INFORMATION BULLETIN Social Work Licensure and School Social Worker Certification In New York State, social workers are both licensed professionals and certified school employees. In 2005 the State Education Department made changes to certification regulations to bring them into compliance with the professional licensure of social workers. Effective September 1, 2004, the certified social worker (CSW) title was eliminated and two new titles for social work were created, the licensed master social worker (LMSW) and the licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). Individuals previously licensed as CSWs automatically became LMSWs as of September 1, 2004. In addition to meeting the requirements of their profession, social workers in educational settings must also obtain certification as school social workers. In 2005 Regulations of the Commissioner of Education were amended to align the certification of school social workers with the licensure changes found in Education Law. These changes did not impose any new requirements on certified school social workers who were already employed in school settings in 2005. This Information Bulletin addresses: y Social work licensure and the scope of practice; y Requirements for school social worker certification; y Frequently asked questions regarding social work licensure (Appendix I); and y Regulations of the Commissioner of Education/Part 80 requirements for school social worker certification (Appendix II). While there are separate fees for licensure and for certification, the State Education Department has indicated that these changes have not resulted in additional costs. The fees for licensure and certification remain the same. No. 200824 Updates and replaces 200515 October 2008 NYSUT Division of Research and Educational Services 800 Troy-Schenectady Road Latham, NY 12110-2455 800-342-9810 λ (518) 213-6000 Fax: (518) 213-6450 Requirements for Social Work Licensure and Scope of Practice Effective September 1, 2004, the statute y Replaced the title Certified Social Worker (CSW) with a new title Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) but kept the same requirements; y Added a new license, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), which requires three years of post-MSW supervised experience in clinical social work, and a specific educational requirement for the license, namely, "a core curriculum which includes clinical content.” Clinical content has been defined in the Commissioner's Regulations as 12 semester hours or the equivalent of coursework that prepares the individual to practice as an LCSW. Applicants for licensure as an LCSW are also required to pass the ASWB Clinical exam; y Retained the "R" psychotherapy privilege, which requires six years of supervised experience (three additional years following the LCSW); and y Defined and restricted the practices of Licensed Master Social Work and Licensed Clinical Social Work to social work licensees or other authorized or exempt persons identified in the law. The following chart details the education, experience and examination requirements and fees for licensure. SOCIAL WORK Licensure Education Law Article 154 Certified Social Worker Licensed Master Social Licensed Clinical Social (CSW) Worker Worker Education Title eliminated in 2004 Master’s or equivalent in • Master’s or equivalent in social work social work that includes Individuals previously completion of core licensed as CSWs became curriculum with at least 12 LMSWs on 9/1/2004 credit hours of clinical courses; or • Master’s or equivalent in social work with equivalent post-graduate clinical coursework Experience Title eliminated (see above) No experience requirement. • At least 3 years full-time post-graduate clinical social work experience under supervision of a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist or licensed clinical social worker in diagnosis, psychotherapy, and assessment-based treatment plans; or • 6 year part-time equivalent experience Examination* Title eliminated (see above) Association of Social Work ASWB Clinical examination Boards (ASWB), Masters (formerly Intermediate) Fees Title eliminated (see above) $270 application fee; Same as LMSW $175 examination fee; and $155 re-registration fee every 3 years. All fees are subject to change * Application must be approved by NYSED before registration for ASWB examinations. 2 The following chart contrasts the scope of practice of LMSWs and LCSWs. SCOPE OF PRACTICE Education Law Article 154 Certified Social Worker Title eliminated. Individuals licensed as CSWs automatically became LMSWs on September 1, 2004. Licensed Master Social The practice of licensed master social work shall mean the professional application of Worker social work theory, principles, and the methods to prevent, assess, evaluate, formulate and implement a plan of action based on client needs and strengths, and intervene to address mental, social, emotional, behavioral, developmental, and addictive disorders, conditions and disabilities, and of the psychosocial aspects of illness and injury experienced by individuals, couples, families, groups, communities, organizations, and society. Licensed master social workers engage in the administration of tests and measures of psychosocial functioning, social work advocacy, case management, counseling, consultation, research, administration and management, and teaching. Licensed master social workers provide all forms of supervision other than supervision of the practice of licensed clinical social work as defined in subdivision two of this section. Licensed master social workers practice licensed clinical social work in facility settings or other supervised settings approved by the department under supervision in accordance with the commissioner's regulations. Licensed Clinical Social The practice of clinical social work encompasses the scope of practice of licensed master Worker social work and, in addition, includes the diagnosis of mental, emotional, behavioral, addictive and developmental disorders and disabilities and of the psychosocial aspects of illness, injury, disability and impairment undertaken within a psychosocial framework; administration and interpretation of tests and measures of psychosocial functioning; development and implementation of appropriate assessment-based treatment plans; and the provision of crisis oriented psychotherapy and brief, short-term and long-term psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic treatment to individuals, couples, families and groups, habilitation, psychoanalysis and behavior therapy; all undertaken for the purpose of preventing, assessing, treating, ameliorating and resolving psychosocial dysfunction with the goal of maintaining and enhancing the mental, emotional, behavioral, and social functioning and well-being of individuals, couples, families, small groups, organizations, communities and society. Diagnosis in the context of licensed clinical social work practice is the process of distinguishing, beyond general social work assessment, between similar mental, emotional, behavioral, developmental and addictive disorders, impairments and disabilities within a psychosocial framework on the basis of their similar and unique characteristics consistent with accepted classification systems. Psychotherapy in the context of licensed clinical social work practice is the use of verbal methods in interpersonal relationships with the intent of assisting a person or persons to modify attitudes and behavior which are intellectually, socially, or emotionally maladaptive. Development of assessment-based treatment plans in the context of licensed clinical social work practice refers to the development of an integrated plan of prioritized interventions, that is based on the diagnosis and psychosocial assessment of the client, to address mental, emotional, behavioral, developmental and addictive disorders, impairments and disabilities, reactions to illnesses, injuries, disabilities and impairments, and social problems. 3 Requirements for School Social Worker Certification In 2005, the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education were amended to include the following: • The Certified Social Worker (CSW) title is replaced with Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) titles (requirements for provisional certification as a School Social Worker remain the same); • Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) becomes the minimal license for permanent certification as a School Social Worker; and • The scope of practice language for certified School Social Workers is made consistent with the scope of practice found in the new practice-protected licensed professions in social work. SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER Certification NYCRR §80-2.4(f) Prior to August 2005 Effective August 2005 Provisional • Bachelor’s degree • No change Certification • 30 semester hours of • Valid for five years graduate study in social work • College supervised internship • $100 application fee Permanent • 2 years of experience in • 2 years of experience in Certification pupil personnel services pupil personnel services • Master of Social Work • Master of Social Work (MSW) degree (MSW) degree or • Registered as a certified “equivalent degree” (as social worker (CSW) determined by the • $100 application fee NYSED) • Licensed and registered as licensed master social worker (LMSW) or licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) • $100 application fee 4 Appendix I Source: NYS Education Department’s Office of the Professions webpage (www.op.nysed.gov) Frequently Asked Questions Q&A regarding Social Work Licensure Information