SB 5

Under current law, the social worker section of the Marriage and Family

Therapy, Professional Counseling, and Social Work Examining Board must grant a

clinical social worker license to an individual who, among other things, has engaged

in the equivalent of at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical social work practice,

including at least 1,000 hours of face-to-face client contact. Under this bill, that

1,000 hours of face-to-face client contact must include the diagnosis and treatment

of individuals based on a standard diagnostic protocol approved by the board for a

number of hours determined by the board.

The bill is introduced as required by s. 227.19 (5) (g), stats., in support of the

objection of the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules to promulgation

by the board of a portion of clearinghouse rule number 14-057. The relevant portion

of the proposed rule provides for the elimination of the requirement that an applicant

for licensure as a clinical social worker complete training in the diagnosis and

treatment of individuals based on the

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders

, commonly referred to as the DSM.