§ 37:2704 — Board of Social Work Examiners

§2704. Board of Social Work Examiners
A. There is hereby created a Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners within
the Louisiana Department of Health. The board shall be subject to the provisions of R.S.
36:803. It shall consist of seven members to include six social workers and one consumer
member. The members shall be appointed by the governor, subject to Senate confirmation.
All appointees shall be selected from one list compiled by all statewide social work
membership organizations that have written bylaws and meet all state and federal laws, and
the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers shall be responsible for
the coordination of this process. The consumer member may apply directly to the office of
the governor. The governor shall ensure that his appointments demonstrate race, gender,
ethnic, and geographical diversity. All appointees shall serve no more than two consecutive
full terms. The completion of an unexpired portion of a full term shall not constitute a full
term for purposes of this Section. The board shall consist of the following members:
(1) One registered social worker with at least three years of social work experience.
(2) One licensed master's social worker with at least three years of social work
experience.
(3) Three licensed clinical social workers each with at least three years of clinical
social work experience.
(4) One member who is either a registered social worker, a licensed master's social
worker, or a licensed clinical social worker.
(5) One consumer member.
B. Each board member, with the exception of the consumer member, shall be a
person who holds a current, valid license or registration issued pursuant to this Chapter and
shall be a citizen of the United States and resident of the state of Louisiana. At all times the
board shall consist of at least three members who are engaged primarily in rendering direct
services in social work and at least one member who is engaged primarily in social work
education or a practice specialty other than clinical.
C.(1) The consumer member of the board shall be selected from the state at large and
shall possess all of the following qualifications:
(a) Is a citizen of the United States and has been a resident of Louisiana for at least
one year immediately prior to appointment.
(b) Has attained the age of majority.
(c) Has never been licensed by any of the licensing boards identified in R.S.
36:259(A), nor shall he have a spouse who has ever been licensed by a board identified in
R.S. 36:259(A).
(d) Has never been convicted of a felony.
(e) Does not have and has never had a material financial interest in the healthcare
profession.
(f) Shall not be an elected official.
(2) The consumer member shall be a full voting member of the board with all rights
and privileges conferred on board members, except that the consumer member shall not
participate in the grading of individual examinations.
D. Each member shall hold office until the expiration of his appointed term or until
a successor is duly appointed. When the term of each member expires, the governor shall
appoint his successor for a term of three years. Any vacancy occurring in board membership
other than by expiration of term shall be filled by the governor, under the provisions of
Subsection A of this Section, by appointment of a member to serve for the unexpired term.
A board member may be removed upon one or more of the following grounds:
(1) The refusal or inability of a board member for any reason to perform the duties
as a member of the board in an efficient, responsible, and professional manner.
(2) The misuse of office by a member of the board to gain pecuniary or material gain
personally or for another through such office.
(3) The violation by any member of the board of the laws or rules governing the
practice of social work.
(4) For other just and reasonable causes as determined solely by the board pursuant
to applicable laws.
E. Each board member shall receive a certificate of appointment from the governor;
and before commencing the discharge of his duties and within thirty days from the effective
date of his appointment, the board member shall subscribe to the oath for state officials
before any officer authorized to administer oaths in this state and shall file the same with the
secretary of state.
F. Each board member shall serve without compensation, but shall receive actual
traveling, incidental, and clerical expenses necessarily incurred while engaged in the
discharge of his official duties. Funds will be allocated for the payment of these expenses
as provided for by R.S. 37:2716(B).
G. The board shall notify all social workers of vacancies on the board, the
qualifications for service, and that interested social workers may submit a letter of interest
and resume' to qualified social work membership organizations.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 1972, No. 706, §1. Amended by Acts 1977, No. 684, §28; Acts 1999, No. 1309, §7, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Acts 2010, No. 880, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2018, No. 515, §2; Acts 2021, No. 215, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2022.