§ 5-39.2-2. Definitions.
As used in this compact, and except as otherwise provided, the following definitions
shall apply:
(1) "Active military member� means any individual with full-time duty status in the active
armed forces of the United States including members of the National Guard and Reserve.
(2) "Adverse action� means any administrative, civil, equitable, or criminal action permitted
by a state's laws which is imposed by a licensing authority or other authority against
a regulated social worker, including actions against an individual's license or multistate
authorization to practice such as revocation, suspension, probation, monitoring of
the licensee, limitation on the licensee's practice, or any other encumbrance on licensure
affecting a regulated social worker's authorization to practice, including issuance
of a cease and desist action.
(3) "Alternative program� means a non-disciplinary monitoring or practice remediation
process approved by a licensing authority to address practitioners with an impairment.
(4) "Charter member states� means member states that have enacted legislation to adopt
this compact where such legislation predates the effective date of this compact as
described in § 5-39.2-14.
(5) "Compact commission� or "commission� means the government agency whose membership
consists of all states that have enacted this compact, which is known as the social
work licensure compact commission, as described in § 5-39.2-10, and which shall operate as an instrumentality of the member states.
(6) "Current significant investigative information� means:
(i) Investigative information that a licensing authority, after a preliminary inquiry
that includes notification and an opportunity for the regulated social worker to respond
has reason to believe is not groundless and, if proved true, would indicate more than
a minor infraction as may be defined by the commission; or
(ii) Investigative information that indicates that the regulated social worker represents
an immediate threat to public health and safety, as may be defined by the commission,
regardless of whether the regulated social worker has been notified and has had an
opportunity to respond.
(7) "Data system� means a repository of information about licensees, including, continuing
education, examination, licensure, current significant investigative information,
disqualifying event, multistate license(s) and adverse action information or other
information as required by the commission.
(8) "Disqualifying event� means any adverse action or incident which results in an encumbrance
that disqualifies or makes the licensee ineligible to either obtain, retain, or renew
a multistate license.
(9) "Domicile� means the jurisdiction in which the licensee resides and intends to remain
indefinitely.
(10) "Encumbrance� means a revocation or suspension of, or any limitation on, the full
and unrestricted practice of social work licensed and regulated by a licensing authority.
(11) "Executive committee� means a group of delegates elected or appointed to act on behalf
of, and within the powers granted to them by, the compact and commission.
(12) "Home state� means the member state that is the licensee's primary domicile.
(13) "Impairment� means a condition(s) that may impair a practitioner's ability to engage
in full and unrestricted practice as a regulated social worker without some type of
intervention and may include alcohol and drug dependence, mental health impairment,
and neurological or physical impairments.
(14) "Licensee(s)� means an individual who currently holds a license from a state to practice
as a regulated social worker.
(15) "Licensing authority� means the board or agency of a member state, or equivalent,
that is responsible for the licensing and regulation of regulated social workers.
(16) "Member state� means a state, commonwealth, district, or territory of the United States
of America that has enacted this compact.
(17) "Multistate authorization to practice� means a legally authorized privilege to practice,
which is equivalent to a license, associated with a multistate license permitting
the practice of social work in a remote state.
(18) "Multistate license� means a license to practice as a regulated social worker issued
by a home state licensing authority that authorizes the regulated social worker to
practice in all member states under multistate authorization to practice.
(19) "Qualifying national exam� means a national licensing examination approved by the
commission.
(20) "Regulated social worker� means any clinical, master's, or bachelor's social worker
licensed by a member state regardless of the title used by that member state.
(21) "Remote state� means a member state other than the licensee's home state.
(22) "Rule(s)� or "rule(s) of the commission� means a regulation or regulations duly promulgated
by the commission, as authorized by the compact, that has the force of law.
(23) "Single-state license� means a social work license issued by any state that authorizes
practice only within the issuing state and does not include multistate authorization
to practice in any member state.
(24) "Social work� or "social work services� means the application of social work theory,
knowledge, methods, ethics, and the professional use of self to restore or enhance
social, psychosocial, or biopsychosocial functioning of individuals, couples, families,
groups, organizations, and communities through the care and services provided by a
regulated social worker as set forth in the member state's statutes and regulations
in the state where the services are being provided.
(25) "State� means any state, commonwealth, district, or territory of the United States
of America that regulates the practice of social work.
(26) "Unencumbered license� means a license that authorizes a regulated social worker to
engage in the full and unrestricted practice of social work.