I. The Meeting was called to order at 10:05 A.M by Board Chair, Doreen J. Bobby, MSW, LCSW.

II. The meeting of the State Board of Social Work Examiners was held at 124 Halsey Street, the 6th floor, on Wednesday, January 30, 2008 in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act. The following attendance was recorded for these minutes:

III. Roll Call

Henry Acosta, MSW, LSW, Vice-Chair Professional Member Present
Leonard Altamura, DSW, LCSW Professional Member Absent
Doreen J. Bobby, MSW, LCSW, Chair Professional Member Present
Kathleen Ellis Public Member Present
Maxine Lisboa, MSW, LSW Professional Member Present
Louise A. Murray, DSW, LSW Professional Member Absent
Paul J. St. Onge, Esq. Public Member Present
Wanetta V. Williams, BSW, CSW Professional Member Present
Lorna Hines-Cunningham, MS, LCSW Government Member Present

Also present were Executive Director Kay K. McCormack, DAG Jodi Krugman and Board staff Theresa Brundage.

IV. Review of Minutes

The Public Session minutes from December 18, 2007 were distributed and reviewed. A motion to approve the minutes as presented was made by Ms. Hines-Cunningham and seconded by Ms. Williams. The vote was unanimous.

V. Professional News-FYI

1. On January 14, 2008 Attorney General Anne Milgram announced the appointment of Elizabeth J. Mackay, Esq. as a Deputy Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. Ms. Mackay begins immediately and is assigned to oversee the Office of Consumer Protection.

2. The Board moves to Executive Session for discussion the January 11, 2008 Asbury Park Press article which relates a suit filed by three New Jersey LSWs against a New Jersey LCSW for providing clinical supervision for them while, they allege, he was not compliant with the revised regulatory requirements for clinical supervisors.

VI. Public Comment

-In attendance at this session were Walter X Kalman, MSW, LSW, Executive Director of the State Chapter of the NASW, Dawn Hall Apgar, Ph.D., LSW State Chapter Association liason to the Board and, Ms. Carrie S. Moore. Walter Kalman advised of the recent passing of Joseph P. Bordo, MSW, LCSW, a charter member of the New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners appointed in January 1992. Mr. Bordo served as the first Chair of the Board from January 1992 to April 1993 and, as President of the State Chapter of the NASW between 1989 and 1991. Joe was instrumental in bringing about the legislation which eventually led to the recognition of social work as a regulated profession in New Jersey. Joe continued on in his service as a member of the State Board through October 2000 and during his tenure was instrumental in helping to formulate the initial clarifying regulations for New Jersey’s Social Workers’ Licensing Act which define the practice in this state. Joe continued his dedication to social work consumers of New Jersey throughout his career.

-Mr. Kalman announced the Association’s upcoming Annual Career Day which will be held in the States Chapter offices in Edison and at Rutgers University in Camden on March 1, 2008. Students from the State’s approved undergrad and grad schools of social work are welcomed and urged to call the Association’s Chapter office at 732-248-1590 for further details.

VII. Executive Director’s Report

-Kay McCormack continued the DCA updates with the recent nomination of David M. Szuchman as the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, in the Department of Law and Public Safety, including for over the more than 40 professional’s regulatory boards. Mr. Szuchman’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled for February 14th.

-As a note of professional interest, the Attorney General nominated a New Jersey Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Valeria N. Lawson, as the new Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission. The Commission operates under the Department of Law and Public Safety. Ms. Lawson’s Senate Committee confirmation hearing is also scheduled for February 14th. The Board is proud to acknowledge the recognition of a co-professional with experience as both a clinician and a school social worker.

-Mrs. McCormack distributed an online article from the December 16, 2007 edition of The Record in which Attorney General Anne Milgram set forth her ambitious plans to transform the credentialing process undertaken by the more than 40 professional boards in the Division of Consumer Affairs.

VIII. Regulations

Division Regulatory Analyst Charles Manning reviewed the proposed revisions to N.J.A.C. 13:44G-1.2-Definitions with the intent to capture a definition of “supervision” in harmony with the term’s varied use throughout the Act and, for –4.1-Eligibility requirements; LCSW, sections (b)4.iand ii, language which establishes a more defined protocol for documenting prior direct clinical experience when primary source verification is unavailable. The Board will continue its discussion on these topics on February 26th as neither revision impacts the June 2008 sunset process.

IX. Review of Clinical Supervisors’ Credentials

A motion was made by Ms. Bobby and seconded by Ms. Ellis approving all clinical supervisors as recommended by review. The vote was unanimous. Supervisors

Frank H. Samuel, LCSW-MD

Babette C. Lefrak, LCSW-NY

Steven Spirn, LCSW-NY

Henry Mazur, LISW, LICDC-OH

Jacqueline A. Pertusicllo, LCSW-FL

Suzanne E. Demong, LCSW-CA

Jane M. Squillante, LCSW-FL

Gretchen G. White, LCSW-CT

Sarah L. Arness, LCSW-MD
Christopher Cofone, LCSW-MD
Cynthia R. Cubbage, LCSW-MD

Mary Ann Thomas, LCSW-KS

Joanna K. Grubb, LCSW-PA

Eileen McCabe, LCSW-NY

Sheila Fox Sherwin, LCSW, LMFT-PA

VIII. Vote on Candidates Proposed for Licensure and Certification

A motion was made by Ms. Lisboa and seconded by Ms. Ellis approving those candidates listed (attached) as qualified in their category based on a review of their application documents and in accordance with the Statute and Regulations. The vote was unanimous. The minutes reflect the 11:00 A.M. arrival of Board DAG Jodi Krugman and the departure of covering DAG Susan Berger.

