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Committee hears bill to retain 2022 social-work licensing change after data shows license gains without increased disciplinary actions
Summary
House Bill 5158 would continue a 2022 change eliminating an entry-level exam for social-work licensure; witnesses, including Rhode Island College faculty and NASW, said the number of licensed social workers rose substantially without an increase in disciplinary actions.
Representative Shell Christmas introduced House Bill 5158 to continue the 2022 change in social-work licensure procedure that eliminated the first of two exams for clinical social work candidates. Sponsors told the committee the change is scheduled to sunset in August 2025 unless the legislature acts.
Dr. Jayshree Nimagadda, a licensed clinical social worker and faculty member at Rhode Island College, told the committee the state was the second in the nation to remove the entry-level exam and said Department of Health data show a substantial increase in new licensed social workers after the change. She said she found no corresponding increase in disciplinary actions following licensure expansion and that salary data do not indicate downward pressure on entry‑level wages.
Eric Hasselhurst of the National Association of Social Workers–Rhode Island chapter said the organization supports continuing the change for entry-level licensing while retaining the clinical licensing examination for independent practice. The ACLU submitted written testimony in favor and witnesses noted racial disparities in standardized exam pass rates nationally.
Committee members had no substantive questions; the bill was heard and held for further study under the committee’s procedural motion.
