Research reveals the cost of licensing mental health occupations by state. The brief from The Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation at West Virginia University concludes that: “States should reevaluate supervised practice requirements, reducing licensing fees to the minimum necessary, and reducing continuing education requirements, all of which have little effect on quality in practice.” The paper discusses the fees and requirements states impose on licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed clinical social workers.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu pressured New Hampshire’s mental health board to implement a 2021 law related to the state’s mental health licensing. The law established two new categories of licenses for social workers and a system of conditional licenses for clinicians still working toward full licensure. The New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice still needs to adopt the 2021 licensing rules. In a “blistering letter,” the Governor threatened to replace board members if the board failed to act by September 1, according to New Hampshire Public Radio on August 22.
Industry leaders highlighted the workforce challenges still plaguing state government in hiring and retaining IT talent. Meredith Ward, the executive director of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers suggested a way to increase job applicants by 300%. “Job postings that have a flexible or remote work option have 300% more applicants,” she said, according to StateScoop on August 15.
