Earlier this month, we published a letter from national NASW CEO Angelo McClain, PhD, LICSW, to Dwight Hymans, CEO of the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), regarding the current holdup of social work graduates wanting to take the ASWB licensing exam. Below is the response received from ASWB.
Please know that the national NASW office will continue to push and advocate for online testing of the ASWB examination so that our members are able to earn their licenses in a timely and safe manner. To support our efforts by becoming a member today. Find out more about joining NASW here or click here to join.
August 20, 2020
Angelo McClain
Chief Executive Officer
National Association of Social Workers
Dear Dr. McClain:
Thank you for your letter of August 11, 2020, expressing concern about delays in social work testing that are affecting new social work graduates seeking licensure during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the concerns are not new, we take them seriously and continue to work diligently with our test vendor to resolve issues created by the current public health pandemic.
In response to your stated requests, ASWB offers the following information.
The Pearson VUE COVID-19 webpage offers specific details of cleaning and safety protocols the centers are following.
We refer you to the letter ASWB issued to the social work community on August 6 about online testing.
The responsibility to resolve any issues related to appointments rests between Pearson VUE and the candidate. ASWB advises candidates to confirm their appointment by logging in to their account through the ASWB portal on the Pearson VUE website. ASWB’s COVID-19 webpage offers specific information about exam registration and scheduling.
Pearson VUE reports that all U.S. PPCs are open but still operating at 50 percent capacity. To help alleviate the backlog, some centers have expanded hours up to nearly 24 hours a day. Pearson VUE staff are working to add capacity at centers and to communicate with candidates. Diverting staff to notify NASW chapters of availability is outside their mandate.
Providing essential social work services in all settings is critical during any health care crisis, underscoring the need to ensure competent, safe, and ethical care is provided by licensed practitioners. ASWB remains committed to our mission to provide support and services to the social work regulatory community to advance safe, competent, and ethical practices to strengthen public protection.
Sincerely,
Dwight J. Hymans, MSW, LCSW, ACSW
ASWB Chief Executive Officer