ASWB to receive HRSA grant funding to build infrastructure for the Social Work Licensure Compact

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, announced the first-ever Licensure Portability Grant Program investment in the multistate Social Work Licensure Compact. The announcement was made at HRSA’s National Telehealth Conference, the largest federal conference on telehealth issues.

This funding will enhance our ongoing efforts in social work portability, an initiative we began in 2013. We look forward to being able to bring more much-needed services to our nation’s most vulnerable populations.

The Association of Social Work Boards is one of four organizations receiving grant funding to support the association’s work with state licensing boards to increase access to care. ASWB will receive $750,000, which will be used to develop and implement state policies that reduce barriers to telehealth and allow for practice across state lines.

These funds will support the operations of the Social Work Licensure Compact. ASWB’s efforts will focus on the formation of the commission responsible for compact governance, the development of a centralized database, administrative staff support, and consulting services from the Council of State Governments’ National Center for Interstate Compacts.

“We’re honored that HRSA has awarded us this grant,” said ASWB CEO Stacey Hardy-Chandler. “This funding will enhance our ongoing efforts in social work portability, an initiative we began in 2013. We look forward to being able to bring more much-needed services to our nation’s most vulnerable populations.”

Increasing practice mobility for social workers is an essential step to expanding the public’s access to behavioral health care services. According to an estimate from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, professional social workers constitute the largest group of mental health service providers in the United States.

In 2021, ASWB was selected as project partner to work with CSG to develop model legislation for the Social Work Licensure Compact with funding from the U.S. Department of Defense. Representatives from state social work regulatory authorities and national professional associations helped to develop the model language that was published in February 2023.

As of July 2024, 22 states have adopted the licensure compact, which will allow social workers to practice in participating states without needing to apply for a license in each state. Through telehealth platforms, this initiative will increase the reach of social workers into underserved areas while also enabling social workers who live near state borders to practice in person in participating states.

In addition to ASWB, three other licensing boards also received grants: the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, and the Federation of Podiatric Medical Boards.

For more information about the Licensure Portability Grant Program, please refer to the full HHS news release for this announcement.