On Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation allowing certain social workers with master’s degrees to diagnose mental illnesses.
House Bill 56 (HB56) is sponsored by State Representative Frances Holk-Jones (R-Foley)
The synopsis states, “This bill would provide further for the scope of practice of licensees of the Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners.”
The legislation expands the scope of practice of a licensed independent clinical social worker, including the authority to diagnose and develop treatment plans. “The scope of practice does not include the diagnosis, treatment, or provision of advice to a client for problems or complaints relating to conditions outside the boundaries of the practice of social work.”
The legislation states that no individual may engage in the independent clinical practice of social work unless they satisfy all of the following:
(1) Licensed is licensed under this chapter as a licensed independent clinical social worker; and.
(2) Has a doctorate or master’s degree from a school of social work approved, accredited, or in candidacy granted by the Council on Social Work Education; and.
(3) Has had two years of full-time or three years of part-time postgraduate experience under appropriate supervision in the specified social work method or four years of full-time or five years of part-time postgraduate experience under appropriate supervision in the specialty in which the applicant will practice.
(4) Has passed an examination prepared by the board for this purpose; except, that prior to the time that an examination is prepared by the board for this purpose, no person individual who otherwise meets the requirements of this section will be prohibited from engaging in the private independent practice of social work; and.
(5) Has been issued by mail a certified letter of certification stating his or her qualification for private independent practice by the board; and.
(6) Has paid an initial certification fee set by the board.
“The terms diagnose and treatment, whether considered in isolation or in conjunction with the rules of the board, may not be construed to permit the performance of any act which a licensed clinical social worker is not educated or trained to perform including, but not limited to, any of the following:
(1) Administering and interpreting psychological tests or intellectual, neuropsychological, personality, or projective instruments.
(2) Admitting any individual to a hospital for treatment of any condition that is outside the boundaries of the practice of social work, as provided in subsection (b).
(3) Treating any individual in a hospital setting without medical supervision.
(4) Prescribing medicinal drugs.
(5) Authorizing clinical laboratory procedures or radiological procedures.
(6) Using electroconvulsive therapy.
Rep. Holk-Jones explained that the licensed clinical social workers would mostly do counseling. “Prescribing would be done by a doctor.”
Rep. Thomas Jackson said, “We have outsourced mental health to the Department of Corrections. They don’t know anything about mental health. We need to get some of those people out of the prisons and into treatment.”
Rep. Tim Wadsworth said, “This will allow people in our rural areas to get help quicker.”
Holk-Jones said, “It will make it quicker and also bring telehealth into it.”
State Rep. Mary Moore questioned if the social workers were competent to make psychiatric diagnoses.
Holk-Jones said, “They have a master’s degree in social work and 3000 hours of clinical training. This is all part of the social worker training.”
Moore said, “We have got people who are deficient doing clinical diagnosing.”
Holk-Jones said, “They are trained to do that. If they need a prescription, they go to a doctor.”
Moore said, “You can damage a person for life if they don’t have the proper training to diagnose someone. What some of us call a mental condition is not. We could misdiagnose someone with a condition they don’t have. I would like them to train under a psychiatrist before they start diagnosing someone.”
State Rep. Barbara Drummond said, “This hits me raw because I lost a great nephew on Easter Sunday to suicide. He was a veteran.”
Drummond said, “The more we can do about mental health in the state, the better.”
Holk-Jones said, “This will not be the last time we talk about it.”
HB56 passed 104 to 1.
HB56 now goes to the Senate for their consideration, where it has been referred to the Senate State Governmental Affairs Committee.
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