Notice of proposed changes on continued competency requirements in the regulations of the Alaska Board of social work Examiners

Brief Description: The Board of Social Work Examiners proposes to update regulations regarding continuing education requirements, adding three hours of required suicide education for initial licensure and renewals, for all license types, and prorating the required hours for renewals if licensed for less than 12 months.

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:

12 AAC 18.112. Continued competency, is proposed to amend the continuing competency requirements for initial licensure applicant applying by credentials, to include a minimum of three contact hours in suicide education.

12 AAC 18.210. Continuing education requirement, is proposed to amend continuing competency requirements for renewals, for all license types, to include a minimum of three contact hours in suicide education, and adding a prorated total of 21 contact hours for renewal applicants who are licensed for less than 12 months.

12 AAC 18.990. Definitions, is proposed to add an additional paragraph providing a definition of “suicide education” for the purposes of 12 AAC 18 and AS 08.95.

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 Alison Osborne, 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/209590, and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 4:30 p.m. on February 24, 2023. Comments received after this deadline will not be considered by the Board.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Alison Osborne, 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 Alison Osborne at (907) 465-6826 or RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov not later than February 17, 2023, 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 Alison Osborne at (907) 465-6826 or RegulationsAndPublicComment@alaska.gov or go to https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/portals/5/pub/CSW-1222.pdf.

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 08.95.030; AS 08.95.050, AS 08.95.040, AS 08.95.100

Statutes Being Implemented, Interpreted, or Made Specific: AS 08.95.030; AS 08.95.050, AS 08.95.040, AS 08.95.100

Fiscal Information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.

DATE:          1/20/2023                                                               /s/                                                                                                                Alison Osborne, 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: Continuing education requirements.

3.Citation of regulation: 12 AAC 18.112, 12 AAC 18.210, 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.

6.   Appropriation/Allocation: Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing – #2360.

7.   Estimated annual cost to comply with the proposed action to:

      A private person: An estimate of $50 for additional three CEs.  

      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 2023 or in subsequent years.

9.   The name of the contact person for the regulation:

    Stefanie Davis, Occupational Licensing Examiner

       Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners

       Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing

       Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development

       Telephone: (907) 465-2547

       E-mail: stefanie.davis@alaska.gov

10.   The origin of the proposed action: Board of Social Work Examiners.

11.   Date:          1/20/2023                       Prepared by:                                          /s/                    

                                                                                    Alison Osborne

                                                                                    Regulations Specialist