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Regulators say an enterprise licensing RFP is under way; committee forwards report to full Ways and Means
Summary
Mental Health Regulatory Agency and the Board of Licensed Social Workers told the education subcommittee they ran vendor demos after a vendor entered receivership, are relying on an enterprise RFP (solicitation expected in March) and plan to fund a new licensing system from licensing revenues and reserves; the subcommittee voted to send the report to the full Ways and Means Committee.
Officials from the Mental Health Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Board of Licensed Social Workers briefed the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education on Feb. 3 about progress toward a new statewide licensing database.
Todd Youngkin, executive director for the Mental Health Regulatory Agency, said vendors were demoed after the current vendor entered receivership. The agencies coordinated with Enterprise Information Services (EIS) on an enterprise‑level request for proposals that would create a statewide price agreement for multiple boards. Youngkin said the solicitation was scheduled for March and, if procurement proceeds on schedule, contract negotiations could conclude in May–June.
The nut graf: MHRA and the Board of Licensed Social Workers reported they do not yet know final costs or an exact implementation timeline until the RFP process is complete, but both agencies said the intent is to pay for the system out of licensing revenues and reserve funds rather than asking for a special appropriation.
Ray Miller, executive director of the Board of Licensed Social Workers, reiterated the board’s intent to pay from existing licensing funds and to build reserves; he said the board does not plan to raise fees specifically to pay for the licensing system. Julinda Patton of the Department of Administrative Services Chief Financial Office recommended the committee acknowledge receipt of the report. The Legislative Fiscal Office recommended the joint committee acknowledge the report and asked MHRA and the board to return to Ways and Means with an update during the 2027 legislative session.
Representative McIntyre and others asked whether fee increases would be required; Youngkin and Miller said that is unknown until costs are known and that both boards are building reserves and assessing capacity to absorb costs. Youngkin and Miller also reported a marked increase in compliance workload and complaints (about a 39–40 percent increase year‑over‑year), which affects staffing and future fee/expense projections.
A motion to move the request to the full committee with the LFO recommendation was made and carried by voice vote; Representative Hudson, participating remotely, recorded an "aye." The committee asked agencies to return with updated cost and timeline information once the RFP process produces proposals.
Ending: The subcommittee forwarded the licensing report and the LFO recommendation to the full Ways and Means Committee and closed the meeting.
