NY State Senate Bill 2017-S7526A

Senate Bill S7526A

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Requires licensed or certified school social workers in each elementary, intermediate, middle, junior high and senior high school

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 29, 2018	print number 7526a
Jan 29, 2018	amend (t) and recommit to education
Jan 19, 2018	referred to education

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2017-S7526 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9533
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §803-b, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S3477, A5338
2021-2022: S1062, A7513
2023-2024: S54, A4873

2017-S7526 - Summary

Requires at least one full-time licensed or certified social worker to be employed in each elementary, intermediate, middle, junior high school and senior high school throughout the state.

2017-S7526 - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7526

SPONSOR: HAMILTON
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
requiring a licensed social worker in each elementary, intermediate,
middle, junior high and senior high school

 
PURPOSE:

To insure that all elementary, intermediate, middle, junior and senior
high schools throughout New York State have an effective social work
program in place to meet the needs of their students.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

The education law is amended by adding a new section 803-B, to require
the board of trustees of every school district to employ at least one
licensed social worker in each elementary, intermediate, middle, junior
high and senior high school under their jurisdiction. This employment
shall be exclusive of any social workers funded or mandated through any
special education funding, aid, regulation or statute.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The role and function of a school social worker and the role and func-
tion of other pupil personnel services are distinctly separate.  In
addition to possessing certification through the Office of Teaching
Initiatives, school social workers are licensed by the New York State
Board of Regents with a scope of practice legally protected under Arti-
cle 154 of the New York State Education Law.

School social workers are at the forefront of school social, behavioral,
and community issues. The skills and competencies of school social work-
ers enable schools to carry out their primary functions of educating all
pupils more effectively.

Reducing or eliminating the presence of social workers in our schools
would have a devastating effect on our students. Given the current
economic crisis and the resulting impact on families and children,
stress and worry has risen sharply due to loss of income, rising debt,
unemployment, underemployment, loss of insurance, housing instability,
hunger, and many other factors. These factors are known to contribute to
increased incidence of mental illness, substance abuse, suicide,
violence, crime, and in an academic environment, may be attributed to
increased absence and risk of school failure.

School social workers are qualified to address these factors. By apply-
ing appropriate intervention strategies, school social workers are able
to alleviate some of these issues and support academic success. Every
student in New York deserves equal access to services and every school
in New York should provide the important services social workers can
provide.

 
FISCAL IMPACT ON THE STATE:

Unknown

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2017-S7526 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7526
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 19, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HAMILTON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring  a  licensed
   social  worker  in  each elementary, intermediate, middle, junior high
   and senior high school
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 803-b
 to read as follows:
   § 803-B. SOCIAL WORKERS LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED  FIFTY-FOUR
 OF  THIS  CHAPTER  REQUIRED  IN ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE, MIDDLE, JUNIOR
 HIGH AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.   THE BOARD OF EDUCATION  OR  TRUSTEES  OF
 EVERY  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  IN THE STATE SHALL ON AND AFTER JULY FIRST, TWO
 THOUSAND EIGHTEEN EMPLOY AT LEAST ONE LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER IN EACH  OF
 THE  SCHOOLS  UNDER  THEIR  JURISDICTION EXCLUSIVE OF ANY SOCIAL WORKERS
 FUNDED OR MANDATED THROUGH ANY SPECIAL  EDUCATION  FUNDING,  AID,  REGU-
 LATION  OR  STATUTE.    SUCH  LICENSED  SOCIAL WORKER SHALL PERFORM SUCH
 DUTIES WITHIN THEIR LAWFUL SCOPE OF PRACTICE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14250-01-8

co-Sponsors

2017-S7526A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9533
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §803-b, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S3477, A5338
2021-2022: S1062, A7513
2023-2024: S54, A4873

2017-S7526A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires at least one full-time licensed or certified social worker to be employed in each elementary, intermediate, middle, junior high school and senior high school throughout the state.

2017-S7526A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7526A

SPONSOR: HAMILTON
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
requiring a licensed or certified social worker in each elementary,
intermediate, middle, junior high and senior high school

 
PURPOSE:

To insure that all elementary, intermediate, middle, junior and senior
high schools throughout New York State have an effective social work
program in place to meet the needs of their students.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

The education law is amended by adding a new section 803-B, to require
the board of trustees of every school district to employ at least one
licensed or certified social worker in each elementary, intermediate,
middle, junior high and senior high school under their jurisdiction.
This employment shall be exclusive of any social workers funded or
mandated through any special education funding, aid, regulation or stat-

ute.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The role and function of a licensed or certified school social worker
and the role and function of other pupil personnel services are
distinctly separate. In addition to possessing certification through the
Office of Teaching Initiatives, school social workers are licensed by
the New York State Board of Regents with a scope of practice legally
protected under Article 154 of the New York State Education Law.

Licensed and certified school social workers are at the forefront of
school social, behavioral, and community issues. The skills and compe-
tencies of these licensed and certified school social workers enable
schools to carry out their primary functions of educating all pupils
more effectively.

Reducing or eliminating the presence of social workers in our schools
would have a devastating effect on our students. Given the current
economic crisis and the resulting impact on families and children,
stress and worry has risen sharply due to loss of income, rising debt,
unemployment, underemployment, loss of insurance, housing instability,
hunger, and many other factors. These factors are known to contribute to
increased incidence of mental illness, substance abuse, suicide,
violence, crime, and in an academic environment, may be attributed to
increased absence and risk of school failure.

Licensed and certified school social workers are qualified to address
these factors. By applying appropriate intervention strategies, school
social workers are able to alleviate some of these issues and support
academic success. Every student in New York deserves equal access to
services and every school in New York should provide the important
services social workers can provide.

 
FISCAL IMPACT ON THE STATE:

Unknown

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2017-S7526A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7526--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 19, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HAMILTON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Education  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to requiring a licensed
   or certified social worker in each elementary,  intermediate,  middle,
   junior high and senior high school
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  803-b
 to read as follows:
   §  803-B. SOCIAL WORKERS LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR
 OF THIS CHAPTER OR CERTIFIED PURSUANT TO RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  ESTAB-
 LISHED  BY THE DEPARTMENT, REQUIRED IN ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE, MIDDLE,
 JUNIOR HIGH AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.  THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OR TRUSTEES
 OF EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE SHALL  ON  AND  AFTER  JULY
 FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND EIGHTEEN EMPLOY AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO AT LEAST ONE
 LICENSED OR CERTIFIED SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER IN EACH OF THE SCHOOLS  UNDER
 THEIR  JURISDICTION  EXCLUSIVE  OF  ANY  SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS FUNDED OR
 MANDATED THROUGH ANY SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING, AID, REGULATION OR STAT-
 UTE.  SUCH LICENSED OR CERTIFIED SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER SHALL PERFORM SUCH
 DUTIES WITHIN THEIR LAWFUL SCOPE OF PRACTICE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14250-03-8

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