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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Currently, Illinois suffers from a significant
3shortage of mental health professionals, particularly licensed
4clinical social workers; and
 
5    WHEREAS, According to a recent disclosure by the
6Association of Social Work Boards, there are significant test
7pass disparities and biases against older test takers, test
8takers with disabilities, and minority test takers; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Illinois has a vested interest in ensuring that
10it addresses the critical workforce issues facing the state
11with a diverse workforce that reflects the clients it serves;
12therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
14ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
15REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Social Work
16Alternative Licensure Path and Barriers to Access Task Force
17is created to study the following:
18        (1) The effectiveness and impact of an alternative
19    process to the social work clinical licensure examination;
20        (2) Alternatives to examination and their impact on
21    social worker licensure in Illinois;
22        (3) Current licensure supervision and recommendations

 

 

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1    for improving licensure supervision as well as barriers to
2    obtaining supervision;
3        (4) Any barriers to licensure and diversity of the
4    social work population and recommended changes;
5        (5) Methods for eliminating bias and improving the
6    fairness, diversity, and efficiency of the licensing
7    process for social workers in the State; and
8        (6) Funding sources to address barriers to access and
9    diversity in the field of social work in Illinois; and be
10    it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the
12following members with no affiliation to the Association of
13Social Work Boards:
14        (1) One member of the majority party of the Senate who
15    shall serve as the Chair, appointed by the President of
16    the Senate;
17        (2) One member of the minority party of the Senate,
18    appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
19        (3) One member of the majority party in the House,
20    appointed by the Speaker of the House;
21        (4) One member of the minority party of the House,
22    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House;
23        (5) The Secretary of Illinois Department of Financial
24    And Professional Regulation (IDFPR) or his or her
25    designee;

 

 

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1        (6) The Director of the Department of Children and
2    Family Services (DCFS) or his or her designee;
3        (7) The Chair of the Social Work Examining and
4    Disciplinary Board or his or her designee;
5        (8) One individual who is a licensed social worker in
6    the State who graduated from an accredited social work
7    master's program more than 15 years ago, appointed by the
8    Director of IDFPR;
9        (9) Two Deans of Social Work from accredited social
10    work master's programs serving the State, one of whom
11    shall be from a college or university serving a majority
12    of minority social work students, appointed by the
13    Director of IDFPR;
14        (10) Two individuals who received a master's degree in
15    social work within the immediately preceding 10 years and
16    who have been negatively impacted by the examination
17    requirement for licensure, appointed by the Director of
18    IDFPR;
19        (11) One individual who is a student studying to
20    receive their master's degree in social work, appointed by
21    the Director of IDFPR;
22        (12) One individual from the Illinois Behavioral
23    Health Workforce Center at UIC and SIU, appointed by the
24    Director of IDFPR;
25        (13) One individual from the Illinois Children's
26    Mental Health Partnership, appointed by the Director of

 

 

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1    IDFPR;
2        (14) One individual from the field of medical social
3    work from a children's hospital, appointed by the Director
4    of IDFPR;
5        (15) One individual from a statewide organization
6    representing all fields of social work, appointed by the
7    Director of IDFPR;
8        (16) One individual from a statewide organization
9    representing school social workers, appointed by the
10    Director of IDFPR;
11        (17) One individual from a statewide organization
12    representing Latino social workers, appointed by the
13    Director of IDFPR;
14        (18) One individual from a statewide organization
15    representing Black social workers, appointed by the
16    Director of IDFPR;
17        (19) One individual from a statewide organization
18    representing child welfare agencies under contract by the
19    Department of Children and Family Services, appointed by
20    the Director of IDFPR;
21        (20) One individual from a statewide organization
22    representing community-based providers serving children
23    and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities
24    and serious mental illnesses, appointed by the Director of
25    IDFPR;
26        (21) One individual from a national organization

 

 

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1    representing a nationally accepted examination for
2    clinical social work, appointed by the Director of IDFPR;
3        (22) One individual from a statewide organization
4    representing veteran social workers, appointed by the
5    Director of IDFPR; and
6        (23) One individual from a statewide organization
7    representing people with disabilities, appointed by the
8    Director of IDFPR; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall include one additional
10member to represent the Association of Social Work Boards, who
11shall be nominated by the Association and appointed by the
12Director of IDFPR; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That Task Force members shall serve without
14compensation; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Financial and
16Professional Regulation shall provide administrative and other
17support to the Task Force; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet a minimum of four
19times at the call of the Chair; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall submit it final report
21to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2024, and

 

 

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1upon filing of its final report, the Task Force is dissolved.