EDUCATIONAL AND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS.

SEC. 305. EDUCATIONAL AND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR SOCIAL WORKERS. (a) Social Worker Licensure Requirement.— Section 7402(b) is amended— (1) by redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (10); and (2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following new paragraph (9): “(9) Social Worker.— To be eligible to be appointed to a social worker position, a person must hold a master’s degree in social work from a college or university approved by the Secretary and satisfy the social worker licensure, certification, or registration requirements, if any, of the State in which the social worker is to be employed, except that the Secretary may waive the licensure, certification, or registration requirement of this paragraph for an individual social worker for a reasonable period, not to exceed 3 years, in order for the social worker to take any actions necessary to satisfy the licensure, certification, or registration requirements of such State.”. (b) Exemption.— The amendment made by subsection (a) does not apply to any person employed as a social worker by the Department of Veterans Affairs on or before the date of the enactment of this Act.