BILL NO. 124
(as passed)
2nd Session, 62nd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
64 Elizabeth II, 2015
Social Workers Act
(amended)
CHAPTER 52 OF THE ACTS OF 2015
The Honourable Joanne Bernard
Minister of Community Services
First Reading: November 18, 2015 (LINK TO BILL AS INTRODUCED)
Second Reading: November 19, 2015
Third Reading: November 27, 2015
Royal Assent: December 18, 2015
An Act to Amend Chapter 12
of the Acts of 1993,
the Social Workers Act
Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 Section 2 of Chapter 12 of the Acts of 1993, the Social Workers Act, as amended by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is further amended by
(b) striking out "Association" in the second line of clause (d) and substituting "College";
(c) adding immediately after clause (e) the following clause:
(e) striking out "Association" in the first and in the second lines of clause (h) and substituting in each case "College"; and
(f) striking out "Association" in the second line of clause (m) and substituting "College".
2 Section 4 of Chapter 12 is repealed and the following Section substituted:
(2) For greater certainty, all assets, property and liabilities held by the Association are vested in the College.
(a) serve and protect the public interest;
(b) preserve the integrity of the social-work profession; and
(c) maintain public confidence in the ability of the social-work profession to regulate itself,
(d) regulate the practice of social work through
(ii) the approval and promotion of a code of ethics, and
(iii) the development, approval and promotion of standards of practice, entry-level competencies and continuing competency requirements;
(f) encourage members to participate in affairs promoting the practice of social work, in the best interest of the public;
(g) advocate for the development, enhancement and promotion of policies to improve social conditions and promote social justice; and
(h) do such other lawful acts and things as are incidental to the attainment of the purpose and objects of the College.
5A (1) For the purpose of this Act, the practice of social work means the provision of professional services to clients through the use of social work knowledge, theory, skills, judgement and values acquired through a program from an approved faculty of social work.
(2) The professional services to clients referred to in subsection (1) may include
(a) intervention through direct contact with clients, including assessment, case management, client-centered advocacy, education, consultation, counselling, crisis intervention and referral;
(b) community development founded on the principles of social justice that focus on mobilizing individuals to employ their skills to effect community change by community capacity building and community- based participation research; and
(c) direct or indirect provision of administrative, educational, policy or research services including
(ii) the development, the provision and the administration of social-work services programs, and
(iii) the supervision of individuals providing social work services; and
(2) Subsection 6(2) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the second line and substituting "College".
(3) Subsection 6(3) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first line and both times it appears in the second line and substituting in each case "College".
5 Section 7 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first and in the second lines and substituting in each case "College".
6 Section 8 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first line and substituting "College".
7 Section 9 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first line and substituting "College".
8 (1) Subsection 10(1) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first and second lines and substituting "College".
(2) Subsection 10(2) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first line and substituting "College".
9 (1) Subsection 11(1) of Chapter 12, as amended by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is further amended by
(a) striking out "Association" in the first line and substituting "College";
(b) striking out "Association" in the second line of clause (a) and substituting "College";
(c) striking out "Association" in the last line of clause (b) and substituting "College";
(d) striking out "Association" in the last line of clause (c) and substituting "College";
(e) striking out "Association" in the second line of clause (e) and substituting "College";
(f) striking out "Association" in the second line of clause (g) and substituting "College";
(g) striking out "Association" in the last line of clause (h) and substituting "College";
(h) striking out "Association" in the second line of clause (l) and substituting "College";
(i) striking out "Association" in the first and second lines of clause (m) and substituting "College"; and
(j) striking out "Association" in the last line of clause (n) and substituting "College".
(2) Subsection 11(2) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the second and third lines and in the third line and substituting in each case "College".
10 (1) Subsection 12(1) of Chapter 12 is amended by
(a) striking out "Association" in the first line and substituting "College"; and
(b) adding "or appointed" immediately after "elected" in the third line of clause (a).
(2) Subsection 12(3) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the fourth and fifth lines and substituting "College".
11 Section 14 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the second line and substituting "College".
12 (1) Clause 15(1)(a) of Chapter 12, as amended by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is further amended by striking out "Association" in the fourth and fifth lines and substituting "College".
(2) Clause 15(6)(f) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first and second lines and substituting "College".
13 Section 20 of Chapter 12 is amended by
(a) striking out "Association" in the second line of clause (g) and substituting "College";
(b) striking out "Association" in the last line of clause (i) and substituting "College";
(c) striking out the period at the end of clause (i) and substituting a semicolon; and
(d) adding immediately after clause (i) the following clauses:
14 Subsection 23(1) of Chapter 12 is repealed.15 Section 25A of Chapter 12, as enacted by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is amended by striking out "Association" in the second line and substituting "College".
16 Section 26 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the last line and substituting "College".
17 (1) Subsection 28(1) of Chapter 12 is repealed.
(2) Subsection 28(2) of Chapter 12 is amended by
(a) adding "written" immediately after "a" in the first line; and
(b) striking out "Association" both times it appears in the second line and substituting in each case "College".
18 (1) Subsection 29(1) of Chapter 12 is amended by
(a) adding "written" immediately after "investigate" in the second line;
(b) striking out "Association" in the third line and substituting "College.";
(c) striking out "but no action shall be taken by the Committee pursuant to subsection (2) unless" in the third and fourth lines; and
(d) striking out clauses (a) and (b).
(2) Section 29 of Chapter 12, as amended by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (1A) the following subsections:
(1C) In a proceeding before the Complaints Committee, the respondent has the right to
(a) be represented by legal counsel or by a union representative;
(ii) written investigative reports provided to the Complaints Committee, if any, and
(iii) all other documents received by the Complaints Committee; and
19 (1) Subsection 30(1) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the fourth line and substituting "College".
(2) Subsection 30(6) of Chapter 12, as amended by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is further amended by striking out "Association" in the last line and substituting "College".
20 Clause 32(1)(b) of Chapter 12, as enacted by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is amended by striking out "Association" in the first line and substituting "College".
21 Subsection 33(1) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the second line and substituting "College".
22 Section 34 of Chapter 12, as amended by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is further amended by
(a) striking out "Association" in the second line of clause (g) and substituting "College";
(b) striking out "Association" in the third line of clause (j) and substituting "College"; and
(c) striking out "Association" in the last line of clause (k) and substituting "College".
23 Section 35 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first line and substituting "College".
24 Section 36 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first line and substituting "College".
25 Section 37 of Chapter 12, as enacted by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is amended by striking out "Association" in the second line and substituting "College".
26 Section 38 of Chapter 12, as amended by Chapter 19 of the Acts of 2001, is further amended by striking out "Association" in the second line and substituting "College".
27 Section 39 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the second line and substituting "College".
28 Section 40 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the second line and substituting "College".
29 Subsection 55(2) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the second line and substituting "College".
30 Subsection 56(1) of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Board" in the second line and substituting "College".
31 Section 57 of Chapter 12 is amended by striking out "Association" in the first line and substituting "College".
32 Schedule A to Chapter 38 of the Acts of 2008, the Fair Registration Practices Act, is amended by striking out "Association" in the seventeenth line and substituting "College".
33 The Schedule to Chapter 48 of the Acts of 2012, the Regulated Health Professions Network Act, is amended by striking out "Association" in the ninth line and substituting "College".
34 This Act comes into force on such day as the Governor in Council orders by proclamation.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2015 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created December 9, 2015. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
