Committees
Bylaws and Resolutions Committee
In recognition that consolidated regulatory boards now represent 16 jurisdictions, the Bylaws and Resolutions Committee proposed amendments limiting eligibility for officer positions to licensed social workers and expanding the eligibility for the director at large, open position to any professional member of a consolidated member board, regardless of profession. The Bylaws Committee made a DO PASS recommendation for two groups of amendments from the Board of Directors:
1) to allow only member boards that contract with ASWB to use its exams to make decisions about the exams and 2) to remove the option for the president to appoint a member of the Board of Directors as a member of the Nominating Committee. Delegates voted to pass all amendments except those relating to voting on exam-related issues, which were returned to committee.
Continuing Competence Committee
The Continuing Competence Committee was keenly focused on its 2018 charge of researching and making recommendations about the use of remediation supervision as a disciplinary action.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee met in April to approve the draft audit and in October to approve the 2019 draft budget. The committee also discussed exam fees and ways to manage potential increases so that adjustments would be planned and incremental.
Regulation and Standards Committee
The Regulation and Standards Committee proposed amendments accepted by delegates to replace Section 308. Qualifications for License Transfer in the Model Social Work Practice Act with a new section titled Qualifications for Licensure by Endorsement. With this change, the RAS Committee brought members one step closer to making endorsement language a turnkey solution to the practice mobility challenge. The licensure by endorsement model is in alignment with Canada’s Free Trade Agreement, which ensures labour mobility across the provinces.
Regulatory Education and Leadership Committee
The REAL Committee is charged with developing the content of the annual education conference. The committee met by conference call or zoom technology on a monthly basis in addition to two in-person meetings. The 2017–2018 REAL Committee’s work culminated with the 2018 education conference, “Developing Tools for Social Work Mobility.”