IX. Continuing Education (CE)

A. Vote on recommendations-The Board voted unanimously to approve all programs as recommeded by content review. The vote was unanimous. These presentations will be reflected in the monthly update of Board approved CEs which is available at the Board’s website and by hardcopy from the Board office.

B. Problematic CE Presentations

Problematic CE contents were individually discussed and a motion was made by Ms. Lisboa and Ms. Williams to approve as recommended. Those found acceptable by the Board will be added to the monthly listing of approved CE sources.

The minutes reflect that Public member, Paul J. St. Onge, Esq. recused himself from the discussion and vote I/M/O the CE submission from Brandywine Senior Living due to a professional conflict.

C. CE Correspondence

1. The New York Institute for Psychoanalytic Self Psychology, represented by Dr. James S. Wulach, Esq. appealed the Board’s October 24, 2007 decision to award partial CE credit toward A. Graduate Seminar for Supervision Training. The Board re-examined the content of the Seminar’s weekly presentations in light of the Institute’s appeal, however, upholds its initial decision Therefore, 1.5 (clinical) CE credits are granted, per week, for weeks 1 through and including week six(6) for a total of 9 CE credit hours. Credit is denied for the remaining weeks’ presentations, 7 through 15, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:44G-6.3 (C) 2. A motion to this effect was made by Ms. Bobby and seconded by Ms. Hines-Cunningham. With one abstention, the motion passed.

2. I/M/O the clinical license reinstatement of Dr. Kathleen Pottick, MSW, Ph.D. the Board formalized its decision to grant 5 ethics CE credits to Dr. Pottick for her professional research related to her position on the Editorial board of the international journal, Ethics and Social Welfare. Based on Dr. Pottick’s description of her related research in professional ethics, the Board agreed that she has satisfied the 5 CE credit ethics requirement. A motion to this effect was offered by Ms. Bobby and seconded by Ms. Ellis. With two recusals, the motion passed. The minutes reflect the recusal of Ms. Lisboa and Mr. Acosta from discussion and vote in this matter due to their previous educational relationships with Dr. Pottick.

3. I/M/O the clinical license reinstatement of Suzanne M. Cohen, MSW, the Board reviewed Ms. Cohen’s November 28, 2007 appeal to Attorney General Anne Milgram for her assistance in authorizing the Board to grant additional CE credits to Ms. Cohen for a business research project. Ms. Cohen submitted to satisfy her 40 CE credit reinstatement requirement. While initially denying any CE credit for Ms. Cohen’s business model plan which she completed at the Wharton School of Business, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania and not the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work, the Board re-examined the supporting document received from Ms. Cohen’s professional peer and business associate. The Board has now determined to grant Ms. Cohen an additional 14 CE credits which, together with the 6 credits originally approved totals 20 of the 40 CEs required for Ms. Cohen’s LCSW 2006-2008 license reinstatement. These are, however, neither clinical nor ethics credits which Ms. Cohen is still obligated to document for the balance due toward her license reinstatement.

X. Notice of Recently Filed Public Discipline-FYI

A Consent Order for unlicensed clinical practice was filed by the Board against Mecca C. Cerny-Geisendorfer, MSW, LSW for her provision of clinical services prior to the issuance of her LSW license.

XI. FYI-The Boards’ option to utilize the mediation/arbitration services of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Unit was discussed. This is an independent, non-advocacy unit within the DCA established in 1992, and located at 153 Halsey Street, Newark. In mediation, both parties work directly with an assigned mediator who assists the parties to reach a resolution. In arbitration, a neutral party arbitrator hears the facts presented by the parties, analyses the situation and issues a final decision that all parties must agree to follow. Trained volunteers are used and there is no charge to the parties. Although the Boards determine which complaints are directed to the Unit, the ultimate choice to accept/reject a complaint matter for either arbitration or mediation is the decision of the Unit.

XII. Legislative Update

A periodic status summary of the following legislation was provided FYI.

-S1761/A3027-Violence Prevention in Health Care Facilities Act
-A 3517/S3489-Provides for Religious Accommodations in Health Care Facilities.
-S2728/A4044-New Jersey Health Information Technology Act
-S2536/A4455-Licensure of Massage and Bodywork Therapists…

XIII. The Board agreed to conclude Public Session at 12:20 P.M. by unanimous consent.

XIV. The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 P.M. by unanimous consent.

Respectfully submitted,

_______________________
Kay K. McCormack
Executive Director

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