Brief Description: The Board of Social Work Examiners proposes to update various regulations regarding continued competency requirements, update standards of practice, continuing education requirements, board member absences, definitions, and to establish teletherapy standards of practice.
The Board of Social Work Examiners (Board) proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 12, Chapter 18 of the Alaska Administrative Code including the following:
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12 AAC 18.112. Continued competency, is proposed to be changed to amend the continued competency requirements.
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12 AAC 18.160. Standards of practice, is proposed to be changed to reflect the current version of the standards of practice adopted by the board for social workers.
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12 AAC 18.210. Continuing education requirement, is proposed to be changed to amend the continuing education requirements for renewal of a social worker license.
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12 AAC 18.300. Requirements to practice teletherapy, is a proposed new section that establishes eligibility requirements to practice teletherapy.
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12 AAC 18.310. Scope of teletherapy practice, is a proposed new section that establishes scope of practice for teletherapy.
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12 AAC 18.320. Providing teletherapy, is a proposed new section that determines if a client is qualified for teletherapy services.
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12 AAC 18.330. Safety and confidentiality of communications, is a proposed new section that establishes safety and confidentiality of communications guidelines for teletherapy services between a licensee and a client.
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12 AAC 18.340. Limitations on teletherapy practice, is a proposed new section that establishes limitations on teletherapy practice.
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12 AAC 18.940. Board member absences, is a proposed new regulations regarding board member absences from regularly scheduled board meeting.
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12 AAC 18.990. Definitions, is proposed to add a new definition for “substance abuse education”, “synchronous”, and “teletherapy”.
You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806. Additionally, the Board will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 465-2974 and by electronic mail at RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov. Comments may also be submitted through the Alaska Online Public Notice System by accessing this notice on the system at http://notice.alaska.gov/193596, and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 4:30 p.m. on May 1, 2019. Comments received after this deadline will not be considered by the Board.
Oral comments relevant to the proposed action, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed action, may also be given at a hearing to be held on April 22, 2019, at the State Office Building, 333 Willoughby Avenue, 9th Floor, Conference Room C, Juneau, Alaska. If you wish to give your comments via telephone, please call 1-800-315-6338 access code 52551. The hearing will begin at 1:00 p.m. and will end when those who have signed up before 1:00 p.m. to give oral testimony have had the opportunity to comment. The chair of the Board may limit each participant’s length of oral testimony to a time limit, determined by the chair before the hearing begins, to allow enough time for all those present and timely registered to give testimony.
You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 110806, Juneau, AK 99811-0806 or by e-mail at RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Board will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and on the Board’s website at https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/SocialWorkExaminers.aspx. The Board may, but is not required to, answer written questions received after the 10-day cut-off date and before the end of the comment period.
If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Jun Maiquis at (907) 465-2537 or RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov not later than April 18, 2019 to ensure that any necessary accommodation can be provided.
A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and by contacting Jun Maiquis at (907) 465-2537 or RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov, or go to https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/portals/5/pub/CSW-0219.pdf.
A copy of the material proposed for adoption by reference may be viewed at the Board’s office at the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, State Office Building, 333 Willoughby Avenue, 9th Floor, Juneau, AK.
After the public comment period ends, the Board will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected. Written comments and questions received are public records and are subject to public inspection.
Statutory Authority: AS 08.01.020; AS 08.95.030; AS 08.95.040; AS 08.95.050; AS 08.95.100; AS 08.95.120
Statutes Being Implemented, Interpreted, or Made Specific: AS 08.01.020; AS 08.95.030; AS 08.95.040; AS 08.95.050; AS 08.95.100; AS 08.95.120
Fiscal Information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.
DATE: 3/28/2019
Jun Maiquis, Regulations Specialist Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
For each occupation regulated under the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, the Division keeps a list of individuals or organizations who are interested in the regulations of that occupation. The Division automatically sends a Notice of Proposed Regulations to the parties on the appropriate list each time there is a proposed change in an occupation's regulations in Title 12 of the Alaska Administrative Code. If you would like your address added to or removed from such a list, send your request to the Division at the address above, giving your name, either your e-mail address or mailing address (as you prefer for receiving notices), and the occupational area in which you are interested.
ADDITIONAL REGULATION NOTICE INFORMATION
(AS 44.62.190(d))
1. Adopting agency: Board of Social Work Examiners – Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.
2. General subject of regulation: Continued competency requirements, standards of practice, continuing education requirements, board member absences, teletherapy practice, and definitions.
3. Citation of regulation: 12 AAC 18.112, 12 AAC 18.160, 12 AAC 18.210, 12 AAC 18.300, 12 AAC 18.310, 12 AAC 18.320, 12 AAC 18.330, 12 AAC 18.340, 12 AAC 18.940, and 12 AAC 18.990.
4. Department of Law file number: To be assigned.
5. Reason for the proposed action: Update and clarification of current regulations; compliance with state statute.
6. Appropriation/Allocation: Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing – #2360.
7. Estimated annual cost to comply with the proposed action to:
A private person: None known.
Another state agency: None known.
A municipality: None known.
8. Cost of implementation to the state agency and available funding (in thousands of dollars): No costs are expected in FY 2019 or in subsequent years.
9. The name of the contact person for the regulation:
Chelsea Childress, Licensing Supervisor
Board of Social Work Examiners
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
Telephone: (907) 465-3262
E-mail: chelsea.childress@alaska.gov
10. The origin of the proposed action: Board of Social Work Examiners.
11. Date: 3/28/2019
Prepared by: Jun Maiquis
Regulations Specialist
(907) 465-2537