New Bill Would Require Social Worker Credentials for CPS Workers

I was intrigued by this news out of Washington (the state):

A bill was introduced by Senator Pam Roach, (R) 31 District, Olympia, to require child protective workers (CPS) to be licensed Social Workers. The Washington State Chapter of NASW testified in support of this legislation, SB 5163, before the Senate Committee on Human Services and Corrections.

You can see the bill's page on the Washington legislature's website here which includes the full text of the bill as introduced, and I'm sure will include revision history and committee reports as the bill progresses.

I think this is an excellent step, although it probably does not go far enough to increase and improve the training CPS workers generally receive in order to decrease the number of full investigations into false abuse allegations. In order to achieve that goal, more in-depth training in investigatory techniques and procedures would have to be mandated, at least for those workers who conduct investigations into abuse and neglect accusations.

The sponsor of the bill, Pam Roach, is well known as a courageous public critic of CPS and hasty, improper investigations and removal actions. Last year, Senator Roach also joined the grandparents of Josh Powell's sons after Powell murdered the boys and killed himself in offering suggestions on how that state's CPS system could be improved.