A New Era for Social Work: What Is the Licensure Compact?

Imagine a licensed social worker in one state being able to help clients in another state without jumping through months of bureaucratic hoops. That vision is becoming reality with the Social Work Licensure Compact. An interstate compact is essentially a contract among states to recognize each other’s licenses, and in this case, it means creating a multistate social work license. The Council of State Governments, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), spearheaded the development of this Compact to support license portability for social workers.

The goal is straightforward yet ambitious: eliminate barriers to practice and client care while ensuring public protection.

Under the Social Work Compact, a social worker in a member state can apply for a multistate license that authorizes practice in all other member states.

This means no more redundant applications and fees for each state one license could cover many. Why does this matter? Currently, social workers who want to serve clients across state lines (for example via telehealth or after moving to a new state) must obtain separate licenses in each jurisdiction, a time-consuming and costly process. Those delays and barriers can interrupt care for clients and discourage social workers from relocating to areas where they are desperately needed. The Compact changes that by creating a reciprocal licensing pathway, while still upholding standards (applicants must have an unencumbered license in their home state and pass a national exam, among other criteria.

 In short, the Compact “eliminates barriers to practice and increases access to care,” especially in underserved or geographically isolated areas. It also enhances public safety by improving information-sharing among states about licensees’ records and any disciplinary actions, via a coordinated database.

Current Status: A Nationwide Movement Gaining Momentum

The Social Work Licensure Compact is not just a theoretical idea – it is rapidly becoming law across the United States. In fact, as of mid-2025, more than half of U.S. states have enacted the Compact legislation, well above the minimum needed to activate it.

The initiative reached a key milestone in April 2024 when Kansas became the seventh state to sign on, triggering the formation of the Compact Commission that will govern the multistate license system. Since then, state after state has joined. From Missouri, the first state to enact it in 2023, to North Carolina in June 2025, 27 states have passed the compact into law. Each new state means a broader network where social workers will eventually be able to practice freely.

The Compact is now in its implementation phase. A national Compact Commission is being assembled to iron out the remaining details: setting up rules, fees, and a shared data system to manage multistate licenses. This groundwork takes time – experts estimate about 18–24 months of preparation before social workers can start applying for multistate licenses. In the meantime, more states are considering joining.

The momentum is clear: social workers, professional organizations, and lawmakers nationwide recognize that increasing license mobility can help address workforce shortages and improve access to services. Removing duplicative licensing requirements can especially help in crisis situations or in rural areas, where a client might otherwise struggle to find a nearby licensed clinician. By enabling practice across state lines, the Compact also supports continuity of care for clients who move or travel, and makes it easier for spouses of military personnel (who relocate frequently) to continue their social work careers without interruption.

In summary, the Social Work Licensure Compact is a game-changer for the profession. It modernizes how social work licensing works by creating flexibility while maintaining high standards. “The goal is to eliminate barriers to practice and client care,” the Compact’s founders explain, which ultimately improves public access to social work services. This sweeping policy innovation sets the stage for social workers to collaborate and serve communities in need, no matter which state lines divide them. But expanding access to care isn’t just about passing laws – it’s also about on-the-ground leadership. This is where Fathers’ UpLift and Dr. Charles Daniels Jr. enter the story, connecting the Compact’s ideals to real-world impact.

Fathers’ UpLift: Uplifting Fathers, Families, and Communities

A father’s love and presence can transform a child’s life. Fathers’ UpLift’s mission is to help dads overcome barriers so they can be there for their kids.

While policymakers craft solutions to licensing barriers, organizations like Fathers’ UpLift are tackling other barriers that prevent people from receiving – or providing – quality care. Fathers’ UpLift is a nonprofit based in Boston, Massachusetts, and it holds a unique distinction: it is the nation’s first mental health and substance abuse treatment facility dedicated to fathers and their families. Co-founded in 2011 by Dr. Charles C. Daniels Jr. and his wife, Samantha Fils-Daniels, Fathers’ UpLift was born from the recognition that fathers, especially fathers of color and those reentering society from incarceration, often face enormous hurdles to being active, emotionally healthy parents. These hurdles can include stigma, trauma, racism, addiction, unemployment, or lack of access to support. The organization’s purpose is to help fathers overcome the obstacles that lead to absence in their children’s lives, thereby strengthening whole families and communities.

