Alabama Attorney General Opinion 1979-0190

A OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (79-00/9 4158 AOMMEETRATIVE RWHAMMO 114 ROWER UNION ETEREVE MONTECHNERY, ALAIMO* MI 30 AREA MOM, 4344180 Mr. H. Stuart Chappell Director of Colbert County Pensions and Security Tuscumbia, Alabama 35674 Board of Social Work Examiners Any "licensed bachelor social worker" licensed under the pro- visions of Act No. 652, Acts of Alabama 1977, pages 1102 through 1113, qualifies for appointment to the Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners in his licensed capacity. Dear Mr. Chappell: I received your letter dated March 26, 1979, in which you requested a response to the following inquiry: Can an individual that has been licensed by the Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners as a "licensed bachelor social worker" who does not possess an under- graduate degree in social work qualify for appointment to said board in the capacity of a "licensed bachelor social worker"? The answer to your question is "yes." The Alabama Legislature created two (2) alternative sets of criteria which an individual could satisfy to qualify as a "licensed bachelor social worker." They are set out in Section 5(A) 5(a), LEE L. HALE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM M. BEKURS, JR . EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT WALTER S. TURNER CHIEF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL JANIE NOBLES ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT CHARLES A. GRADDICK ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF ALABAMA April 26, 1979 ••• Mr. H. Stuart Chappell April 1979 Page Two Act No. 652, Acts of Alabama 1977, page 1105, which reads as follows: (a) Bachelor Social Worker -- (1) has a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university including completion of a social work program approved or accredited by the Council on Social Work Education; or (2) for a period of six years from the effective date of this Act, an applicant may be licensed who: has a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and has successfully completed two years of full time continuous employment in a social work position under supervision approved by the Board. (Emphasis added) As is readily apparent, only the first set of criteria requires that the person seeking licensing possess undergraduate training in social work. An individual satisfying either set of criteria, however, will qualify for licensing as a "licensed bachelor social worker." An appointee to the Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners in the capacity of a "licensed bachelor social worker" must satisfy only one requirement. Said appointee must be licensed by the board as a "licensed bachelor social worker." Any person licensed under the provisions of Act No. 652 is, therefore, automatically qualified for appointment to said board. It does not matter under which of the aforementioned sets of criteria the licensee /appointee qualified. If you have an employee, licensed by the board as a "licensed bachelor social worker, whom you would like to recommend for ap- pointment to the Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners, you need not hesitate to submit your recommendation. Any "licensed bachelor social worker" licensed under the provisions of Act No. 652, Acts of Alabama 1977, pages 1102 through 1113, is eligible for appointment to the Alabama Board of Social Work Examiners in his licensed capacity. Very truly yours, CHARLES A. GRADDICK Attorney General By- KND:dd f .0 D. REN NEAL DANIEL Assistant Attorney General