The Journey to Licensure for Social Workers in California

1. The Journey to Licensure for Social Workers in California Jo Brocato, LCSW, PhD. April 2011 Information presented is from California BBS and is in the public domain.

2. Why Get Licensed? • Licensure provides the public with a safe practitioner. • In most professions, graduation is only the first step—and then one needs to pass bar exams in law and national boards in medicine. • Most states require practicing social workers to be licensed, certified, or registered.

3. LCSW Licensing Process 1.Get your MSW from CSULB 2.Register with the BBS as an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW) 3.Gain your supervised post-masters work experience 4.Complete any required additional coursework 5.Apply for LCSW Examination Eligibility 6.Pass the LCSW Standard Written Examination 7.Pass the LCSW Written Clinical Vignette Examination 8.Get your official clinical social worker license

4. ASW Registration Process 1.One page application form (available online) http://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/forms/lcs/aswapp.pdf 2.Official school transcripts with the MSW degree posted. 3.Live Scan receipt

5. Getting that Number • The processing time for ASW applications of 4-6 weeks. • The degree must be posted on the official transcript when submitting an application for ASW registration. Or if for some reason you cannot wait… • An applicant may submit a letter to obtain a registration number This letter must contain the following: It must be on official University letterhead It must be in a business sealed envelope from the University It must be accompanied by Official transcripts. It must say that the student has satisfactorily completed all requirements for the MSW degree at the University. It must state the degree conferral date. It must be signed by a dean or associate dean of the program. The student must submit official transcript with degree conferral date posted to be considered for licensure

6. REPORTING PRIOR CONVICTION Misdemeanor or Felony • A certified copy of the conviction and disposition and any police reports. • A letter from you describing the circumstances of the conviction. Any alias • A letter from you describing rehabilitation efforts or changes you have made to prevent future problems. It is your responsibility to present sufficient evidence of rehabilitation to demonstrate your fitness for licensure. The evidence of rehabilitation may include, but is not limited to: a. Proof of completion of probation if it was required. b. Letters of reference from employers, instructors, professional counselors, probation or parole officers on official letterhead

7. Additional Coursework • Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting - 7 contact hours of training or coursework. • Human Sexuality 10 contact hours of training or coursework. • Alcoholism and Chemical Substance Dependency 1 semester unit course with no less than 15 hours of classroom training. • Spousal or Partner Abuse Assessment, Detection, and Intervention Strategies -15 contact hours. • Aging and Long-term Care - 10 contact hours of coursework. Save your Syllabus or certificate to submit. 1 hour of instruction =one hour of CE credit. 1 academic quarter unit =(10) hours of CE credit. 1 academic semester unit =(15) hours of CE credit.

8. Important Forms • Clinical Social Worker Experience Verification Form • I suggest you get several of these • ASW Weekly Tracking Log • This can be helpful for both you and your supervisor, especially if you have more than one. • Responsibility Statement for Supervisors of an ACSW • completed a minimum of 15 contact hours in supervision training that includes content specified in 16 CCR Section 1870(a)(4)) obtained from a state agency or approved continuing education provider.** • MFTs, Psychologists, and Physicians certified in psychiatry must be licensed for two years prior to commencement of supervision. • Be proactive with your supervisor. Know that your supervisor meets these qualifications prior to beginning supervision. They must complete form.

9. . Supervised Experience

10. Where to Get it • Experience shall only be gained in a setting that meets both of the following: • (1) Lawfully and regularly provides clinical social work, mental health counseling, or psychotherapy. • (2) Provides oversight to ensure that the associate's work at the setting meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and is within the scope of practice for the profession as defined in Section 4996.9.

11. Important Forms • Supervisory Plan • The original signed plan shall be submitted by the Associate Clinical Social Worker to the board upon application for examination eligibility.

12. Questions to Ask • What type of license do you possess? • Is your license current and valid? • When were you licensed? • Have you completed the mandatory supervision course? • Have you practiced psychotherapy or provided direct supervision to associates for at least two years within the last five years? • Have you ever provided supervision to an ACSW before, and if so, how many? • What is your practice background (private practice, agency, school, etc.)? • Do you practice from a particular theoretical orientation, and if so, will other theoretical orientations be discussed? • Do you have any specialty areas of practice

13. Be Proactive • Use the “Online License Verification verify your supervisor’s status. • Stay current with your registration. • The annual renewal fee for associate clinical social worker registration is seventy-five dollars ($75.00). • Stay on Top of Your Required Supervised Experience • 1,700 hours of experience under an LCSW. • Use Clinical Supervision to Prepare for the Licensing Examinations • See the BBS LCSW Examination Study Guide • Stay Updated • Sign up for the BBS’ free email subscriber list to be notified of Law changes.

14. LCSW Required Experience

15. LCSW Examination Eligibility Application ALL ITEMS ARE MANDATORY • APPLICATION (available online) • W-2's for each year you are claiming experience • If you volunteered, attach a copy of the letter from your employer verify status. • One Photograph • Personal Data Card(available online) • Examination Security Notice • Fee: • $200.00 check for written exam. • After you pass send $100.00 fee for the written clinical vignette examination. • Successfully passed both examinations and then send Request for Initial License with a fee • Verification of Required Training • Experience Verification Forms (within the six years) • Responsibility Statements(from each initial supervisor) • Supervisory Plan (from each initial supervisor)

16. BBS Resources • BBS Home page • www.bbs.ca.gov • Forms and Publications (download) • www.bbs.ca.gov/forms.shtml • LCSW Licensure Walk-Through (steps to obtain licensure) – www.bbs.ca.gov/app-reg/lcs_part1.shtml • Experience Calculators – • www.bbs.ca.gov/app-reg/exp_calc.shtml • Online License/Registration Verification • www.bbs.ca.gov/app-reg/mft_part1.shtml • BBS Subscriber List • www.bbs.ca.gov/quick_links/subscribe.shtml

17. Current Pass Rates 7/1/11 - 12/31/11 • LCSW Standard Written Exam • CSULB 46% • CA 51% • LCSW Clinical Vignette Exam • CSULB 76% • CA 78%

18. Great News

19. January 1, 2013 • Licensure candidates required to complete a California law and ethics examination during the registration period and a clinical examination once all supervised hours are completed. This legislation, Senate Bill 704 (Negrete McLeod), was introduced in 2011 and signed by Governor Brown on September 30, 2011. • The restructure of the examination process goes into effect January 1, 2013. • The audit resulted in the recommendation to use a national examination for licensure as a California LCSW.

