by this act. 20080S1498B2213 - 2 -
1 As used in this paragraph, the term "convicted" includes a 2 judgment, an admission of guilt or a plea of nolo contendere. 3 (e) Marriage and family therapist license.--An applicant 4 shall be qualified to hold oneself out as a licensed marriage 5 and family therapist if the applicant submits proof satisfactory 6 to the board that all of the following apply: 7 (1) The applicant is of good moral character. 8 (2) The applicant has successfully met one of the 9 following educational requirements: 10 (i) [Within five years after the board has 11 promulgated final regulations,] On or before June 30, 12 2008, has successfully completed a planned program of 60 13 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework 14 which is closely related to marriage and family therapy, 15 including a master's degree in marriage and family 16 therapy from an accredited educational institution or a 17 master's degree in a field determined by the board by 18 regulation to be closely related to the practice of 19 marriage and family therapy from an accredited 20 educational institution, with graduate level coursework 21 in marriage and family therapy acceptable to the board 22 from an accredited educational institution or from a 23 program recognized by a national accrediting agency. 24 (ii) Has successfully completed a planned program of 25 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate 26 coursework which is closely related to marriage and 27 family therapy, including a 48-semester-hour or 72- 28 quarter-hour master's degree in marriage and family 29 therapy from an accredited educational institution or a 30 48-semester-hour or 72-quarter-hour master's degree in a 20080S1498B2213 - 3 -
1 field determined by the board by regulation to be closely 2 related to the practice of marriage and family therapy 3 from an accredited educational institution, with graduate 4 level coursework in marriage and family therapy 5 acceptable to the board from an accredited educational 6 institution or from a program recognized by a national 7 accrediting agency. 8 (iii) holds a doctoral degree in marriage and family 9 therapy from an accredited educational institution or 10 holds a doctoral degree in a field determined by the 11 board by regulation to be closely related to the practice 12 of marriage and family therapy from an accredited 13 educational institution with graduate level coursework in 14 marriage and family therapy acceptable to the board from 15 an accredited educational institution or from a program 16 recognized by a national accrediting agency. 17 (3) The applicant has complied with the experience 18 requirement as follows: 19 (i) An individual meeting the educational 20 requirements of paragraph (2)(i) or (ii) must have 21 completed at least [three years or] 3,600 hours of 22 supervised clinical experience, acceptable to the board 23 as determined by regulation, obtained after the 24 completion of 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours of 25 graduate coursework. 26 (ii) An individual meeting the educational 27 requirements of paragraph (2)(iii) must have completed at 28 least [two years or] 2,400 hours of supervised clinical 29 experience, acceptable to the board as determined by 30 regulation, [one year or] 1,200 hours of which was 20080S1498B2213 - 4 -
1 obtained subsequent to the granting of the doctoral 2 degree. 3 (4) The applicant has passed an examination adopted by 4 the board. 5 (5) The application has been accompanied by the 6 application fee. 7 (6) The applicant has not been convicted of a felony 8 under The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act 9 or of an offense under the laws of another jurisdiction which 10 if committed in this Commonwealth would be a felony under the 11 Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act unless: 12 (i) at least ten years have elapsed from the date of 13 conviction; 14 (ii) the applicant satisfactorily demonstrates to 15 the board that the applicant has made significant 16 progress in personal rehabilitation since the conviction 17 such that licensure of the applicant should not be 18 expected to create a substantial risk of harm to the 19 health and safety of clients or the public or a 20 substantial risk of further criminal violation; and 21 (iii) the applicant otherwise satisfies the 22 qualifications contained in or authorized by this act. 23 As used in this paragraph, the term "convicted" includes a 24 judgment, an admission of guilt or a plea of nolo contendere. 25 (f) Professional counselors license.--An applicant is 26 qualified for a license to hold oneself out as a licensed 27 professional counselor if the applicant submits proof 28 satisfactory to the board that all of the following apply: 29 (1) The applicant is of good moral character. 30 (2) The applicant has successfully met one of the 20080S1498B2213 - 5 -
1 following educational requirements: 2 (i) [Within five years after the board has 3 promulgated final regulations,] On or before June 30, 4 2008, has successfully completed a planned program of 60 5 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework 6 in counseling or a field determined by the board by 7 regulation to be closely related to the practice of 8 professional counseling, including a master's degree in 9 counseling or a field determined by the board by 10 regulation to be closely related to the practice of 11 professional counseling, from an accredited educational 12 institution. 13 (ii) Has successfully completed a planned program of 14 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate 15 coursework in counseling or a field determined by the 16 board by regulation to be closely related to the practice 17 of professional counseling, including a 48-semester-hour 18 or 72-quarter-hour master's degree in counseling or a 19 field determined by the board by regulation to be closely 20 related to the practice of professional counseling, from 21 an accredited educational institution. 22 (iii) Holds a doctoral degree in counseling from an 23 accredited educational institution or holds a doctoral 24 degree in a field determined by the board by regulation 25 to be closely related to the practice of professional 26 counseling from an accredited educational institution. 27 (3) The applicant has complied with the experience 28 requirements as follows: 29 (i) An individual meeting the educational 30 requirements of paragraph (2)(i) or (ii) must have 20080S1498B2213 - 6 -
1 completed at least [three years or] 3,600 hours of 2 supervised clinical experience, acceptable to the board 3 as determined by regulation, obtained after the 4 completion of 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours of 5 graduate coursework. 6 (ii) An individual meeting the educational 7 requirements of paragraph (2)(iii) must have completed at 8 least [two years or] 2,400 hours of supervised clinical 9 experience, acceptable to the board as determined by 10 regulation, [one year or] 1,200 hours of which was 11 obtained subsequent to the granting of the doctoral 12 degree. 13 (4) The applicant has passed an examination adopted by 14 the board. 15 (5) The application has been accompanied by the 16 application fee. 17 (6) The applicant has not been convicted of a felony 18 under The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act 19 or of an offense under the laws of another jurisdiction which 20 if committed in this Commonwealth would be a felony under the 21 Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act unless: 22 (i) at least ten years have elapsed from the date of 23 conviction; 24 (ii) the applicant satisfactorily demonstrates to 25 the board that the applicant has made significant 26 progress in personal rehabilitation since the conviction 27 such that licensure of the applicant should not be 28 expected to create a substantial risk of harm to the 29 health and safety of clients or the public or a 30 substantial risk of further criminal violations; and 20080S1498B2213 - 7 -
1 (iii) the applicant otherwise satisfies the 2 qualifications contained in or authorized by this act. 3 As used in this paragraph, the term "convicted" includes a 4 judgment, an admission of guilt or a plea of nolo contendere. 5 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. E21L35JS/20080S1498B2213 - 8 -