Kansas

Legislation in the Kansas Senate would eliminate regulatory hoops for social workers

Published

10 months ago

March 16, 2024

Legislation in the Kansas Senate would eliminate regulatory hoops for social workers

Tonya Ricklefs and Becky Fast
| Special to The Capital-Journal

March is Social Work Month, and It’s a special time to celebrate social workers for all the work they do and their impact on so many Kansans.

This year, Kansas social workers celebrate a historic landmark with the 50th anniversary of the state’s Social Work Practice Act.

In 1974, social workers joined together under the auspices of the Kansas Council of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and persuaded the Kansas Legislature to require that social workers be licensed.

Former Sen. Neil Arasmith, a Republican from Jewell, sponsored Senate Bill 623. This bill led the way for the development of social work as a profession and has governed the practice of social work for 50 years.

Kansas became one of the first states in the country to pass three levels of licensure at the bachelor, master and post-graduate clinical level. At that time, only 11 states had social work licensure laws on the books. In comparison, our neighboring state of Missouri didn’t enact social work licensure until 1989 — the 45th state in the U.S. to do so.

Prior to licensing anyone could legally call himself a social worker and offer mental health services through agencies or private practice whether they were qualified to provide such services.

The 1974 law defined the practice of social work, prescribed qualifications for licensure applicants, restricted private practice to the more highly qualified practitioners and provided the public a system of redress and protection from harm.

With the passage of SB 623, Kansas created the Board of Social Work Examiners located with the Kansas Department of Social Rehabilitation Services to provide recommendations to SRS Secretary Robert Harder. The Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board was then established in 1980 and took over the regulating of psychologists and social workers.

This year, social workers, including Kansas Chapter of NASW, are championing HB 2484 — another landmark piece of legislation. HB 2484 will facilitate multistate practice through a social work licensure compact.

The compact will allow social workers to provide continuity of care across state lines, including through telehealth platforms, without the cost and burden of seeking additional state-specific licenses.

HB 2484 passed the Kansas House with a vote 118 to 2. The bill is now in the Senate. Currently, 22 states have introduced similar bills, including neighboring states Colorado and Nebraska, while Missouri and South Dakota already passed the compact into law.

During a time in our state and our nation where social workers are needed in nationwide shortages, eliminating regulatory hoops to allow our Kansas social workers the ability to practice in multiple states is critical. Social work multistate licensure must be solved to increase access to professional licensure and address the increasing need for mental health services.

Social workers are the largest provider of mental health services in Kansas and across the nation. We are at a pivotal moment in our state’s history to ensure the ability of our profession to meet the behavioral health demand.

We encourage you during Social Work Month and beyond to learn more about the profession. Take the time to thank a social worker who most likely has impacted countless individuals in our community. The well-earned thanks are likely after an emotionally draining day with long hours, low pay and facing sometimes an uphill battle in assisting others with personal challenges.

We hope you take a moment to recognize those in your life and community doing this critical work. Thank you.

Tonya Ricklefs, LMSW, is the NASW Kansas Chapter president, and Becky Fast is the NASW Kansas Chapter executive director.

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Kansas

Former Detroit Tigers All-Star Signs with Kansas City Royals

Published

1 hour ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Former Detroit Tigers All-Star Signs with Kansas City Royals

Former Detroit Tigers All-Star Michael Lorenzen is coming back to the American League Central, signing a one-year deal with the Kansas City Royals.

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN on social media:

Right-hander Michael Lorenzen and the Kansas City Royals are in agreement on a one-year, $7 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Lorenzen, 33, was excellent down the stretch, and the deal includes a second-year mutual option for $12 million. Versatile arm, great clubhouse guy.

Right-hander Michael Lorenzen and the Kansas City Royals are in agreement on a one-year, $7 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Lorenzen, 33, was excellent down the stretch, and the deal includes a second-year mutual option for $12 million. Versatile arm, great clubhouse guy.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 6, 2025
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As Passan mentioned, Lorenzen has already been with the Royals, finishing the 2024 season with them after a trade deadline deal from the Texas Rangers.

He went 7-6 in 2024 with a 3.31 ERA but he was 2-0 with a 1.57 in 28.2 innings with the Royals as they advanced to the ALDS.

A 10-year veteran of the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels, Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Rangers and Royals, he’s 47-44 lifetime with a 3.99 ERA. The Tigers traded him at the deadline into 2023 to the Phillies, who advanced to the NLCS. Lorenzen tossed a no-hitter with Philly in that season.

There had been little connection between Lorenzen and the Royals this offseason, but we did hear that Lorenzen could be an option for teams as a two-way player. Perhaps the Royals will let him get some at-bats as well. Lorenzen had previously been linked to the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins.

It’s unknown what his role will be with the Royals. Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha and Kris Bubic figure to make up 4/5 of the rotation, so perhaps Lorenzen can slot into the five spot.

The Royals finished just ahead of the Tigers in the division a season ago. Both teams made the playoffs, with the Tigers losing to the Guardians in the ALDS.

