 Innovation and Regulation –
Oxymoron or Opportunity?
Our Board and Staff believe strongly in the value of regulation and we strive to be innovative in our critical mission of protecting the public through shared goals. There is great opportunity in innovation which does not interfere with effective regulation. These strategies are not mutually exclusive and must be integrated to be successful in our work. I am excited to highlight several examples of board innovation...
 BOSW 2020 Legislative Proposal
Why is the BOSW Proposing Legislative Policy Changes?
The Minnesota Board of Social Work (BOSW) Legislation and Rules Committee, comprised of board members, board staff, and three representatives of the BOSW Advisory Committee, was charged to review each section of the Social Work Practice Act as part of the BOSW 2015-2018 Strategic Plan. The last comprehensive review took place in 2004-2005.
 The Compliance Toolkit is a regular feature of the Board Bulletin that will provide you with tools for handling common ethical dilemmas and issues related to the Standards of Practice found in the Minnesota Social Work Practice Act. Consider the following scenario:
I am a Licensed Graduate Social Worker practicing clinical social work at a community behavioral health clinic. My employer recently received a federal grant that requires the clinic to gather body mass index (BMI) data on all our clients. The Clinic Director has sent us information about the grant and is requiring all healthcare providers, including social workers, to collect a client’s height and weight when we see clients for their appointments. I am very uncomfortable with this and feel it is outside of my scope of practice. I have not received any specific training on how to do this or how to talk to clients about it. Is this within my scope of practice?
 Who serves on the BOSW?
We are proud to have a diverse, talented, and dedicated group of people serving on the Board!
Our volunteer board members represent a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and areas of Minnesota, whether licensed as social workers or serving as public members.
Of the 15 board members appointed by the Governor, 5 are required to be public members. The remaining 10 members are licensed as social workers, representing all license types and a variety of practice settings including state agencies, county agencies, private agencies, schools, clinical practice, and hospitals or nursing homes. At least 5 members must have expertise in communities of color, and 6 members must reside outside of the 11-county metro area to ensure diverse representation.
In addition, our talented board members serve in leadership positions at the national level with the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), helping to shape policy and regulation as board and committee members, committee chairs, and exam item writers.
You can learn more about our current board members and their backgrounds by visiting the Board’s website.
Congratulations to newly elected Board officers!
Board officer elections for the 2020-2021 term beginning in January 2020 were held at the September 13, 2019, public board meeting.
Congratulations to our new officers!
- Chair – Thomas Brooks, Public Member
- Vice Chair – Jill Grover, LISW
- Secretary-Treasurer – Laura McGrath, Public Member
We’d also like to extend a big thank you to our exiting officers, Chair Angie Hirsch, LICSW, Vice Chair Kathy Lombardi, LICSW, and Secretary-Treasurer Jill Grover, LISW. Under their leadership, the BOSW has moved forward on innovative and critical strategic initiatives with measurable outcomes. Thank you for your hard work and dedication!
 BOSW staff participated in a teambuilding event in June of 2019 to affirm team values and improve staff communication and collaboration. The event was a great success! Board staff are proud to share the team value statement they developed to drive the services they provide to licensees, applicants, and citizens of Minnesota:
The Board of Social Work team strives to cultivate and maintain a positive and mission-driven culture grounded in respect for diversity, shared values, communication,
and collaboration.
We are committed to
providing high quality services reflecting these values.
Thank you to Board staff for your dedication and service!
|
