Social Work Licensing and Exam

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Social Work Licensing and Exam

• Prepared by
• Anwar Najor-Durack
• Director of Field Education
• WSU, School of Social Work

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P.A. 61 of 2004

• Went into effect July 1, 2005
• Caused significant changes to the regulations of
  the social work profession

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Title Changes

• Registered social Work Technician Registered
  Social Service Technician
• Registered Social Worker Licensed
  Bachelors Social Worker
• Certified Social Worker Licensed
  Masters Social Worker

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Regulatory Changes Tile Protection

• Only individuals who are licensed can call
  themselves social workers
• Tasks defined by the public health code as social
  work have to be done by licensed social workers

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Scope Changes

• New Practitioners have Limited License
• LMSW with two designations clinical and macro
• Initial license issued for one area of practice
  but second area may be acquired with experience
  under supervision of LMSW in that area

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Certified Social Workers LMSW, macro and
clinical

• Expected to practice only in area of expertise
• Registered individuals who did not have a degree
  in social work
• registration lapses were reviewed on a case by
  case basis
• Effective July 1, 2006, all applicants for
  licensure will have to comply with new
  requirements.

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Renewal Cycle Effective April 2006

• Licenses valid for three years rather than the
  previous 2-year cycle.
• BSW and MSW licensees who renew in 2006 will have
  to complete 45 hours of board approved continuing
  education activities in the 2006-2009 licensing
  cycle.
• There are no continuing education requirements
  for the social service technician.

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Limited License and Examinations

• Experience for the bachelors or masters social
  worker must be earned while in a limited status.
• Limited license social workers may take
  examination for full licensure while earning
  experience.
• LMSW -clinical MUST verify experience, education
  and complete the ASWB Clinical examination.
• Starting July 2006, LMSW -macro MUST complete the
  ASWB Advanced Generalist examination in addition
  to verifying experience and education.

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Title Protection

• Effective July 1, 2005, ALL LBSW and LMSW
  Applicants are required to have a degree in
  social work
• Other degrees will no longer be acceptable
  those who held registrations with other degrees
  will be allowed to keep their license.

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Supervision Requirements LBSW

• 4,000 hours with no more than 2,000 per year
• Work no more than 40 hours per week
• Limited License issued for one year with 6 yr
  renewal
• Supervision from LMSW
• Supervisory review must be 4 hours per month in
  group or individual setting
• At least one hour must be an individualized
  review

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Supervision Requirements LMSW

• 4,000 hours with no more than 2,000 per year
  (post MSW degree)
• Work no more than 40 hours per week
• Limited License issued for one year with 6 yr
  renewal
• Supervision from LMSW
• Supervisory review must be 4 hours per month in
  group or individual setting
• At least one hour must be an individualized
  review
• 50 of supervision to include individual contact
  with active work functions of applicant reviewed

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Continuing Education Contact Hours

• Social Worker Continuing Education Collaborative
  MI
• Collaborative which is managed by the NASW-MI has
  been designated by the Michigan Board of Social
  Work as the authorizing agent for approval of CE
  providers and courses.
• The Michigan Board of Social Work also accepts CE
  from providers approved by the ASWBs Approved
  Continuing Education (ACE)

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Continuing Education Contact Hours

• Education and training oriented toward
  maintenance, improvement or enhancement of social
  work practice. 
• The State of Michigan requires licensed social
  workers to complete 45 hours of continuing
  professional education every three years.

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Continuing Education Ethics and Pain Management

• Must take 5 (five) hours of Ethics and 1 (one)
  hour of Pain and Pain Symptom Management Pain
  Management CE may include, but are not limited
  to courses in Behavior Management, Psychology of
  Pain, Behavior Modification, and Stress
  Management.

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Continuing Education other providers?

• You may attend a CE course that has not gone
  through the Collaborative approval process, and
  subsequently request the Collaborative to approve
  the course.  To do so, you must complete a Course
  Approval application and provide necessary
  documentation that proves the course met ACE
  guidelines and is relevant to your work.  If the
  Collaborative determines that the course has met
  ACE guidelines, it will be approved and assigned
  the appropriate number of CE Hours.  You will be
  notified by mail as to the review outcome of your
  application.

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Continuing Education - More

• Social workers wishing to receive CE Hours for
  coursework already completed may apply as an
  individual for approval.
• Download an "Individual application" and submit
  it for approval along with a 20.00 processing
  fee.  The application download is available by
  visiting web site
• http//www.socialworkcec.com/

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Continuing Education other information

• Three CECH may be earned for each 60-minute
  presentation of a continuing education program
  that is not part of the licensees regular job
  description
• Five CECH may be earned for each semester credit
  (and Three CECH for each quarter credit) earned
  for academic courses related to SW practice at a
  CSWE accredited institution
• CECH may also be obtained by attending CE program
  approved by another state board of social work
• A max of 10 CECH for publication, in a SW journal
  or textbook, of an article or chapter related to
  the practice of social work
• A max or 10 CECH may be earned for online
  computer programs pertaining to social work

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Web Resources

• www.michigan.gov/healthlicense
• Administrative Rules
• Application for Licensure
• Verify a License
• Questions regarding your professional license may
  be directed to the Department of Community
  Health, Bureau of Health Professions (517)
  335-0918

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Web Resources

• http//www.aswb.org
• Association of Social Work Board web site
• Examination information
• CE information
• ACE guidelines

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Web Resources

• http//www.socialworkcec.com/
• Continuing Education Collaborative web site
• Provider Application for CE
• Approval for seminar already attended and fees

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Changes and Transition

• Please be aware that the Michigan Board is
  continually reviewing the implementation of the
  new rules and Continuing Education therefore,
  changes may develop in the future when it is
  deemed necessary.

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Thank You!!

• Anwar Najor-Durack
• Director of Field Education
• Wayne State University
• School of Social Work
• Detroit, MI 48202
• [phone]
• [phone] fax
• ac1724_at_Wayne.edu
• www.socialwork.wayne.edu