He became a national spokesman for his profession, working for 30 years to get state licensing.

For state licensing, some states require a clean criminal record at the application entry point.

"We utterly reject anything that looks like state licensing," he adds.

During his tenure, he helped develop a state licensing and certification program for Ohio veterans hailed as a national model.

In the early 1980s Barker served on several panels of social work experts who wrote the questions and answers for the state licensing board examinations.

Businesses that move into the test site must still get state licensing and follow environmental laws, which are generally less restrictive in isolated locations.

The college would like to have the industry regulated through state licensing and by the Federal Government.

Except for social workers, certification by a professional society is not a substitute for state licensing.

Since then, two other locations have voted to allow sales under this statute, but both are awaiting state licensing.

This state licensing requires substantial practical experience as well as course work.