The lcsw licensing process revised 2015

An Overview of the LCSW
Licensing Process
NASW California Chapter
March 2015 Revised
Licensing Requirements
Change Every Year

Presentation Goals
 Why get licensed?
 Provide an overview of the basic process
 A new exam structure
 Strategies for success
 Key timeframes and resources
 Info to assist in decision-making

Why Get Licensed?
 More job opportunities
 Higher Salaries – median salary over $62k v
$57k
 Better promotional possibilities
 Advanced post graduate training and
education
 Not just psychotherapy or private practice

Overview of Licensing Process
 Graduate with a MSW from a CSWE accredited
university
 Take certain pre-licensure courses
 Register as an associate clinical social worker
(ASW)
 Accumulate 3,200 supervised work experience hours
and 104 supervision hours
 Take and pass two California LCSW exams:
– Standard Written (knowledge)
– Clinical Vignette (skill)

Complete Pre-licensure Required
Coursework
The BBS requires you to complete certain
additional coursework before applying for the
LCSW exam.
You can complete this coursework as part of
your MSW degree or afterward while you are
earning the required hours of supervised
work experience

Required Coursework Pre Exam
 Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting (7
hours)
 Human Sexuality (10 hours)
 Substance Abuse and Dependency (15
hours)

Required Courses Pre Exam
 Spousal Abuse Assessment and Reporting
(15 hours for those who entered degree
program after 1/1/2004; Course can be any
length for those who entered a degree
program from 1/1/1995 to 12/31/2003)
 Aging and Long Term Care (10 Hours only
for those who entered a degree program on
or after 1/1/2004; For all others this is not a
pre-licensure requirement)

Obtain Required Coursework
 You can find a list of specific courses that are
offered by your school, and meet these
requirements on the BBS web site. Go to:
http://www.bbs.ca.gov/app-reg/lcs_schools.shtml
 Find you school, and select “Additional Courses
Required.”
 (Note, this list may not be up to date)

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY- DOMINQUEZ
HILLS
 Child Abuse Assessment: SW 580 Seminar in Child Welfare Issues
 Human Sexuality?
 Alcoholism and Other Chemical Dependency?
 Spousal or Partner Abuse?
 Aging and Long-Term Care?
Courses not listed may fulfill a pre-licensure requirement, but the student will need
to submit a syllabus or course description to verify the course content meets a pre-
licensure course requirement.
Board of Behavioral Sciences
Additional LCSW Courses Required for Licensure

EXAMPLE
CSU Courses Acceptable for Pre-Licensure
Course Requirements
BBS Requirement MSW Course
Human Sexuality SW 551 Advanced Practice I: Family
Chemical
Dependency
SW 510C Human Behavior & Social Environment
Child Abuse
Assessment
SW 454(585) Practices and Policies of Public Child
Welfare
Spousal/Partner
Abuse
SW 551 Advanced Practice I: Family
Aging and Long
Term Care
?

Note: Applicant only needs to take
one course to fulfill a given pre-
licensure requirement.
 If multiple courses are listed for a requirement the
student has the option of deciding which course to
take.
 The list reflects only the information the educational
institution provided to the Board.
 Courses not listed may fulfill a pre-licensure
requirement, but the student will need to submit a
syllabus or course description to verify the course
content meets a pre-licensure course requirement.

Required Coursework - Notes
 Pay attention to whether the course or CE
provider is approved. NASW is always
approved.
 Keep the course description and/or syllabus
for any course you took that you believe
fulfills the requirements.
 The BBS may need the materials to verify the
course content

Obtain Required Coursework
If you need to take these courses:
 Coursework must be taken from a BBS
approved provider.
 NASW-CA is an approved provider and
offers all of this coursework in online or in-
person courses.

New CA Law & Ethics
Requirement
 Effective January 1, 2014, all ASW
applicants must have completed training or
coursework in California law and professional
ethics for clinical social workers. This
coursework may be embedded within more
than one course and must cover certain topic
areas. See Business and Professions Code
Section 4996.18 for further information about
course content requirements.

