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From March 2002 NASW NEWS People in the positions would be practicing clinical social work. The NASW Connecticut Chapter has protested the promotion of non-master's-level social workers into two jobs in the Town of Greenwich that have "MSW" in the titles. Job descriptions for both include clinical duties that require a license under state law. The chapter asked its 108 members in Greenwich to send letters of protest to city officials and local media, resulting in an article in the Greenwich Times and many letters. Then chapter Executive Director Steve Karp sent a letter to the Town of Greenwich setting out NASW's position on the hiring decisions by the city's Department of Social Services. Under Connecticut's 1995 Clinical Social Work Practice Act, only clinical social workers with an MSW can practice clinical social work, which is defined in the scope-of-practice section of the act, Karp wrote. Comparing the definition of "clinical social work" with the duties in the job descriptions in Greenwich makes it abundantly clear that the people in the two positions would be practicing clinical social work, Karp wrote. Both positions involve counseling, psychosocial assessments and therapy. In addition, the Senior Social Worker-MSW job includes "clinical case management and counseling services to individuals and/or groups in accordance with licensing standards." "This clearly indicates that the town's social workers are engaged in clinical social work practice, as defined by Connecticut state statute, and thus must be individuals who have attained the MSW," Karp's letter said. In addition, the Town of Greenwich's own job classification has the minimum requirement of the MSW for the positions, Social Worker-MSW and Senior Social Worker-MSW. No doubt, Greenwich put these educational requirements in place after "careful consideration as to the education and experience necessary to perform the job, for which we concur," Karp wrote. Hiring persons without MSWs "is falsely stating to the residents of Greenwich who may be provided services by these non-MSWs that they are being assisted by a professional social worker." Besides the legal and ethical issues, there are good practice reasons for hiring people with social work degrees, said Karp, who outlined the training and experience of professional social workers. Connecticut state agencies provide opportunities for social service employees to return to school for MSW degrees, giving workers a career ladder. "This is a model we suggest the Town of Greenwich consider for its social service employees." To assist Greenwich in hiring qualified, professional social workers, the chapter said it would provide the town with names of members, run advertisements in the chapter's newsletter or on its Web site and waive the usual fees for the services. Back to NASW NEWS Contents
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