Governor Signs Legislation to Help California Social Workers
Sacramento– Assembly member Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara) announced today that his measure,, was signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“Today is a new day for California social workers who will now qualify for federal financial assistance, similar to social workers in other states,” said Nava. “Social workers play a vital role in our communities and are on the front lines when peoples’ lives are in crisis. We owe it to them to make sure that have access to all possible resources so that they can continue to serve all of us in California.”
AB 2167 will replace California’s current state-administered licensing exam with a national exam administered by the Association of Social Work Boards. By making this change, California social workers will be eligible for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program which provides up to $50,000 for educational costs for eligible participants. This federal program encourages social workers to work in un-served and underserved areas throughout the country.
Said Rebecca Gonzales, Director of Government Relations for the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter, “We are very pleased the Governor signed this bill. California Social workers will now be able to qualify for this vital federal program. We commend Assembly member Nava for his work hard work on this bill.”