CA Law & Ethics Requirement
 BBS: All CA schools meet this requirement but you should always reaffirm with the BBS
CONTENT and SUBJECT MATTER
a. Contemporary professional ethics and statutes, regulations, and court decisions that
delineate the scope of practice
b. The therapeutic, clinical, and practical considerations involved in legal and ethical practice,
including family law
c. The current legal patterns and trends in the mental health professions
d. The psychotherapist-patient privilege, confidentiality, dangerous patients, and the
treatment of minors with and without parental consent
e. A recognition and exploration of the relationship between a practitioner’s sense of self and
human values, and his or her professional behavior and ethics
f. Differences in legal and ethical standards for different types of work settings
g. Licensing law and process

Apply for registration as an ASW
 After graduation, apply to become an Associate Clinical Social
Worker (ASW), you’ll need a sealed transcript
 Required before starting on pre-licensure hours
 ASW Application packet can be downloaded from the “Forms
and Publications” section of the BBS Web site:
www.bbs.ca.gov/forms.shtml
 When do you register?
– Estimate how long it will take you to collect 3,200 work
experience hours, (within 6 year timeframe)
– Don’t register until you’re ready to start collecting hours

The ASW Packet
 Completed one page application
 Check or money order for $75
– Official copy of academic transcripts in school’s
sealed envelope. Make sure date degree
conferred is included.
– Live Scan fingerprint (keep a copy for your
records)
– Provide info on any prior convictions or discipline
– Allow at least 60 days for processing – March 2

ASW Notes
 You cannot begin accruing hours until the
BBS has issued you an ASW registration
number.
 Check the BBS website “Online License
Verification” to see if your number is posted.
 You should receive a letter in the mail 7-10
days after your number is posted.
 Pay attention to any coursework noted that
you will need to complete along the way

Gain Clinical Experience
 Once registered as an ASW, gain 3,200 hours of
supervised experience,104 weeks of supervision
 Hours can be paid work (W-2 employee, not 1099
independent contractor), and/or volunteer
 2,000 in clinical psychosocial diagnosis,
assessment, and treatment with no less than 750
hours being face to face psychotherapy.

LCSW Scope
 The practice of clinical social work is defined as a service in which a
special knowledge of social resources, human capabilities, and the
part that unconscious motivation plays in determining behavior, is
directed at helping people to achieve more adequate, satisfying, and
productive social adjustments. The application of social work principles
and methods includes, but is not restricted to, counseling and using
applied psychotherapy of a nonmedical nature with individuals,
families, or groups; providing information and referral services;
providing or arranging for the provision of social services; explaining or
interpreting the psychosocial aspects in the situations of individuals,
families, or groups; helping communities to organize, to provide, or to
improve social or health services; or doing research related to social
work.

LCSW Scope
 Psychotherapy, within the meaning of this chapter, is
the use of psychosocial methods within a
professional relationship, to assist the person or
persons to achieve a better psychosocial adaptation,
to acquire greater human realization of psychosocial
potential and adaptation, to modify internal and
external conditions which affect individuals, groups,
or communities in respect to behavior, emotions, and
thinking, in respect to their intrapersonal and
interpersonal processes.

Clinical Hours
 1,200 in client-centered advocacy, consultation,
evaluation, and research.
 1,700 gained under a LCSW, the remainder can be
under another licensed mental health professional
 Always renew your ASW number on time. Hours
don’t count if your ASW has expired
 Keep track of your supervision documents
– Responsibility statements, supervisory plans, clinical social
work experience verifications

Remember to Renew Your ASW
Registration Every Year
 Once you are registered with the BBS, you must renew your
registration every year in order to count supervised experience
and weeks of supervision towards the examination eligibility
requirements. If your registration expires or lapses, you will not
be able to count supervised experience or weeks of supervision
gained for the period in which the registration is invalid.
 The BBS recommends renewing your registration at least 60
days in advance of the registration expiration date. The
expiration date appears on your registration certificate. The
BBS sends courtesy renewal reminders to your address of
record, and you can also print a Manual Registration Renewal
Application off of the BBS Web site.

