Please Uphold High Standards For Social Workers

Dear Members of the Joint Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities,

I am writing to express concern about H.279, An Act to Ensure Parity in Social Work Licensure, which would eliminate the examination requirement for social work licensure in Massachusetts.

The licensing exam is a vital safeguard that ensures every social worker, no matter where they studied, has demonstrated the minimum knowledge and skills necessary to practice safely and ethically.

Just as physicians, nurses, and attorneys must prove their competence before serving the public, so too should social workers. Social workers hold an extraordinary responsibility: they serve vulnerable populations, make critical decisions in crisis situations, and handle issues of safety, confidentiality, and mental health every day.

Education and supervised experience are important, but they are not substitutes for an objective, standardized measure of readiness. Removing the exam would erode public confidence and put clients at risk.

Please oppose H.279 and any similar efforts to eliminate examination requirements for licensure. Protecting the public must remain the Commonwealth’s top priority.

Thank you for your time and for your commitment to public safety and professional integrity.

Sincerely,