Senator Owen H. Johnson sponsored legislation that helps over 98,000 charities and non-profits in New York continue to provide desperately needed social work services to those in need.  The bill (S.5713), passed by the NY Senate on June 17, 2011, grants a nine month extension for charitable organizations to apply for a New York State Education Department waiver that will allow them to continue to lawfully employ licensed social workers and other mental health professionals.  

“It was a necessary step in resolving an unintended problem created when the new licensure status went into effect in New York in 2010,” Senator Johnson said.  “The new deadline will  ease the burden on human service not-for-profits, with already limited resources, by giving them the extra time they need to become fully informed of their obligations and to comply.  The extension will also allow them to continue to provide valuable services to thousands of vulnerable New Yorkers,” Senator Johnson said.  

This extension provides an additional time period for not-for-profit corporations and education
corporations that provide services in the professions of licensed master social work, licensed clinical social work, licensed mental health counseling, licensed marriage and family therapy, licensed creative arts therapy, licensed psychoanalysis and licensed psychology, to apply for a
waiver with the State Education Department in order to be exempt from corporate practice prohibitions.  The new deadline to comply is February 1, 2012.