The lcsw licensing process revised 2015

Supervisors
 Find a qualified supervisor:
– LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, Psychologist, Psychiatrist. Licensed
for at least 2 years, taken15 hour supervision course
 Can be your work supervisor, or a contracted outside
supervisor.
 You can also pay for a supervisor. Make sure there
is a signed agreement between the supervisor and
employer conferring authority and responsibility

Supervision
 One hour of direct supervisor contact is required for a
minimum of 104 weeks
 Two hours of direct supervisor contact is required for any
week in which more than 10 hours of face-to-face
psychotherapy is performed for each setting which
experience is gained.
 An hour of direct supervisor contact equals one hour of
individual supervision or two hours of group supervision
 No more than 5 hours of supervision may be credited in a
single week
 NEW: Records must be kept for 7 years, longer for minors

Supervisor Notes
 Finding a supervisor includes finding the right match
and setting mutually agreed goals and
responsibilities
 Meet with your supervisor every week for at least
one hour of individual supervision or two hours of
group supervision.
 Group supervision maximum is 8
 Supervisors can only supervise 3 in private practice

Keys to Clinical Supervision
Considerations in finding a supervisor:
 Meet legal requirements as well as personal
and professional goals
 Develop a supervisory plan. Review exam
outline or handbook with supervisor prior to
collecting hours to make sure topical areas
are covered
 Stay abreast of requirements by checking
BBS website or subscribing to email alerts

The Six-Year Rule
“The Board cannot accept hours of
experience older than six (6) years from the
time a person applies for the LCSW license.
The law does not allow the Board to make
exceptions.”
Ex: The Board receives Joy’s LCSW application on
4/3/2012. The Board will only accept experience
gained from 4/3/2006 to 4/3/2012.

File LCSW Application
 File the application after all of the required
coursework and clinical hours are completed
 Download and complete the LCSW
application found on the BBS website under
Forms and Publications.
 Can continue to work and provide therapy
but must be registered as an ASW and
supervised
 Current processing time: Check BBS website

Common Application Errors
 Not filling out the form completely or
correctly.
 Not submitting the application and all of the
required materials together in one envelope.
 Not mailing the original copies to the BBS
and keeping a copy for personal records.

Prepare for Exams
 Preparation = Total experience and
education.
 Perform assessment of clinical strengths and
weaknesses.
 Develop a study plan and implement it 4-6
months prior to sitting for exam.

Current CA Only: Exam Plan
 The LCSW examination plan consists of the seven
content areas: biophysical assessment, diagnostic
formulation, treatment plan and development,
resource coordination, therapeutic interventions,
legal mandates, ethical standards.
 In each content area, the examination plan describes
examination content in terms of the task statements
and knowledge areas resulting from the occupational
analysis.
 It is important that candidates prepare for the
examination by studying the examination plan.

Current CA Only Exams: Standard
Written
 The LCSW written examinations measure
knowledge and skills required for LCSW
practice, and represents a standard of
performance that LCSW Subject Matter
Experts agree is the minimum acceptable
level for licensing in the profession

Current CA Only Exams: Clinical
Vignette
 The Written Clinical Vignette examination is directly
related to clinical practice situations. Therefore,
supervised clinical experience increases the
likelihood of success in the examination.
 The types of clients and the overall presentation of
the clinical situations and issues in the clinical
vignettes are consistent with mainstream practice for
entry-level LCSW

National Exam
 Examination Restructure - Effective Date
Changed to January 1, 2016
 SB 821 (Chapter 473, Statutes of 2013) was
recently signed by the Governor. This bill
changes the effective date of the Board's
upcoming restructure of its examination
process from January 1, 2014 to January 1,
2016.

Exam Restructure (Jan. 1, 2016)
 Graduate with MSW, register as an ASW
 Take the CA Law & Ethics Exam within one year.
 Those with a non passing score must take a 12 hour
law & ethics course before the next retry.
 Exam attempt must be made annually.
 Pass the CA Law & Ethics exam before proceeding
to the National Exam (ASWB)
 Within 6 years of ASW registration

Exam Notes
 According to current law, a registration
cannot be renewed after six years. If a
registrant’s registration expires, he or she
must pass the law and ethics exam in order
to obtain a subsequent registration number.


National Exam
 This exam must be passed within seven
years of an individual’s first attempt. If it is
not passed within this timeframe, the
individual’s eligibility to further attempt the
exam is placed on hold.
 He or she must then pass the current version
of the law and ethics exam before re-
establishing eligibility to take the clinical
exam.

