BILL NUMBER: S54

SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
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 OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To ensure 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-c 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.

Section two of this bill sets the effective date.

 
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. Many families experi-
ence loss of income, rising debt, unemployment, underemployment, loss of
insurance, housing instability, and food insecurity in unstable economic
times. These factors are known to contribute to increased incidences of
mental illness, substance abuse, suicide, violence, crime, and in an
academic environment, increased absence and risk of school failure.

Licensed and certified school social workers are qualified to address
these problems. By applying appropriate intervention strategies, school
social workers are able to alleviate 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.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2022: S1062 - Referred to Education

2021: S1062 - Referred to Education

2020: S3477 - Referred to Education

2019: S3477 - Referred to Education

2018: S7526-A - Referred to Education

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.