20. §4992.05. REQUIRED EXAMINATIONS • (a) Effective January 1, 2013, an applicant for licensure as a clinical social worker shall pass the following two examinations as prescribed by the board: • (1) A California law and ethics examination. • (2) A clinical examination. • (b) Upon registration with the board, an associate social worker registrant shall, within the first year of registration, take an examination on California law and ethics. • (c) A registrant may take the clinical examination only upon meeting all of the following requirements: • (1) Completion of all education requirements. • (2) Passage of the California law and ethics examination. • (3) Completion of all required supervised work experience. • (d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2013.

21. §4992.09. CALIFORNIA LAW AND ETHICS EXAMINATION (a) An applicant and registrant must pass California law and ethics exam in order to qualify for licensure. (b) Prior to his or her registration renewal. (c) If an applicant fails, they may retake the examination, & pay the fee (d) If a registrant fails within first renewal they must complete a 12-hour course in California law and ethics from a board-approved CE provider. Registrants shall only take the 12-hour California law and ethics course once during a renewal period. (e) The board shall not issue a subsequent registration number unless the registrant has passed the California law and ethics examination.

22. Fees • The fee for the clinical examination shall be one hundred dollars ($100). • The fee for the California law and ethics examination shall be one hundred dollars ($100).

23. EXAMINATION • Applicants will be sent notice of eligibility 60 days after application • Applicants must call the test administrator(PSI) and arrange a time and place to take the examination or do it online. • Candidate Service Center 1-800-733-9267 • www.psiexams.com • Exams are given in various locations throughout California. • Written examinations contain objective multiple-choice questions. • If you fail you may retake the exam within one year without further application. Must pay the fee again.

24. ASWB Clinical Level • The ASWB Clinical Level license exam is currently used in all US states and NOW in California. The ASWB has adopted a new Content Outline for this exam. The exam will retain its structure of 170 questions to be answered in a four hour exam session. The new Content Outline is as follows.

25. ASWB Clinical Level Outline

26. Sample Question • When working with a manipulative and depressed young man you make the client aware of discrepancies between verbal and nonverbal communication, statements made in the past in contrast to statements made in the present, and discrepancies between stated intentions and the client's actual behavior. You are using the intervention technique of... a. confrontation b. anticipatory socialization c. limit setting d. setting limits and punishing undesirable behavior

27. Sample Question • You are considering a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder for your client who is troubled by excessive guilt, pervasive sadness and low self-esteem. In order to rule in or rule out your diagnostic impression you will need to find out whether or not your client... • a. has been depressed for at least two years • b. experiences a sleep disturbance • c. has ever experienced a manic, hypomanic, or mixed episode • d. considers his depression to be ego-dystonic

28. Sample Question • Your unemployed client has been terminated from his past two jobs because of a problem with assaultive behavior. Which of the following would be the most appropriate objective to record in this client's service plan? • a. stabilize employment • b. encourage client to verbalize angry feelings instead of acting on them • c. refer client to anger management group • d. client will demonstrate at least three non-assaultive coping techniques for resolving conflict during group sessions within three months

29. Free Practice Tests • AATBS (requires email) • Academic Review (requires registration) • Berkeley Training Associates • Gerry Grossman • LEAP • Socialworkexam.com Daily Q • Socialworkinfo.com • Testmeagain.com

30. Online Resources • Online Exam Support Group http://health.dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/ClinicalVignetteStudy/?tab=s • Mnemonics http://www.medicalmnemonics.com/cgi-bin/return_browse.cfm?rowstart=1&numrows=10&discipline_id=32&system_id=All&bodypart_id=All • The Social Work Podcast By Jonathan B. Singer, Ph.D., LCSW • http://socialworkpodcast.blogspot.com/ • http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-social-work-podcast/id216662405 • http://www.socialworkpodcast.com/SalaryNegotiation1.mp3

31. License Exam Preparation • Association For Advanced Training in the Behavioral Sciences $425.00 • Berkeley Training Associates $345.00 • Academic Review $129.00

32. Debt & Loan information • Bachelor's level social workers have an average loan debt of $18,609. • Master's level social workers have an average loan debt of $26,777. • Doctoral level social workers have an average loan debt of $32,841. • In 2001 the median salary of social workers with 2-4 years experience was $35,600. • In 2008 the median salary of social workers is approximately $40,000 • In 2009 California the median salary of social workers is approximately $55,370 • Over 10% of social workers make less than $35,000 per year. • On July 31, Congress passed Higher Education Reauthorization and Opportunity Act, and President Bush signed it into law on August 14th. H. R. 4137 includes loan forgiveness for social workers. • http://www.bls.gov/ - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics • http://www.payscale.com/ - Pays scale, gives rate of pay according to level of experience, skill sets etc. • http://www.fedjobs.com/pay/pay.html - pay rates for federal job hunters

34. Best Wishes