What does Fathers’ UpLift do? In practice, it provides a comprehensive, trauma-informed array of services to dads and families. This includes one-on-one and group therapy, coaching and mentoring for fathers, support for fathers coming home from prison (reentry support), and even programs that foster healthy co-parenting and “allyship” between mothers and fathers. The approach is holistic, not only focusing on the fathers’ mental health, but also addressing practical needs like housing, employment training, and parenting skills. Fathers’ UpLift “empowers fathers by offering therapy, reentry support, advocacy, and workforce development in a culturally responsive environment. Many of the staff have shared life experiences with the community they serve, which helps build trust. The ultimate goal is to ensure the well-being of children by stabilizing and uplifting their fathers. When dads are engaged and stable, kids benefit – research shows improved emotional and financial support for children, reduced risk factors for youth, and stronger family bonds.

The impact has been remarkable. Since its founding, Fathers’ UpLift has helped over 15,500 fathers and family members on their journeys toward healthier relationships. An overwhelming majority of dads who go through the program report improved relationships with their children and greater confidence in their ability to achieve their goals. These are not just numbers; they represent stories of families reunited, cycles of trauma broken, and communities healed.

By focusing on fathers, an often overlooked or even stigmatized group in social services. Fathers’ UpLift fills a critical gap. It operates on the philosophy that fathers matter: when you support fathers, you support the entire family. This mission has drawn national attention and accolades, positioning Fathers’ UpLift as a model for father-centric intervention.

In fact, the organization is now beginning to replicate its model beyond Massachusetts, offering training and licensing for other groups to implement Fathers’ UpLift’s evidence-informed programs in their own communities. Much like an interstate compact for ideas, the lessons learned in one place are being shared nationwide so that more children can have the benefit of an engaged dad.

Dr. Charles C. Daniels Jr.: A Leader Connecting Local Action to National Change

At the heart of Fathers’ UpLift is Dr. Charles Clayton Daniels Jr., a licensed clinical social worker and visionary leader. Dr. Daniels co-founded Fathers’ UpLift in 2011 while still in graduate school, driven by a personal passion to ensure “that all children experience the feelings associated with having an active father.” A scholar and clinician (he earned an MSW, a Master of Divinity, and a Ph.D. in social work focusing on Father’s UpLift’s impact), Dr. Daniels combines academic insight with lived experience. He knows firsthand the cost of father absence – and the power of fatherly presence – from his own life, which fuels his dedication to this work. Over the past decade, he has provided therapy to Black men and fathers, helping them overcome toxic masculinity, racism, and oppression. Under his leadership as CEO, Fathers’ UpLift has grown from a local idea into a nationally recognized model for engaging fathers in family mental health.

What makes Dr. Daniels especially notable is how he bridges grassroots practice with policy advocacy. He doesn’t just run programs in the community; he’s become a thought leader pushing for systemic changes that complement his organization’s mission. A prime example is his advocacy around the Social Work Licensure Compact and related workforce development initiatives. Dr. Daniels recognizes that to serve fathers and families, we need a strong, diverse, and mobile workforce of social workers. In Massachusetts, he has been at the forefront of efforts to get the state on board with the Compact and to remove other barriers that hold back aspiring social workers.

In late 2024, Dr. Daniels shared “exciting news” that Massachusetts social workers were gearing up to urge their state to join the Social Work Licensure Compact, noting that 20+ states had already joined nationwide by that point. He has galvanized fellow professionals through information sessions and personal appeals, highlighting how license mobility could benefit communities in Massachusetts. But he didn’t stop there. Alongside the Compact push, Dr. Daniels is championing what’s known as the

“SUPER Act” – An Act Relative to Social Work Uplifting Practices and Exam Removal.

This state legislation, which he helped shape and promote, aims to ensure a “stable, diverse workforce of licensed social workers” in Massachusetts. In practical terms, the SUPER Act would establish a field placement grant program to recruit and support Master of Social Work (MSW) students from historically marginalized and low-income communities.

By lowering financial barriers for those students, Massachusetts can diversify its pipeline of new social workers much like Fathers’ UpLift’s own United States Therapist Recruitment (USTR) Fellowship program, which Dr. Daniels and his wife launched to train clinicians from underrepresented backgrounds. This is a direct attack on one of the field’s structural barriers: the high cost of education and training that can exclude talented individuals who reflect the communities most in need.

Another bold piece of the SUPER Act is its call to reevaluate the licensing exam requirement for certain social work licenses. Dr. Daniels and others have raised concerns that the traditional exam may inadvertently screen out qualified candidates, contributing to workforce shortages without clearly guaranteeing better practitioners. The bill proposes hiring an independent evaluator to study how removing the exam requirement (for Licensed Certified Social Workers) might

“alleviate the shortage of qualified social workers” and increase diversity in the field.”

