Social Work Licensing - Part II

In the last post, I provided an overview of the licensing options for social workers in New York and shared NY's LMSW licensing requirements.

As a reminder, all states have their own social work licensing laws, requirements and titles. Therefore, if you reside in another state, please check out the Association of Social Work Boards or NASW for a complete listing of states and their respective requirements.

Some important general facts:

• To legally practice in New York, social workers must be licensed and registered, or have a *limited permit, or be practicing in an exempt setting**. 

• Licenses never expire; registration renewal is every 3 years. 

• Licensure status is public knowledge and can be accessed at the New York State Education Department. 

• *Limited Permit: allows for the legal practice of social work to a social worker who has not yet passed the LMSW exam. A limited permit may be approved by NYSED if your application is complete. 

You must first be hired because you have to include where you will be working and who will be supervising you. The limited permit is both site and supervisor specific.

It is good for 1 year and it is not renewable. 

This may be a good option for new grads who have yet to take/pass the LMSW licensing exam.

• **Exempt Setting: Social workers working in programs that are operated, regulated, funded or approved by OMH, OASAS, OMRDD or OCFS are temporarily exempt from licensure. 

This means that a social worker may legally provide LMSW or LCSW services without being licensed. These social workers may not call themselves licensed or use "LMSW" or "LCSW" after their names. 

If a social worker in an exempt setting is providing LCSW-qualifying services and is appropriately supervised, those hours may count towards the LCSW experience requirement.

This exemption is scheduled to end on July 1, 2013, at which time these social workers must be licensed or have a limited permit.

Moving onto New York State LCSW License Requirements, you must:

• Have a master's degree in social work with at least 12 hours of clinical coursework**
• Have at least 3 years of post MSW supervised experience* in clinical social work
• Be of good moral character
• Be at least 21 years old
• Complete 2 hrs of training in Child Abuse ID and Reporting
• Pass ASWB Clinical Examination

*Experience Requirement

• You must have completed 3 years of full-time post-masters, or the part-time equivalent in no more than 6 calendar years, supervised experience in clinical social work. 

Full-time experience is defined as 20 client hrs of psychotherapy per wk for 48 wks of employment. 

Part-time experience is defined as no less than 10 client contact hrs per wk of psychotherapy.

A client contact hr is at least 45 minutes of psychotherapy with individuals, families, or groups. Sessions may be combined to determine the weekly client contact hrs.

• Only experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment-based treatment plans, as defined by Section 7704 of the Education Law, is acceptable for LCSW licensure.
• All experience must be supervised by an LCSW, licensed psychologist or psychiatrist who is professionally responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of each client. 
• Supervisory sessions must be in-person of an individual or group for one hr per week or 2 hrs every other week. 
• When the applicant is working less than full-time, supervision must still average 1 hr/week for the entire period.  

**Clinical Coursework
The courses must include knowledge and skills in the areas of: 

• diagnosis and assessment in clinical social work practice
• clinical social work treatment and
• clinical social work practice with general and special populations.

The clinical coursework must be offered by an acceptable two-year graduate social work program, such as one registered by the Department as licensure qualifying for the LCSW.

Coursework may be completed either as part of the MSW degree program or after completion of the program to remedy deficits in clinical content. (NYU students complete this as part of their MSW degree program. If you attend another graduate school for social work, please check with your school. )

Below is the content outline for the information covered in the LCSW licensing examination.

Clinical Examination Content Outline
(Effective January 1, 2011)

I. Human Development, Diversity and Behavior in the Environment, 31%
Human development in the life cycle
Human behavior in the environment
Effects of diversity
Addictions
II. Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning, 26%
Information gathering
Assessment and diagnosis
Treatment planning
III. Psychotherapy, Clinical Interventions and Case Management, 25%
Therapeutic relationship
The intervention process
Case management
Consultation and interdisciplinary collaboration
IV. Professional Ethics and Values, 18%
Ethical Issues
Confidentiality and its limits
Value issues

A more detailed breakdown of the content to be covered for both the LCSW and LMSW Licensing Exams is available within the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) downloadable pdf available at the ASWB.

In addition, please note that ASWB expects to have study materials (reflecting the changes that will be in effect in all exams as of January 1, 2011) ready for sale in the fall.

Moving onto the topic of the Licensed Clinical Social Worker "R" Psychotherapy Privilege, New York State Insurance Law authorizes a privilege to the LCSW. This privilege requires the LCSW license and 3 years of supervised experience in psychotherapy obtained after receiving the LCSW. (A separate application and fee are required for this privilege.)

An LCSW who fulfills the requirements of the insurance law is recognized as a reimbursable psychotherapist. The "R" privilege requires insurance carriers to provide reimbursement for psychotherapy services whenever a health insurance contract includes reimbursement of qualified psychologists and psychiatrists.

I'm hoping that you found this information helpful. If you have already taken one or both of these licensing exams and have some tips to share, please do so below. Also, if you have any questions or other insights on the topic, please write below... I'd love to hear from you :)

Sources:
ASWB Examination Content Outline
NASW's 17 Important Facts About Social Work Licensing in NY
New York State LMSW License Requirements
New York State LCSW License Requirements
New York State "R" Psychotherapy Privilege

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