Kansas official says social‑work compact likely operational about a year away; commission negotiating vendor contract

A Kansas BSRB commissioner and advisory committee member reported that the social work interstate compact commission has selected a vendor for a national data system and is in contract negotiations, and estimated the compact could be operational in roughly a year.

"I would guess that that's probably my best estimate. It's probably about a year from now before we'll be able to launch that, the multistate licenses for the compact," said the commissioner, who serves on the compact's rules and finance committees. Commissioners approved leadership and committee structures earlier in the year and have been working on bylaws, rules and a vendor-built data system to track multi‑state licensure.

The commission's finance committee is discussing how operations will be funded once the compact becomes active — options include administrative fees charged to licensees and initial funding from associations. The compact requires a criminal-background check as a condition of issuing compact privileges; BSRB staff reported the BSRB board voted to require background checks to meet compact compliance and to offer an opt‑in mechanism for currently licensed practitioners.

The commissioner noted vendor proposals can be proprietary, that contract negotiations are ongoing, and that once a vendor contract is signed the commission will have clearer estimates of operational costs and timelines.

The compact is one of several practitioner compacts for health and mental-health professionals; Kansas has participated early in the social-work compact and was among the first states to adopt the model law, the commissioner said.