Telehealth Changes: Regulatory and Licensing Changes

Kansas Chapter Advocacy Efforts

During the pandemic, Kansas Chapter is working hard to ensure that you can provide services through Telehealth. These include:

• Telehealth services count in the training plan toward LSCSW licensure.

• LSCSW supervision provided through Telehealth services.

• Audio only services counted for licensure.

State by State Guide on Telehealth

Collated by Penn State University and the University of Texas at Austin, the below link is a central resource with up-to-date information on the status of rules/laws in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia for marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. The information provided is intended to be a living document that will be updated as different states update their rules/laws. Please check back regularly so that you are using the most recent information.

Access the guide here

Regulatory and Licensing Provisions

The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) the membership association for state social work licensing authorities has created a page where you can check on teletherapy in your state as well as license exemptions and temporary license requirements applicable during a declared state of emergency.  Check here

Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board

• Kansas Chapter is advocating with BSRB for client contact via teletherapy to be used toward the accrual of direct client contact hours when working toward the clinical level of licensure. 

Kansas Telemedicine Act 

The Kansas Legislature passed the Kansas Telemedicine Act, which is effective Jan. 1, 2019. The Act brings provider use and consumer/patient-initiated use of these services together under one definition:

The Act states telemedicine shall be provided by means of real-time two-way interactive audio, visual, or audio-visual communications, including the application of secure video conferencing.

• Under the Act - Telemedicine does not include communication between:

  1. A healthcare provider that consists solely of a telephone voice-only conversation, email, or facsimile transmission.

  2. A physician and a patient that consists solely of an email or facsimile transmission. 

• Kansas requires any individual treating a client in-state to have a license to practice in Kansas. 

• Legal considerations for Telehealth

Per Kansas requirements, if the client is physically located in Kansas when services are being provided, the licensed provider must be licensed in the State of Kansas. Kansas does have the option of a temporary permit for those who hold an independent license in another state. Links have been provided below for each profession’s temporary out of state permit application.

If the client is physically located in another state when services are being provided, the licensee must contact the state board where the client is located to determine licensure and telemental health requirements.

Social Worker Disclosure Requirements

Interstate Telehealth Services

The licensing board for a state has jurisdiction when a client is physically in their state, so that state’s board decides if you are in compliance with their laws and rules when you work with someone who is inside their borders. Quite a few licensing boards have provisions for licensees of other states to practice temporarily with clients in their state. It is imperative to check the social work licensure rules in the state within which a potential client resides to determine if you are eligible to practice temporarily.

#BeTheChange

Annual Legislative Education Advocacy Day

Join us – this year for our virtual advocacy day - February 17th, 2021– 10 am to 12 pm. Registration will be posted on Kansas Chapter Facebook in January.

NASW-KS recognizes and stresses the importance of legislative advocacy by professional social workers through holding an annual advocacy skills training where over 300 students/social workers come together at Washburn University in February of each year. Participants learn advocacy skills in the morning in workshops and then have first-hand practice developing these skills by meeting with their legislators at the State Capitol. The actions of the Kansas legislature affect the practice of social work and the client’s social workers serve. Policy impacts practice and practitioners can affect policy.

#StandWithSocialWork by joining in this event. Our NASW-KS Membership provides social workers with regular advocacy and policy updates from both the National office and the NASW-KS state chapter office.

With your help, we’ll continue to be influencers at the Statehouse, working to meet the needs of Kansas social workers in human services, mental health, and equitable financing of state services.

BSRB Fees Reduced! Power in Association!

Over the years NASW-KS Chapter of Social Workers has advocated lowering fees for licensure as Kansas social workers pay almost twice as much as neighboring states. The good news…

-YOUR VOICE MATTERS-

Having a social work association in Kansas matters-regulations are now finalized and application and renewal fees have been reduced by $50 effective March 8, 2019.

More information on the BSRB social work license fees.

Back to School with Social Workers

This Guest Editorial was printed in Hutchinson News and the Topeka Capitol Journal. School Social Workers are the behavior health “glue” who work with students to overcome mental health challenges.Thank you to Wendy Funk Schrag, President of NASW-Kansas Chapter Board ofDirector for her leadership with this guest opinion article.The increasing behavioral and mental health needs of students requires the additional expertise of a school social worker who is trained to work with students," writes Wendy Funk Schrag.

Read full opinion piece…

Kansas Chapter is Recipient of Ruth Fizdale Chapter Research Grant from NASW Foundation

Kansas Chapter is honored to receive this grant award to pursue a better understanding of the our state workforce and increasing shortages of social workers in rural areas.The grant will support the chapter's efforts to survey the social work profession’s landscape in the state and surrounding area and present this data to policymakers and legislators to make them aware of the profession’s needs.Thank you to NASW-KS ChapterBoard members Matthew Benorden and Dr. Tim Davis for their leadership with this research project.

Kansas Passes Licensure Reciprocity for Social Workers

Senate Bill 15 was signed into law by Governor Kelly. The Kansas House and Senate passed legislation that was sent to Governor Kelly to provide licensure reciprocity for social workers who work across state lines or move to Kansas.

The NASW Kansas Chapter championed the introduction and passage of this legislation.

NASW-KS proposed an amendment to place post-graduate supervision hours for clinical supervision in line with states across the country. 3000 supervised practice hours and 100 supervision hours were also approved in the Senate and House. Governor Kely then signed the bill into law.

The legislative work and having a social worker at the table is only possible due to Kansas social workers becoming NASW members.

More in the News:

“Need More Social Workers In Kansas? Advocates And Providers Say Loosen Standards” by Nomin Ujiyediin, KCUR

“Kansas lawmakers eye bill to address social worker shortage” by Staff, KSNT

NASW- KS Chapter SUCCESSFULLY Championed Reducing Barriers to Become Clinically Trained

Senate Bill Passed into Law

NASW—KS Chapter championed amendments to Senate Bill 15 which changed the hours of supervised clinical experience from 4000 total hours to 3000 total hours and the required supervision hours from 150 hours to 100 hours for new (non-reciprocity) LSCSW applications only.

This change will ensure that Kansas licensing requirements are in lined with neighboring states and states across the union.

More information from BSRB