Questions & Answers About Pennsylvania’s



[pic]

Questions & Answers About Pennsylvania’s

Social Work Licensing

Q. When did the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania enact a social work licensing law?

A. The Social Workers’ Practice Act which created the Licensed Social Worker became law in 1987. It took effect on October 7, 1987. The Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act (hereinafter referred to as Act 136) was passed December 21, 1998, and became effective in March, 1999. This Act created the additional social work license of LCSW or Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Q. Who must be licensed?

A. Social Workers in Pennsylvania are not required by the state to be licensed. The Licensure Act is a title protection act, which means that only those who are licensed can call themselves “licensed social workers” or “licensed clinical social workers.”

Q. Why should social workers be licensed if they are not required to be?

A. A licensed social worker must meet standards for education and/or experience. Licensing protects consumers, the clients of social workers, in two ways. Standards help to ensure that consumers receive services from competent practitioners. Licensing also helps consumers identify social workers and provides a mechanism for accountability. A person who believes that a licensed social worker has acted unprofessionally can file a complaint with the State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors (hereafter referred to as the “Board”). The Board will investigate the complaint and may sanction the licensed social worker.

Licensed social workers may receive reimbursement from third party payers, i.e., health insurers. This does not occur automatically with all insurance companies. The Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, along with other Pennsylvania social work organizations, is working toward enactment of a law requiring third party payers to reimburse licensed clinical social workers.

Q. How do I qualify to be licensed?

A. Pennsylvania has two social work licenses. The law allows for social workers to qualify for licenses by examination. It requires that all licensees be of good moral character and not have been convicted of a felony under the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetics Act. If you are licensed in another state, there is also a process that allows you to be licensed in Pennsylvania without retaking the examination.

Q. How can I be licensed by examination?

A. You must first apply to take the examination to the Board for a license. Forms are available at

or by calling the licensure board at 717-783-1389. Your application will then be reviewed to determine if you meet the requirements contained in the social work licensing regulations to take the examination. The Board will send an approval letter and you can then apply to take the examination administered by the Association of Social Work Board.

To obtain an LSW license you must meet all of the following requirements.

□ Have a master’s degree in social work from an accredited school or have a doctorate in social work. (A transcript must be provided.)

□ Pass the masters level of the examination administered by the ASWB.

□ Have two recommendations from licensed health care professionals.

□ Have paid the licensure application fee.

□ Have not been convicted of a felony under the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.

To obtain an LCSW license you must meet all of the following requirements:

□ Have licensure as an LSW and past the clinical level of exam.

□ Be of good moral character

□ Not been convicted of a felony under the Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act, unless there have been at least 10 years since the date of the conviction and the applicant demonstrates to the Board having made significant progress in personal rehabilitation.

□ Submitted an application for licensure to the State Board.

□ Paid the licensure fee.

□ Submitted 2 certificates of recommendation on forms furnished by the Board

□ Signed the application, affirming and verifying that the information is correct

□ Hold a master’s degree in social work or social welfare or a doctoral degree in social work from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

□ Be a Licensed Social Worker (LSW).

□ Pass the clinical level of the examination given by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). See .

□ Complete at least 2 years or 3,600 hours of supervised clinical experience meeting the approved criteria after completion of the master’s degree in social work.

□ Supervision for the clinical experience shall be provided by a supervisor as defined in the regulations. (1,800 hours must be supervised by an LCSW.)

Q. What kind of examination must I pass?

A. The Board administers an examination developed by a vendor for ASWB. Most of the state boards regulating social work in the U.S. belong to the Association and administer examinations developed by the vendor. Visit or contact the PA Board at 717-783-1389 for application materials.

Q. Which level of exam do I take?

A. If you are applying for an LSW, you must take the Masters Level exam. If you are applying for an LCSW you must take the Clinical level.

Q. When and where can I take the exam?

A. The exam is given electronically via a touch sensitive screen. It is offered at numerous locations throughout the state on a regular basis. See . Test scores are provided upon completion of the exam.

Q. How can I prepare for the exam?

A. The Pennsylvania Chapter NASW (PA NASW) offers a Licensure Examination Preparation Course taught by trained instructors. The prep course includes a comprehensive study guide. For course information, contact PA NASW at nasw- or 800-272-6279 or write: 2001 North Front Street, Ste 321, Harrisburg, PA 17102.

Q. What if I am licensed in another state and want a Pennsylvania license?

A. The law states that an individual must:

Have a license or certificate to practice social work from another state.

Have demonstrated qualifications equal to or exceeding those required by Pennsylvania.

Have passed the appropriate level of the ASWB exam.

Q. If I am licensed in another state, is there license by reciprocity?

A. While the licensure law allows reciprocity with other states, there are currently no agreements between the states allowing reciprocity.

Q. I heard there is a provisional license. What is it?

A. The Act provides for provisional licensing of persons who meet all of the following requirements:

Have a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work.Have three years of social work experience under the supervision of a social worker with a master’s degree in social work from an accredited school.

Be enrolled in a master’s program in social work at an accredited school.

Pass the ASWB Basic Level exam.

Provisional licensees may be renewed for a period of up to six (6) years. In order to receive an LSW license, provisional licensees must obtain a CSWE-accredited master’s degree and take the Intermediate or clinical Level exam.

Q. How do I get an application for licensure?

A. Contact the PA State Board of Social Workers, et al, P.O. Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649 or call 717-783-1389. Go to their website at



e-mail: ST-SOCIALWORK@state.pa.us or fax: 717-787-7769.

Q. How much does it cost to apply for licensure?

A. The application fee is $25.00 for an LSW license; $25.00 for a provisional license; and $15.00 for verification of licensure. The fee to take the licensing exam is $175.00. The biennial licensure renewal fee is $45.00. (Proposal in place to raise the fee to $75 for 2009 renewal)

Q. When will I receive my license?

A. Once you have passed the licensure exam, your license application will be processed and if you meet all the requirements, you will be issued a license.

Q. What are the continuing education requirements for licensure renewal?

A. Continuing education requirements for Pennsylvania LSWs took effect March 1, 1995. For each licensure period, 30 Continuing Education Credits (CECs) must be earned for license renewal. Three of these must be on ethical issues and no more than 20 can be home study. No CECs are required for your FIRST renewal.

Q. Is there anything else I should know?

A. The licensure board meets 10 times per year, usually in Harrisburg. Meetings are open to the public. Check the website for information dos.state.pa.us/social or call 717-783-1389 for dates and locations. The Board has the authority to suspend or revoke licenses for unethical behavior. If a licensee suffers from a chemical dependency or other impairment, he or she may be required to participate in an impaired professionals program.

Q. What is NASW?

A. The National Association of Social Workers is the largest organization of professional social workers, with over 150,000 members worldwide and 6100 in Pennsylvania. For membership information, visit our website at nasw- or phone: 800-272-6279 or 717-232-4125 or write:

NASW Pennsylvania Chapter

2001 N Front St Ste 321

Harrisburg, PA 17102

This material is the sole property of the National Association of Social Workers Pennsylvania Chapter and may not be reproduced without permission of NASW Pennsylvania Chapter. Copyright 2004 NASW Pennsylvania Chapter.

Updated March 1, 2008

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download