NEWS ALERT:

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CRITICAL INFORMATION
FOR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS
October 20, 2008


If you are not aware of it, the State Department of Education was recently charged with writing the regulations to govern the employment of Marriage and Family Therapists in schools. This followed several years of attempts by MFTs to gain access to school employment. The regulations are currently in the process of being finalized but the Regulation Review Committee of the Legislature has sought changes in the regulations proposed by the State Department of Education. One of the issues that is in dispute is the requirement for state licensure (LMFT) prior to employment. At the present time, there is no requirement for school social workers to be licensed. There has been discussion about making licensure a requirement to obtain the Professional Certificate for school social workers but this would create issues for other support staff such as school psychologists and school counselors who are not required to be licensed.

Recently, an LMFT wrote to the SDE asking if he could have the 300 clinical hours of practical experience waived due to his extensive clinical and educational experience. He was told that he could not simply apply for a school social worker’s job. Georgette Nemr, SDE, informed this individual that once the regulations are approved by the Secretary of State, school superintendents and directors of special education facilities will be advised not to create school positions for MFTs that overlap with other support personnel’s job descriptions. Additionally, she stated that the practicum would not be waived for any applicant. This information reached Senator Thomas Gaffey, Chairperson of the Education Committee in the state legislature, who serves several towns in Connecticut (Middletown, Middlefield, Cheshire and Meriden). He has written to the SDE stating that the General Assembly did not convey the authority for SDE staff to delineate the roles and responsibilities of support staff in schools (school social workers, MFTs, school psychologists and school counselors).

We held an emergency board meeting recently to discuss this matter and we are planning to set up meetings with Senator Gaffey and also Representative Fleischmann of West Hartford who is also on the Education Committee. We need them both to understand the unique role of school social workers and the differences in training and orientation between MFTs and Social Workers. Our jobs are simply not interchangeable. If you live in either of these legislators’ constituencies or work in a school in their constituencies, WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONTACT US if you would be willing to be part of such a meeting. If we do not educate these legislators as to what we do as SSWs, we stand to lose our jobs and our profession will quickly lose its identity.

THIS IS A VERY REAL AND CRITICALLY IMPORTANT MATTER FOR US AS SSWs. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT AND WE NEED YOU TO BECOME A MEMBER SO WE CAN FIGHT FOR OUR SURVIVAL. YOU CAN SIGN UP ON THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE SEE CASSW’S LETTER TO COMMISSIONER MCQUILLAN REGARDING OUR SUPPORT OF THE SDE’s POSITION ON THIS MATTER.

The Board of Directors thanks you in advance for your help.

Letter To The Commisioner

October 20, 2008

Dr. Mark H. McQuillan
Commissioner
State Department of Education
165 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106

Dear Commissioner McQuillan:

I am writing on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Association of School Social Workers to express our gratitude for the work that your staff has undertaken to formulate regulations for school social workers and marriage and family therapists. While we as school social workers respect the work of marriage and family therapists, we should have independent yet complementary roles within the school setting. We each have clearly defined skill sets and perspectives. School social workers are charged with removing barriers to learning through behavior modification, intense case management, outreach to families and community and crisis intervention. Marriage and family therapists work primarily within the context of family systems. It is CASSW’s position that a Master’s Degree in Social Work and Certification qualify an individual to practice school social work, and that a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and Certification qualify an individual to practice marriage and family therapy.

Your staff clearly understands these differences and has proposed regulations that are appropriate for each profession. We have been informed that at least one state legislator has stated that the SDE has no authority to regulate the way MFTs will become certified to practice in school. While it is our understanding that the Regulation Review Committee of the legislature has sought changes in the SDE draft regulations for Marriage and Family Therapists, CASSW supports SDE’s version which respects the integrity of each profession.

Sincerely,

Carole Altman, LCSW
President

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