The Association of Social Work Boards has released their 2022 Exam Pass Rate Analysis. The data indicates that exam volume has more than doubled in the last decade and the proportion of test-takers from historically underrepresented groups has increased by 14%. The data indicates lower pass rates among men, older test-takers, those whose first language is not English, and Black test-takers. ASWB recognized "the need to identify potential steps that ASWB can take to address these differences while adhering to the public protection mandate that guides its mission."
September 22, 2022
ASWB analyzes exam pass rates
August 10, 2022
American Nurses Association Racial Reckoning Statement
The Membership Assembly of the American Nurses Association has unanimously approved the Racial Reckoning Statement, which "sets the course for the association to embark on a continual process of not only reckoning with harmful practices and policies but also apologizing to, seeking reconciliation with and forgiveness from nurses of color, and healing of individual nurses and our profession." The effort is informed by the ANA's participation in the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing.
March 09, 2022
New Jersey proposes anti-discrimination rules
Rules proposed for the Division of Consumer Affairs "will clarify and firmly establish that discriminatory conduct, bias-based harassment, and retaliation against individuals who exercise their rights under anti-discrimination laws constitute professional or occupational misconduct that may be grounds for disciplining a professional licensee, including by suspending or revoking a professional license or certificate." The rules would apply to all 51 professions and occupations within the Division, supplementing the anti-discrimination regulations already in place at three of the boards (the Board of Social Work Examiners, the Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee, and the Board of Psychological Examiners).
February 23, 2022
Legislative and policy trends upcoming in 2022
An article by Venable LLP outlines ten anticipated trends for the 2022 legislative session that could have an impact on occupational licensing boards.
Worker mobility legislation - Given the Biden administration's focus on addressing impediments to worker and economic mobility, the article suggests state regulatory bodies consider the uniformity of licensing requirements across the US.
Antitrust concerns - The article suggests a review of regulatory structures and level of state supervision to address continued antitrust enforcement.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - The article suggests considering whether eligibility rules, education requirements, and other licensing criteria truly serve their purposes or are arbitrary and overly burdensome.
COVID-19 modifications - Licensing boards will need to be prepared for which changes legislatures will roll back or introduce for permanent adoption, particularly around telemedicine.
January 19, 2022
Report Released on Review of USPAP and AQB Criteria
An independent analysis of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria (AQB Criteria), funded by the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) and managed by CLEAR, has been completed. The report is intended to represent a comprehensive and independent review of the appraisal standards and appraiser qualifications to ensure that neither encourage or systematize bias, and that both consistently support or promote fairness, equity, objectivity and diversity in both appraisals and the training and credentialing of appraisers.
From the report: "An appraiser has the unique power to determine the value of a home, which for most Americans, is their single most important financial asset and holds the key to wealth, stability, and opportunity for their family and generations to come. In addition, home values affect the tax base, school funding, and community investments. Moreover, time and again, our nation’s economy and financial markets have been significantly impacted by home valuations, with communities of color often bearing the brunt of failings in the mortgage market and the home appraisal process. Given the importance of homeownership to American families, particularly families of color, governmental and private organizations have called for reforms and a comprehensive examination of the structure and governance of the appraisal industry.
In response to these calls for reform, we have assembled the research and recommendations in this report. We urge federal and state governmental entities, The Appraisal Foundation, the GSEs, lenders, appraisers, researchers, and civil rights and consumer advocates to work together to address the concerns raised in the report:
- Questions About the Governance of the Appraisal Industry
- Gaps in Fair Housing Requirements and Training
- Barriers to Entry to the Appraisal Profession
- Compliance and Enforcement
We hope that this report will encourage conversations among key stakeholders in the appraisal and housing industries to seek workable, sustainable solutions that benefit the whole of the housing market, including borrowers of color."
December 09, 2021
UK: General Medical Council audit report
A report of the recent audit of the General Medical Council's fitness-to-practice procedures finds that the procedures are fair, consistent and robust. The audit focused on decisions made at the preliminary screening stage of a complaint - determining whether cases meet the criteria to be opened to a full investigation. The audit found that decision makers interpreted the guidance without bias when making decisions and made decisions in line with the guidance.
May 19, 2021
Canada: federally regulated judges receive social context training
Under the revised Judge Act, federally regulated judges appointed to provincial superior court will have to take training related to sexual assault law and social context. "Judges must ensure that personal or societal biases, myths and stereotypes do not influence judicial decision-making. This requires that judges understand the social context in which they hear matters and the factors that may affect engagement with the justice system."
March 31, 2021
FSMB launches Task Force on Health Equity and Medical Regulation
The Federation of State Medical Boards has established a task force to "evaluate education and training programs to assist state medical and osteopathic boards in identifying opportunities for understanding and addressing systemic racism, implicit bias, and health inequity in medical regulation and patient care." The task force will conduct a literature review on implicit bias, systemic racism and health equity in medical regulation; identify current state medical board initiatives around implicit bias; work towards creation of a public-facing platform with educational resources for addressing implicit bias in medical regulation; and engage with professional medical associations, academia, government, and regulatory agencies to include a state regulatory perspective in the discussions.
A member of the task force, Marlon Brown with Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, delivered a webinar for CLEAR about Michigan's Executive Order requiring implicit bias training for all licensed healthcare professionals. A recording of the presentation is available.