Continue to follow our Fastball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

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Kansas

Tennessee still No. 1 as Kansas tumbles in USA TODAY Sports men’s college basketball poll

Published

9 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

Tennessee still No. 1 as Kansas tumbles in USA TODAY Sports men’s college basketball poll

Tennessee now stands as the lone undefeated team in Division I men’s basketball. Unsurprisingly, the Volunteers will spend another week at No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

After handling Arkansas over the weekend, the Volunteers picked up 21 of 31 first-place votes this week to retain the top spot. Auburn once again checks in at No. 2, claiming the remaining 10 top votes. Iowa State holds at No. 3, with Duke also staying put at No. 4.

The shuffling begins at No. 5, where Alabama moves up a notch after handing new SEC member Oklahoma its first loss. Marquette jumps two places to No. 6. Kentucky climbs four spots to No. 7 after beating previously unscathed Florida in the game of the weekend on Saturday.

TOP 25: Complete USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball poll

WEEKEND RECAP: SEC, Big Ten going different directions

The voters were kind to the Gators, who fall just three places to No. 8. Texas A&M is No. 9, and two-time defending champion Connecticut has worked its way back into the top 10.

The voters were not as kind to Kansas. The Jayhawks bounced back from a midweek loss to West Virginia by pounding Central Florida on the road but still drops five places to No. 12. Oklahoma and Oregon also slip out of the top 10, checking in at No. 16 and No. 17 respectively.

Illinois makes the biggest jump within the Top 25, gaining five positions to No. 15 after a successful trip to the Big Ten’s new Pacific Northwest enclave with defeat of Oregon and Washington.

West Virginia enters the rankings at No. 23 thanks to that victory against Kansas. No. 24 Michigan and No. 25 Utah State rejoin the poll. Cincinnati, Baylor and Maryland drop out this week.

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Kansas

WEATHER: Major highways still closed across east-central, northeast Kansas

Published

16 hours ago

January 6, 2025

Press Room

WEATHER: Major highways still closed across east-central, northeast Kansas

If you’re planning to travel, this may not be your day.

State and federal highways in northeast, east-central and central Kansas remain closed after a powerful winter storm brought a combination of ice, snow and wind to the state over the weekend.

Kandrive.gov says the following highways are closed across the KVOE listening area:

*US Highway 50 west of Emporia
*US Highway 56
*US Highway 75 north of BETO Junction
*Kansas Highway 78
*Kansas Highway 99 north of Madison
*Kansas Highway 130
*Kansas Highway 150
*Kansas Highway 170
*Kansas Highway 177

Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell says the storm progression set us up for our current travel situation.

Cleared roads continue to drift shut outside the Emporia city limits. In town, Public Works has bladed the main arterials and residential collector, or more heavily-traveled, streets. Side streets don’t get plowed by the city, and they are blanketed by snow. Director Dean Grant says the city is using a special salt to combat the snow and ice.

Numerous schedule adjustments were reported through the weekend, and more are in place for Monday. Click here for KVOE’s Closings & Cancellations page.

Several injury crashes were reported in Lyon County, all within a 90-minute window Saturday:

*Just before noon, a wreck developed at Kansas Turnpike mile marker 118, or nine miles southwest of the Emporia tollgate. Emporia Fire Capt. Wade Schmidt says three passenger vehicles and two semis were in a ditch. Nobody was transported.
*As law enforcement and emergency crews finished that call, they were dispatched to KTA mile marker 119, or eight miles southwest of the Emporia gate. Three vehicles apparently collided. Nobody was transported.
*An Emporia woman was hurt in a crash at Roads 175 and X shortly after noon. Lyon County Deputy Tom Hardin says Fareda Gallager, age 64, had to be extricated from her vehicle before she was taken to Newman Regional Health with suspected serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Hardin says Gallagher lost control of her vehicle in slick conditions before it spun and rolled.
*Shortly before 1:30 pm, a crash involving eight vehicles transpired at Kansas Turnpike mile marker 145, or 18 miles northeast of the Emporia gate and two miles southwest of the Admire tollbooth. Schmidt says four semis, two passenger vehicles, a box truck and a KTA snowplow were involved. A driver in an unspecified semi was extricated and taken to Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka with suspected serious injuries.

Power outages started developing late Saturday night, and at one point over 2,300 Evergy customers were without power. That number is under 30 areawide, all currently in Greenwood or eastern Butler counties. Evergy District Services Manager Rolland Trahoon II conditions are still hampering restoration efforts.

If you have schedule adjustments to report, call KVOE at 620-342-1400, message the KVOE Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863 or email KVOE@KVOE.com.

Cold weather advisories continue areawide until 11 am with air temperatures struggling to get to 15 degrees and morning wind chills anywhere from -6 to -16.

If you have not signed up for KVOE social media alerts, go to Facebook@kvoenews, Instagram@kvoenews, YouTube@kvoenews and X@kvoeam1400.

*Click here for KVOE News’ prior news stories from the storm.
*Click here for KVOE’s YouTube channel, including updates from the KVOE News team.

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