Gov. Youngkin has announced that the Virginia Board of Social Work made changes to regulations governing licensure, changes which “will help attract social workers from other states to relocate and work in Virginia.”
The four Northern Neck counties of Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland are a mixed bag when it comes to practicing mental health professionals. As is shown in the image above, Northumberland County had no Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) as of January 2022. The report Assessment of the Capacity of Virginia’s Licensed Behavioral Health Workforce also shows the status of psychiatrists, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and licensed professional counselors. Of particular concern is the absence of child and adolescent psychiatrists.
From one perspective, any effort to attract social workers to the state is welcome news. From another, however, this particular approach is concerning. Why: The Board of Social Work eliminated the requirement of license applicants to verify their recent active practice. The practice of social work is NOT like riding a bike. One needs practice to hone skills and approaches. Similarly, by eliminating the verification requirement for supervised practice, the state shuns the essential practice element of active and reflective supervision. “Supervision” in social work vernacular is about the “application of practice” (The Importance of Good Social Work Supervision) and it is supposed to be an essential element of work, not an add-on.