Republican legislators authorize audit of backlog in licenses for nurses, other professionals
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MADISON – With thousands of health care and professional workers across the state waiting in limbo for months to be issued a license from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services so they can go to work, Republican legislators approved an audit of the agency Tuesday.
The issue has plagued DSPS for months and rose as a campaign issue in the governor's race last year.
The agency, which says it receives an average of 5,000 to 10,000 calls a week, has blamed staffing shortages, outdated computer systems, and insufficient funding from the Republican-controlled Legislature for the backlog.
The average wait time for a license in Wisconsin was 45 days this fall, although the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has been contacted by healthcare professionals who have said they've waited at least three months for a license.
Gov. Tony Evers' secretary of the department, Dan Hereth, said the speed a license is processed is dependent on how fast an applicant submits all of the required materials and how fast staff can process the application.
"The department is currently issuing more licenses, more quickly than ever before," Hereth testified Tuesday. "In particular, we have seen significant improvement in average processing times of applications over the past 12 months."
State Auditor Joe Chrisman said the audit would look at the funding the department has received, staffing levels and best practices.
DSPS was created in 2011 and issues more than 240 unique credentials for occupations ranging from physicians and social workers to barbers and funeral directors. The department also regulates the construction industry, adjudicates complaints against credential holders, and administers more than 75 boards, councils, and committees.
Democrats say audit will exacerbate licensing problem
Before a party-line 6-3 vote Tuesday to proceed with the audit, Democrats urged the Legislative Audit Committee not to move forward.
"Given the limited resources available at the department as is, conducting this audit will almost certainly require diverting those limited existing resources away from processing licenses and credentials and servicing professional organizations and workers across our state," the letter says.
The letter, obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and signed by the Democrats on the Legislative Audit Committee — Sens. Dianne Hesselbein of Madison, Tim Carpenter of Milwaukee and Reps. Francesca Hong Madison and Ryan Clancy of Milwaukee— says it is no secret DSPC has faced significant challenges as it modernizes its systems and processes increasing volumes. Those efforts should have happened under Gov. Scott Walker's administration, they contend.
Democratic lawmakers say the committee should outline how to make sure staffing will not be affected and cause further licensing delays, according to the letter.
The plan should also include how DSPS can continue to make progress on modernizing its outdated systems during the audit.
"We expect such a plan will be provided to us in writing and will be made available for public comment and consideration prior to approving this proposed audit so that professional organizations, license and credential holders, and others understand the safeguards," the letter states.
Republican co-chairs Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay, and Rep. Robert Wittke, R-Racine, said what was being asked for by Democrats would not be legal because the audit bureau is a non-partisan agency.
"Essentially it appears their claim is that in an effort to solve a problem, it would cause a problem therefore we should let the first claim remain unsolved," Wimberger said. "But audits happen all the time and it's not going to be an imposition. The staff at the audit bureau conduct audits all the time, it's part of their time, it's part of their job, it's not an imposition to the department's being audited."
Testimony shows frustration with delays
State Rep. John Macco, R-Ledgeview, said in his district alone, he has 36 complaints on his desk from people waiting for a license.
"These include hearing aid dispensers, dwelling contractor certifications, professional counselors, barbers and many other folks," Macco said.
Marc Herstand, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers, said social workers want to work in Wisconsin but leave the state because they are frustrated by the process.
"There's a chronic understaffing of the department, which has resulted in very lengthy processing times for licensing applications and great difficulties in reaching the department for information or assistance," Herstad said. "I remember speaking to one staff person about eight years ago, who was serving all the social worker applicants and told me she was six weeks behind in answering emails and phone calls."
Angie Diedrich with the Wisconsin Housing Alliance said members as recently as Monday have complained about being on hold for two hours with DSPS and are disconnected. She thanked the audit committee for moving forward.
Kyle Koenen, policy director with the conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, said in March 2022 his group released a report that found "numerous instances of individuals experiencing delays of up to nine months in obtaining their licensing, missing documentation, and unreturned phone calls from the department."
After the report was released, WILL recommended DSPS establish a public performance dashboard displaying the average wait time for each license category.
"If Wisconsin wants to remain competitive, it must not only improve efficiency at DSPS, but also take bold steps to significantly reduce occupational licensing barriers," Koenen said.
Corrinne Hess can be reached at chess@gannett.com. Follow her @corrihess.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Republicans vote for audit of backlog in professional licenses
