Written by Stephanie Meittunen, MSCSW Secretary, Submitted on March 14, 2026
About a year ago, I logged into my first Minnesota Board of Social Work (BOSW) Advisory Committee meeting as the representative for the Minnesota Society for Clinical Social Work (MSCSW). Like many things in our profession these days, the meeting took place virtually. On the screen were social workers from across the state representing many different sectors of the field, leaders from NASW-MN, members of the Coalition for Minnesota Social Workers, representatives from Black and Hmong social worker organizations, school social workers, nursing home social workers, educators, and others.
What struck me immediately was how diverse the perspectives were in the room (or, more accurately, on the Zoom call). Each participant brought a different lens shaped by their area of practice. Together, those voices help inform the Minnesota Board of Social Work about how policies, licensing rules, and professional standards affect social workers working in very different settings across the state.
The BOSW Advisory Committee serves as a bridge between the Board of Social Work and professional organizations. The committee meets several times per year and allows organizations like MSCSW to provide feedback on issues affecting the profession while also sharing information back with the communities we represent. In many ways, it is a two-way communication channel: the Board shares updates and emerging policy discussions, and representatives bring forward the experiences and concerns of social workers working in the field.
Over the past year, several important topics have been discussed during Advisory Committee meetings. One ongoing conversation has focused on supervision and licensure pathways under Minnesota’s Social Work Practice Act. Committee members have explored how supervision requirements affect clinicians pursuing independent licensure and how those requirements intersect with workforce shortages in behavioral health. These discussions are particularly relevant for clinical social workers navigating supervision, licensure timelines, and career advancement.
Another area of discussion has been the social work workforce itself. The Board regularly shares information about licensure trends, including the number of social workers entering the profession and the challenges of recruiting and retaining providers across the state. Representatives from different sectors often highlight how workforce shortages show up in their settings, from schools and long-term care facilities to mental health clinics and community programs.
The Advisory Committee has also discussed the Interstate Social Work Licensure Compact, a national initiative designed to allow social workers to practice across state lines under certain conditions. While implementation is still evolving, the compact has the potential to impact telehealth services, cross-state practice, and mobility for social workers in the future.
One of the most valuable aspects of these meetings is hearing how social work practice differs across sectors while still sharing common concerns. School social workers may be navigating entirely different systems than clinical therapists, while social workers in nursing homes face their own regulatory and workforce challenges. Yet many of the same themes emerge: the need for strong supervision pathways, support for the workforce, and policies that allow social workers to practice ethically and effectively.
As the MSCSW representative, my role on the Advisory Committee is to bring the perspective of practicing clinical social workers into these conversations and to share relevant updates from the Board with our membership. Clinical social workers represent a significant portion of the behavioral health workforce in Minnesota, and it is important that our experiences and concerns are part of these broader professional discussions.
Serving on the Advisory Committee has reinforced how important collaboration is within the social work profession. While we may work in different systems and settings, our shared commitment to ethical practice, client well-being, and professional integrity connects us. When organizations and practitioners stay engaged with regulatory bodies like the Board of Social Work, we help ensure that policies reflect the realities of practice and support the future of the profession.
I am grateful for the opportunity to represent MSCSW in this role and to contribute to ongoing conversations about the future of social work in Minnesota.