The ultimate goal is to find the right balance between upholding competency and not unintentionally gating out capable, passionate social workers who could serve vulnerable populations. Dr. Daniels’ stance is grounded in the same philosophy as Fathers’ UpLift: remove unnecessary barriers and uplift the people who can make a difference. In his own words, these efforts are about

“Enhancing access to quality behavioral health services and increasing the diversity of our workforce, ultimately improving care for vulnerable populations.”

Through public testimony, op-eds, and organizing lobby days at the Massachusetts State House, Dr. Daniels has been a powerful voice for these changes. He has rallied social workers to make their voices heard in support of both the Compact and the SUPER Act, emphasizing that this is a pivotal moment to strengthen the profession for the future. His advocacy exemplifies thought leadership in social work – connecting macro-level policy with the micro-level realities faced by practitioners and clients. It’s not every day that a nonprofit CEO also helps drive legislation, but Dr. Daniels sees it as a natural extension of his mission. By changing laws and systems, he’s expanding what organizations like Fathers’ UpLift can achieve on the ground.

In fact, the impact of his leadership is already rippling outward: Fathers’ UpLift’s Therapist Recruitment Fellowship recently showcased its success at a statewide workforce summit, highlighting

“successful strategies for expanding professional opportunities and career pathways for therapists from historically underrepresented backgrounds” and underscoring the importance of “increasing access to mental health professionals across Massachusetts.”

This is exactly the kind of progress the Compact and the SUPER Act aim to multiply across all communities.

Shared Goals: Removing Barriers, Increasing Access, Empowering Communities

At first glance, the Social Work Licensure Compact and Fathers’ UpLift might seem like separate topics – one is a policy change affecting professional licensing, the other is a community-based service model for fathers. But in truth, they are two sides of the same coin. Both are about breaking down barriers that impede people from getting or giving help, and both strive to extend the reach of social work to those who need it most.

Removing Barriers:

The Compact targets bureaucratic barriers by allowing a social worker in, say, Connecticut to serve a client in neighboring Rhode Island or distant Alabama without months of red tape. This is crucial when specialized services (like trauma counseling or addiction treatment) might be scarce in one state but available via teletherapy from another. Fathers’ UpLift, on the other hand, tackles personal and socio-economic barriers – helping fathers overcome “racism, emotional issues, trauma, or addiction” that might otherwise hinder them from being present in their children’s lives. Dr. Daniels’ advocacy to remove the licensing exam hurdle is yet another barrier being addressed, aiming to unlock the talents of more qualified social workers. In essence, whether it’s a regulatory hurdle or a personal one, the philosophy is to identify the obstacle and then actively work to uplift or bridge over it.

Increasing Access to Care:

Both initiatives are fundamentally about access. In social work, access to care means clients can receive the support they need when they need it, wherever they are. The Compact will

“increase public access to social work services”

by expanding the pool of professionals available across states. This could be transformative for rural towns, inner-city neighborhoods, and other underserved areas that struggle to recruit enough licensed social workers. Fathers’ UpLift is increasing access in a complementary way: it is bringing services to a population that traditional systems often overlook or underserve. By offering free or low-cost counseling and coaching to fathers, including those who might distrust formal institutions, Fathers’ UpLift is opening doors to mental health care for families that previously had none. And by training social workers of color through programs like the USTR Fellowship, it’s ensuring that the workforce is culturally competent and distributed in the communities where they’re needed most. This alignment with the Compact’s goals is clear –

It’s all about more people getting help, sooner, and without artificial limits of location or background.

Supporting Underserved Communities:

The Social Work Licensure Compact is often touted as a way to help underserved communities – for instance, allowing a child therapist in one state to serve foster youth in another state that has few specialists, or enabling rapid deployment of social workers during a disaster across state lines. Similarly, Fathers’ UpLift zeroes in on a historically underserved community: fathers (particularly Black and brown fathers, low-income dads, and those involved with the justice system). Before Fathers’ UpLift, few resources specifically targeted the mental health of fathers navigating re-entry or recovery. Now, thanks to Dr. Daniels and his team, these fathers have a support system.

The Compact and Fathers’ UpLift both operate on the principle that

“no one should be left behind”

due to where they live or who they are. Whether it’s a state boundary or a social stigma, barriers to care for underserved groups must be confronted. It’s notable that Massachusetts – the home base of Fathers’ UpLift – has large urban and rural populations that could benefit from both the Compact and the kind of father-focused services FUL provides. Dr. Daniels often highlights that improving diversity among social workers (through efforts like the SUPER Act) will make the profession better equipped to support underserved groups statewide.

