Social Work Title Protection Statute

Provisions of Public Act 19-164: An Act Concerning Social Workers

(Social Work Title Protection)

The social work title protection is in effect as of October 1, 2019, except for the section on municipal employees that became effective on July 1, 2019. It will provide for the proper use of the job title of social worker.

Here are the provisions of Public Act 19-164:

  • Reserves the title of Social Worker to those individuals who hold a baccalaureate or master degree in social work from a Council on Social Work Education accredited program or a doctoral degree in social work. Only those with such a degree can call themselves a social worker or use the title of social worker.
  • Restricts advertising of “social work services” to those individuals who hold a social work degree, as defined in the above bullet point.
  • Grandfathers in municipal employees who have the job title of social worker but not the degree in social work. Such individuals can only use the title of social worker within their current municipal employment and must have been employed with the job title of social worker prior to July 1, 2019.
  • Exempts state agencies from title protection.
  • Puts into CT statute the current practice of giving preference in hiring to BSWs and MSWs for the position of social worker within the state social worker job classification. Adds to that preference applicants with a doctoral degree in social work. Since 2014 the state has given preference in hiring to applicants with BSW and/or MSW degrees.
  • The law will be enforced by the CT Department of Public Health.

Public Act 19-164 can be viewed at https://www.cga.ct.gov/2019/ACT/pa/pdf/2019PA-00164-R00HB-07198-PA.pdf