NASW Key Social Worker Bills Pass With Overwhelming Majorities
With overwhelming majorities, both the Oregon House and Senate passed two bills that were the chapter’s top priorities during the 2011 session:
HJM 12 urges the U.S. Congress to reconvene the White House Conference on Children and Youth.
HJM 13 urges adoption of the Social Work Reinvestment Act.
Secretary of State Kate Brown has filed the two memorials, which will soon make their way to Congress and President Obama. However, we still have more work ahead of us. Join the national NASW effort to persuade U.S. Congress to adopt the two memorials. Take action today and join the national social worker legislative advocacy network http://capwiz.com/socialworkers/home/.
For a complete list of bills of interest to social workers during the 2011 Oregon legislative session, see the below summary of outcomes. The plus symbol “+” means the bill has become law or will become law shortly and a zero symbol “0” means the bill is dead or died in committee or on the floor.
Budget Issues
+ Department of Human Services Budget & Oregon Health Authority Budget
Added-back 60 month lifetime cap for TANF
Oregon Health Plan providers 11% rate reduction
OHA MMJ fee bill “adds back” school-based health centers
+ Board of Licensed Social Workers Budget
Established fee schedule for new categories of licensure
Permanent investigation position added
Semi-Independent Status: Interim Work Group
Child Welfare Policy
White House Conference on Children (adopted)
Urges US Congress to resume White House Conference on Children
Passed both Chambers without opposition
+ Tuition Waiver for Foster Youth
Last dollar tuition paid for State higher education
Covered by existing funds in Oregon Scholarship Commission
+ Educational Standards for CPS Workers
Originally intended to require an advanced degree to work in CPS
Amended to reflect current DHS practice requiring at least BA/BS
Interim workgroup
Juvenile and Criminal Justice Reform
+ Modify Juvenile Sex Offender Registry
Removes misdemeanor offenses from registration
Allows for earlier relief from the registry for C felonies
Eliminates “limited window” for relief for A/B felonies
Interim Work Group
+ Keeping Youth Out of Adult Jails
Creates statewide presumption that youth being waived to adult court will be detained in juvenile facilities (pre-trial)
Immigration, Civil Rights and Racial Equity
0 DREAM Act: Oregon-Style
Allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition
One of five failed discharge petition attempts
0 Racial & Ethnic Impact Statements
A tool to study disproportionate policy impacts
Applies to criminal justice and child welfare bills
Poverty and Usury Policy
0 Tax Refund Anticipation Loans
More tightly regulates tax preparers
Prohibits exploitative lending practices
0 Mothers & Children Nutrition
Provides fresh Oregon-grown produce as part of WIC
Expands program to cover more eligible families
Died in Ways and Means due to fiscal
Died, in part, due to fiscal
Health Care and Mental Health Care Policy
+ Oregon Health Care Exchange
Consumer advocates failed at all attempts to amend
Mandated by the federal the Affordable Care Act
+ Flexibility in Practitioner Fitness Determination
Fixes 2009 bill mandating criminal background checks
Applies to residential MH, addictions treatment and others
0 Cultural Competency for Health Providers
Requires cultural competence as part of continuing education
Social Work Practice
Social Work Reinvestment Memorial (adopted)
Urges US Congress to pass the Social Work Reinvestment Act
Bill brought by social work students!
+ School Social Work Title Access
Clarifies TSPC-licensed social workers may use “school social worker” title
Avoids requiring dual license through BLSW
0 Extends Workplace Protections to Interns
Applies workplace civil rights & employment protections to interns
+ Corrections Treatment Worker Fix
Housekeeping amendment
Allows DOC same exemptions as DHS under SB 177 (2009)
+ False Report of Child Abuse
Original bill made “false report” a C Misdemeanor (1 year jail/$6000)
Amended to C violation same as “failure to report” (not crime/$700)
Amended further, limited to domestic relations only