Empowering the Social Work Profession:

Finally, both the Compact and Fathers’ UpLift are about empowering those who do the work – the social workers and counselors themselves – to have a greater impact. The Compact will

“empower social workers across state lines”

by giving them the flexibility to practice broadly, collaborate with colleagues in other states, and respond where needs are greatest. It can also enhance professional opportunities, allowing a social worker’s career to grow without being tied down by state boundaries (which is a boost for a field that historically hasn’t had the easiest career mobility). Fathers’ UpLift, through its Workforce Development and fellowship initiatives, is empowering the next generation of social workers and therapists. It provides mentorship, licensure exam preparation, and hands-on training for interns and new graduates. Dr. Daniels even refers to

“building the human services pipeline”

as part of Fathers’ UpLift’s core reasons for existence. Both efforts recognize that to serve communities, we must support those who serve. By uplifting social workers, whether through policy or practice, we ultimately uplift clients.

In summary, the Social Work Licensure Compact and Fathers’ UpLift are deeply connected by shared values. They strive for a future where a therapist’s ability to help isn’t constrained by borders, and a father’s ability to be present isn’t constrained by personal hardship. It’s a vision of empowerment at multiple levels: empowering states to cooperate, empowering professionals to reach further, and empowering families to heal.

A Call to Action: Support the Compact and Fathers’ UpLift

The convergence of the Social Work Licensure Compact movement and the work of Fathers’ UpLift sends a clear message: when we remove barriers and invest in people, we create stronger families and healthier communities. Now is the time for action on both fronts.

For State Leaders and Policymakers:

If your state has not yet joined the Social Work Licensure Compact, consider this an invitation to lead. By enacting the Compact, states can “reduce duplicative licensing requirements and address workforce shortages. It’s a bipartisan, common-sense solution that has already been embraced by red and blue states alike. Every additional state that joins expands the safety net of available social workers for all of us. Policymakers should also look to Massachusetts’ example with the SUPER Act – creative ideas to strengthen the social work pipeline should be on every legislature’s agenda. Removing outdated hurdles (like certain exam requirements) and funding scholarships or stipends for aspiring social workers from underrepresented communities are investments that will pay off in better care for citizens.

Join the compact and champion policies that uplift the workforce, your constituents will benefit from improved access to mental health and social services.

For the Public and the Social Work Community:

Your voice and support matter too. If you’re a social worker or student, get involved through your professional associations (such as NASW) to advocate for the Compact in your state. As Dr. Daniels urged his colleagues,

“let’s stand together to advocate for our profession’s future and the communities we serve.” 

Write or call your state representatives to express why license reciprocity and workforce diversity are important. Attend lobby days or town halls these personal stories and expert insights can sway decision-makers. For members of the public, supporting these causes can be as simple as staying informed and voting for candidates who prioritize mental health access and common-sense licensing reform.

Importantly, consider lending your support to organizations like Fathers’ UpLift. Fathers’ UpLift shows how policy ideals translate into real-world change. They are actively doing the work of breaking cycles of trauma and absence, one father at a time. You can support them by donating, volunteering (they even welcome mentors for their training programs, or simply spreading the word about their mission. If you know a family that could benefit from their services, connect them. And if you’re in another state wishing you had a similar program, remember that Fathers’ UpLift is helping to replicate its model elsewhere – perhaps your community could be next.

The road ahead

is promising. In the near future, social workers will likely be able to carry a multistate license, and fathers across the country will have more resources to turn to in times of struggle. These advancements won’t happen by themselves. They require us, policymakers, professionals, and community members, to push for progress and to support the innovators leading the charge. Dr. Charles Daniels Jr. and the team at Fathers’ UpLift have shown what’s possible when compassion meets action. Their work, alongside the Social Work Licensure Compact, is removing long-standing obstacles in both policy and practice. The finish line is in sight: a more accessible, equitable, and empowered landscape for social work and the families it serves. Let’s seize this moment to build bridges – across state lines, across communities, and across generations – so that help can reach those who need it, wherever they are.

Together, by supporting the Compact and champions like Fathers’ UpLift, we can ensure that no family falls through the cracks and that social workers are free to uplift every father, mother, and child to a brighter future. It’s time to join this movement – our families and our future social workers are counting on it.