Further Amendment(s) Consolidated Amendment "D" to H4000

Social Services and Veterans

moves to further amend consolidated amendment “D” in item 4401-1000, by inserting after the words “competitive integrated employment services program;” the following:- provided further, that the department shall expend no less than $264,000 more than was appropriated in this item in section 2 of chapter 38 of the acts of 2013 for the programs operated through the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants with whom the department of transitional assistance  entered into service agreements in fiscal year 2014;

And further moves to amend said item by striking out the figure “$10,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- $10,794,000;

And further moves to amend the bill in section 15 by striking out the words “3 years” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- 1 year;

And further moves to amend the bill by inserting after section 15 the following section:-

SECTION 15A. Section 12 of chapter 18B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the seventh paragraph and  inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

A social worker shall have a bachelor’s degree at the time of appointment. A supervisory social worker shall have a master’s degree in social work or a related field and be a licensed certified social worker or a licensed independent clinical social worker at the time of appointment.

And further moves to amend the bill in section 98, by adding the following paragraph:-

On or before December 31, 2014, the office of the child advocate shall be prepare and distribute a survey to clients of the department of children and families and to employees of the department, including social workers and supervisors. The office shall work with the department to ensure that the survey is distributed appropriately and standards for client privacy are upheld.  The survey may be returned anonymously to the office.  The survey should be designed to assess the problems that clients face with the department. The survey should also be designed to assess the problems that department employees experience during the course of their employment with the department.  This office shall study, review and report on the outcome of the surveys and assess the needs and resources of the department of children and families aand submit the results of its investigation and study, and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerks of the house and senate on or before April 1, 2015.

And further moves to amend the bill by inserting after section 98 the following section:-

SECTION 98A. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the commissioner of  children and families shall ensure that all social workers within the department have obtained a license as a social worker on or before July 1, 2015.