Keep LCSW File Active
Once eligible to sit for exams, the applicant
must sit for one exam per year to keep the
file active.
Ex: Brett fails the exam on 10/4/2014. He
must take it again before 10/3/2015 to keep
his file active.

Take an exam twice in one year?
 Possibly
 Exams rotate every 6 months
 Cannot retake the exact same exam

Strategies for Success
 Understand the process prior to starting and
carefully read and complete applications.
 Be proactive and take full responsibility.
 View clinical hours and supervision as
essential to becoming competent.

Getting Answers to Questions
80% of all questions can be answered by
• Searching the BBS website OR
• Reading the social work section of the
Laws and Regulations (updated annually
in January).

California Licensing Board
The Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS)
 BBS Website: www.bbs.ca.gov
 E-mail: BBSWebMaster@dca.ca.gov
In subject line put Attn LCSW Evaluator
 Call LCSW Evaluators: (916) 574-7851 or
7852

 Complete clinical supervision hours within
the six-year time frame.
 Document clinical experience and
supervision hours as you go.
 Develop and implement a study plan 4-6
months prior to sitting for an exam.
 Take one exam per year until both are
passed.

 Determine your greatest weaknesses and
develop strategies to overcome them.
 Complete the coursework prior to completing
supervision hours.
 Ask questions of the BBS and NASW-CA.
 Refer to “How to obtain a LCSW in CA” at
www.naswca.org.

Professional Liability Insurance
 A must regardless of where you work
 NASW’s Assurance Services Inc. program
provides NASW professional social worker
support:
– Directly: Ethics consultation, info and education
– Indirectly: License board and policy monitoring,
advocacy
http://www.naswassurance.org

Licensed and From Another State?
 There is no license reciprocity, you must
show completion (equivalency) of all CA
requirements
 CSWE accredited MSW or CSWE evaluated
out of country degree
 Meet all required course and experience
requirements

Out of State Experience Hours
 If you have been licensed as a clinical social
worker in another state for at least four years,
you have met the Board's experience
requirements for licensure.
 If you have been licensed as a clinical social
worker in another state for less than four
years, you must provide verification that you
completed 3,200 hours of supervised work
experience and 104 weeks of supervision

Moving to Another State?
 Research the state’s licensing requirements
on the Association of Social Work Boards
website. www.aswb.org.
 Members contact the state’s NASW chapter
with the questions.
 NASW National Web www.socialworkers.org

CA License Statistics (1/1/2015)
Marriage and Family Therapists 37,455
MFT Interns (IMFs) 22,586
Licensed Clinical Social Workers 22,304
Associate Social Workers (ASWs) 16,742

Money Considerations
$32-40 Live Scan Fingerprint
$75.00 ASW Registration Application
$75.00 ASW Annual Registration Renewal
$100.00 Law & Ethics Exam (estimate)
$260.00 ASWB Advanced Clinical Exam
? Pay for Supervision ($60 to $120 per hour)
? Pre-license coursework (in-person, online)
? Exam Prep Course

EXPEDITED LICENSURE FOR SPOUSES OR
DOMESTIC PARTNERS OF ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY
PERSONNEL
 For an applicant’s license/registration to be expedited, the
applicant must:
– Supply evidence that they are married to, or in a domestic
partnership or other legal union with, an active duty member
of the Armed Forces of the United States who is assigned to
a duty station in California under official orders, and;
– Hold a current license/registration in another state, district
or territory of the United States in the profession or vocation
for which the applicant is seeking a license/registration.

Web Resources
NASW “How to Become a LCSW” Document
 Under “Hot Topics” at www.naswca.org
NASW Links to Licensing Resources
 Under “Licensing” at www.naswca.org
NASW Pre-licensure Coursework
 Under “Professional Development” www.naswca.org

Web Resources
BBS Forms and Publications
 www.bbs.ca.gov/forms.shtml
BBS Subscriber List
 www.dca.ca.gov/webapps/bbs/subscribe.php
BBS Newsletters
 www.bbs.ca.gov/forms.shtml#exam

Web Resources
BBS Laws and Regulations (updated annually)
 www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/publications/lawsregs.pdf
Association of Social Work Boards
 www.aswb.org
National NASW Websites
 www.socialworkers.org
 www.helpstartshere.org

The lcsw licensing process revised 2015

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