HF 2886

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/16/2023 05:27pm

A bill for an act
relating to health occupations; modifying social worker title protection provisions;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 148E.065, subdivision 4a; 148E.195,
subdivision 2a; 148E.280.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 148E.065, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:

Subd. 4a.

City, county, and state social workers.

Beginning July 1, 2016, the licensure
of city, county, and state agency social workers is voluntary, except an individual who is
newly employed by a city or state agency after July 1, 2016, must be licensed if the individual
who provides social work services, as those services are defined in section 148E.010,
subdivision 11, paragraph (b), is presented to the public by any title incorporating the words
"social work" or "social worker." new text begin A city, county, or state agency social worker who does
not hold a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree in social work or is not licensed under
this chapter may not be presented to the public by any title incorporating the words "social
work" or "social worker."
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 148E.195, subdivision 2a, is amended to read:

Subd. 2a.

Representations.

deleted text begin Effective July 1, 2016:
deleted text end

(a) No applicant or other individual may be represented to the public by any title
incorporating the words "social work" or "social worker" unless the individual is employed
by a county new text begin and holds a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree in social work new text end or holds a
license according to this chapter.

(b) In all professional use of a social worker's name, the social worker must use the
license designation "LSW" or "licensed social worker" for a licensed social worker, "LGSW"
or "licensed graduate social worker" for a licensed graduate social worker, "LISW" or
"licensed independent social worker" for a licensed independent social worker, or "LICSW"
or "licensed independent clinical social worker" for a licensed independent clinical social
worker.

(c) Public statements or advertisements must not be untruthful, misleading, false,
fraudulent, deceptive, or potentially exploitative of clients, former clients, interns, students,
supervisees, or the public.

(d) A social worker must not:

(1) use licensure status as a claim, promise, or guarantee of successful service;

(2) obtain a license by cheating or employing fraud or deception;

(3) make false statements or misrepresentations to the board or in materials submitted
to the board; or

(4) engage in conduct that has the potential to deceive or defraud a social work client,
intern, student, supervisee, or the public.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 148E.280, is amended to read:

148E.280 USE OF TITLES.

No individual may be presented to the public by any title incorporating the words "social
work" or "social worker" or in the titles in section 148E.195, unless that individual is
employed by a county new text begin and holds a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree in social work new text end
or holds a license under this chapter.