BILL NUMBER: AB 671 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 25, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 30, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Portantino
FEBRUARY 17, 2011
An act to add Section 16501.4 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to child welfare services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 671, as amended, Portantino. Child welfare services: education
and training requirements.
Existing law requires the establishment and support of a public
system of statewide child welfare services, for the protection of
children who are alleged to be abused or neglected. Existing law
provides for a statewide multipurpose child welfare training program
to develop and implement statewide coordinated training programs
designed specifically to meet the needs of county child protective
services social workers assigned emergency response, family
maintenance, family reunification, permanent placement, and adoption
responsibilities.
This bill would require a child welfare services social
work supervisor to have a master's degree in social work, or a master'
s degree in behavioral science and meet other specified requirements,
in addition to any other education, training, or certification
required by law specify education and training
requirements for social work supervisors and other personnel
performing social work activities in a county child welfare services
agency . This bill would exempt a social worker employed before
January 1, 2012, from these related field
practice, course work , and experience
requirements , as prescribed .
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
act to improve outcomes and increase consumer protection in child
welfare services by improving the educational standards of
supervisors in child welfare services to ensure that each supervisor
has the appropriate training, experience, and education.
SEC. 2. Section 16501.4 is added to the Welfare
and Institutions Code, to read:
16501.4. (a) Unless exempt pursuant to subdivision (c), a child
welfare services social work supervisor shall satisfy the education
and training requirements provided for in this section, in addition
to any education, training, or certification otherwise required by
law.
(b) A child welfare services social work supervisor shall have
either of the following:
(1) A master's degree in social work (MSW) from a program
accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
(2) All of the following:
(A) A master's degree in behavioral science from an accredited
academic institution.
(B) Twenty contact hours of population-specific education.
(C) One year and 1,500 hours of documented, paid, supervised,
equivalent master's post-graduate degree social work experience with
children, youth, and families.
(D) An evaluation from a supervisor.
(E) A reference from an MSW or master's degree in behavioral
sciences colleague.
(F) An agreement to adhere to a professional code of ethics.
(c) A child welfare services social work supervisor employed
before January 1, 2012, is exempt from the requirements of this
section.
SEC. 2. Section 16501.4 is added to the
Welfare and Institutions Code , to read:
16501.4. (a) (1) The educational requirements for social work
supervisors for a county child welfare services agency shall be a
master's degree from an accredited or state approved graduate school
in social work or social welfare, or equivalent education and
experience, as determined by the department except as provided in
paragraph (2).
(2) A person who possesses a master's degree from an accredited or
state-approved graduate school in any of the following areas, or
equivalent education and experience, as determined by the department,
shall be qualified to perform supervisory social work activities in
a county child welfare services agency:
(A) Marriage, family, and child counseling.
(B) Child psychology.
(C) Child development.
(D) Counseling psychology.
(E) Social psychology.
(F) Clinical psychology.
(G) Educational psychology, consistent with the scope of practice
as described in Section 4989.14 of the Business and Professions Code.
(H) Education, with emphasis on counseling.
(b) (1) In addition to the degree requirements specified in
subdivision (a), all of the following course work and field practice
or experience shall be required of all newly hired county social work
personnel, effective January 1, 2012:
(A) At least four semester units of field practice at the master's
level or six months' full-time equivalent experience in a county
child welfare services agency setting.
(B) At least nine semester units of course work related to human
development or human behavior, or two years of experience working
with children and families as a major responsibility of the position
under the supervision of a supervising social worker.
(C) At least three semester units in working with minority
populations or six months of experience in working with minority
populations and training in cultural competency and working with
minority populations within the first six months of employment, as a
condition of employment.
(D) At least three semester units in child welfare or at least two
years of experience in a county child welfare services setting.
(2) (A) A person who does not satisfy the requirements specified
in subdivision (a) or paragraph (1) may apply for an exception, as
provided for in subdivisions (c) and (d).
(B) Exceptions granted by the department prior to January 1, 2012,
shall remain in effect.
(3) (A) Persons hired on or after January 1, 2012, who do not
satisfy the requirements specified in paragraph (1) shall be required
to successfully complete those requirements in order to be employed
as social work supervisors in a county child welfare services
setting.
(B) An employee hired prior to January 1, 2012, shall not be
required to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (1) in order to
remain employed as a social work supervisor in a county child welfare
services agency.
(4) Course work and field practice or experience completed to
fulfill the degree requirements of subdivision (a) may be used to
satisfy the requirements of this subdivision.
(c) A person seeking an exception to the requirements of
subdivision (a) or (b) based on completion of equivalent education
and experience shall apply to the department pursuant to the process
established by the department.
(d) The State Department of Social Services shall complete the
process for the exception to minimum education and experience
requirements described in subdivision (a) or (b) within 30 days of
receiving the exception application of a social work supervisor from
the county child welfare services agency.