Social worker license chief asked to kill reform bill; lawmakers not "experts," lack "authority"

Oregon's top social worker licensing official asked Governor's top lobbyist for help killing proposal by bipartisan group of representatives to ease chronic social worker shortage

The Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers, and other state agencies, call this striking Salem building home (Photo from Oregon State Archives)

The head of the agency that licenses social workers in Oregon wrote that legislators trying to ease the state’s chronic social worker shortage were not “experts” and lacked authority to change licensure laws in emails recently made public by the Governor’s office.

On February 7, the bipartisan group of six lawmakers, led by Rep. Ed Diehl (R-Stayton), sought input from Ray Miller, Executive Director of the Board of Licensed Social Workers (BLSW), on a proposed bill to cause Oregon to join a multistate licensure compact to increase the number of social workers available to work in the state’s foundering behavioral health industry that includes the twin crises of addiction and mental health.

Rather than discuss the proposal with the legislators, who along with Diehl included Representatives Christine Goodwin (R-Canyonville ), Hai Pham (D-Hillsboro), Cyrus Javadi (R-Tillamook), Charlie Conrad (R-Dexter) and Thuy Tran (D-NE Portland), the same day he received the letter, Miller asked Governor Tina Kotek’s top lobbyist to kill the proposal.

It’s quite fascinating to me that people who don’t license Social Workers, nor are experts on the Social Worker Licensure process, have decided that an Interstate Compact is best for Oregonians without collaboration from the body that has authority to grant Social Work licenses.

I’m at a loss. I could use some support.

The lobbyist, Bob Livingston, passed Miller’s request on to a team member with instructions to follow up with Miller about “next steps.” Miller did not take up the lawmakers’ request to schedule a time to discuss the proposal prior to a subcommittee hearing Febraury 13. Miller did not take the legislators up on their request, according to Diehl. The proposal died the next week.

The legislature writes the laws authorizing LBSW to grant social work licenses, and setting the terms and conditions of the licensure process. The Social Work Licensure Compact website lists Oregon BLSW as one of the organizations that helped develop the Social Work Compact the legislators wanted Oregon to join.

In an email statement to this here Oregon Roundup, Diehl expressed disappointment:

I was very disappointed to read the letter.  I was part of a group of six bipartisan legislators, making up the majority of the House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee, that formally reached out to Director Miller and encouraged the Board of Licensed Social Workers to adopt the Compact.  We asked Director Miller to schedule some time with us to discuss the Compact in advance of our February 13, 2024 hearing.  Instead of engaging with the legislature, Director Miller chose to reach out to the Governor and stifle our efforts to increase access to care.

Diehl says he spoke with Miller and his predecessor on multiple occasions, before the letter, about the Social Worker Licensure Compact and its potential role in helping address Oregon’s chronic social worker shortage.

A shortage of social workers is often blamed as a key factor in Oregon’s ongoing failure to address the state’s mental health and addiction crises. A contributing factor to the shortage has been BLSW’s long timeline for granting licenses for qualified social workers who want to work in Oregon.

In a November 2023 Oregon Public Broadcasting interview, a social worker said he had been waiting nearly six months for BLSW to process his Oregon license application. He said he previously obtained licenses from Indiana (one week) and Tennessee (one month).

Lou Savage, then BLSW interim executive director, blamed the delays on staffing shortages and an influx of applications from social workers in other states seeking licensure in Oregon.

Miller was hired as permanent executive director of BLSW in December 2023. The BLSW website now says it will process all complete license applications within 60 days.

I emailed Miller at 6:43 a.m. today, asking for a response by 10 a.m., and apologizing for the tight response deadline*. Miller provided the following email statement, in which he lauds what he calls BLSW’s “customer service improvements,” claims BLSW was not involved in the development of the Social Worker Licensure Compact, and is not authorized to take positions on legislation:

Jeff Eager,

Thank you for asking 😊.

First, the Board of Licensed Social Workers (BLSW) is excited to know that the impressive customer service improvements BLSW has implemented in the past few months has made the attention of Oregon Roundup. All metrics have substantially improved and BLSW is receiving compliments every day from those we serve. BLSW will continue to listen to Oregon’s regulated Social Workers and the Oregonians we serve as BLSW continues to improve our services.

It is distressing to experience that the “tight deadline” in your investigative process lacks giving those you are interviewing adequate time to respond.

Please take the time necessary to check your facts. A simple visit to the BLSW website would have revealed to you that BLSW performs the legislative mandate of “Protecting the citizens of Oregon through the licensing and regulation of Social Workers”. BLSW has no authority to support (or lack thereof) ANY proposed legislation. Those functions are outside of the scope and purpose of BLSW. Also, please read the email you are referring to. It is simply a statement of fact.

Here is another statement of fact: BLSW did not contribute to the development of the Compact. Let me know when your investigative process allows time for an appropriate response.

I also hope that your short turnaround time allows you to read and view the public testimony BLSW provided as part of the legislative process.

Thank you for taking the time to recognize BLSW in the Oregon Roundup for the positive contributions BLSW is making for the Oregonians we serve. Please feel free to reach out when your process presents itself with the time needed to get a complete and factual response 😊.

Thanks,

Ray Miller

Executive Director

Board of Licensed Social Workers

In the BLSW’s March 2024 newsletter, Miller explained BLSW’s opposition to the Social Worker Compact proposal arose from not having enough time to evaluate it.

Pham and Tran, the Democrats on the letter to Miller, did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

Diehl says he is not giving up on Social Worker licensure reform:

“I am committed to working through any outstanding issues with Director Miller prior to the 2025 session.  I am optimistic that Oregon will join the Compact next year.”

*My 6:43 a.m. email to Miller:

Director Miller:

I write a newsletter about Oregon politics and policy called Oregon Roundup. I am working on a story this morning that involves the attached email you sent to Bob Livingston in the Governor’s office February 7 of this year seeking the Governor’s office’s support against a legislative proposal from Rep. Ed Diehl and five other Representatives to cause Oregon to join the Social Work Licensure Compact. The email was produced by the Governor’s office in response to public records requests from media outlets.

Why did you go to the Governor’s office to kill the proposal when Oregon BLSW is listed as an organization that contributed to the development of the Compact?

I am writing and publishing this morning, so unfortunately have a tight deadline of 10 am today (Tuesday) to include  your comment, if any. I apologize for the tight turnaround and if you are unable to respond by 10 am I will note the short time I provided in the resulting piece.

Also feel free to call if that’s easier.

Thanks,

Jeff Eager

[Phone number redacted]

The Miller email was included in 6,199 pages of emails released by the Governor’s office in response to media requests relating to the Governor’s elevation of her wife in her office, which led to the departure of 3/4 of the Governor’s top staffers in March. This is the third Oregon Roundup article arising from the trove of emails. Here’s the first, about a different state board and lewd texts, and the second, a comprehensive review of Gov. Kotek’s public claims regarding the first spouse, and contradictions contained in the trove.