A rally at the State Capitol put pressure on lawmakers to scrap New York’s social work licensing exam during a mental health staffing crunch, according to WETM.
Supporters backed the Social Work Workforce Act, which would replace the required exam with alternative, competency-based pathways. Advocates say the test disproportionately blocks Black and Latino candidates and shrinks a workforce already stretched thin statewide.
The bill, sponsored by Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas and Sen. Samra Brouk, sits in committee with more than 30 Democratic co-sponsors. Opponents argue the exam protects professional standards, but backers say eliminating it would quickly expand access to care.
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