State agencies employing social workers shall be are responsible for providing supervision consultation necessary for those social workers to maintain their licenses.

Sec. A-17. 32 MRSA §7054-A, as amended by PL 1989, c. 296, §2, is further amended to read:

§7054-A. Licensure as licensed social worker without examination

A person holding a certificate of registration or license under the laws of another state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia or of any foreign country, which is the equivalent of a license as a licensed clinical, licensed master or licensed social worker under this chapter who, in the opinion of the board, meets the requirements of this chapter, based upon verified evidence may, upon application, be licensed without further examination.

Any person registered by the board prior to the effective date of this section, under former section 7054, as a registered social worker or an associate social worker shall may automatically be licensed as a "licensed social worker" without further examination.

Any person certified by the board prior to the effective date of this section or under former section 7054 as a certified social worker and who engages in the independent practice of social work pursuant to section 7052 shall may be licensed as a "certified social worker - independent practice" and may continue to practice social work as previously authorized. This person has the option to be licensed as a "licensed master social worker" without further examination if the person has a masters' master's degree in social work or social welfare.

Any other person certified by the board prior to the effective date of this section or under former section 7054 as a certified social worker shall may automatically be licensed as a "licensed master social worker" without further examination and any person licensed as a "licensed clinical social worker" prior to the effective date of this section, under former section 7054, shall may remain licensed as a "licensed clinical social worker" without further examination.

Any person having received a masters master's or doctoral degree in social work or social welfare from an accredited educational institution and having completed 5 years' experience prior to January 1, 1987, with 3 years years' experience or its