DEPARTMENT OF REGULATORY AGENCIES

DIVISION OF REGISTRATIONS

SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE

PERMANENT RULE

4 CCR726-1

September 4, 2009

License by Examination (C.R.S. 12-43-404)

Section 1.Authority

Section 2.Scope and Purpose

Section 3.Applicability

Section 4.Rule 17. License by Examination (C.R.S. 12-43-404)

Section 5. Effective Date

Section 1. Authority

The statutory authority and basis for this rule, entitled Boards-meetings-duties-powers-removal of members-immunity, is section 12-43-203(3)(a), C.R.S.

Section 2. Scope and Purpose

To delineate the minimum standard of a licensee's ability to perform licensed clinical social work by requiring a minimum number and type of work experience and supervision hours of practice. These rule changes also support C.R.S. §12-43-409 in that once a social worker is licensed as a LCSW, they are no longer required to practice those social work activities that meet the definition of psychotherapy under any supervision. Furthermore, it clarifies the requirement that those who do not have a license, registration, or certification to practice psychotherapy must be listed in the State Grievance Board database of unlicensed psychotherapists prior to accumulating work experience and supervision hours.

Section 3. Applicability

The provisions of this section shall be applicable to applicants pursuing licensure as asocial worker.

Section 4. Rule 17. License by Examination

Rule 17(c)(1)(D)

(D) "Practice in social work" means all services included within the definition of social work practice as defined in C.R.S. 12-43-403.

Rule 17(c)(1)(E)(2)

(2) "Responsible direction" or "direction" means the supervisor has sufficient knowledge of all clients for whom supervision is provided, including face-to-face contact with the client when necessary, to develop and to monitor effective service delivery procedures and the supervisee's treatment plan. Further, all decisions requiring the special skill, knowledge, and/or training of a social worker are made in collaboration with, and with the approval of, the supervisor. Such decisions include, but are not limited to: type, duration, effectiveness, and method of social work services provided; fees and billing procedures; approval of cases; and personal observation, evaluation, oversight, review, and correction of services provided by the supervisee.

Rule 17(c)(2)

(2) Certification of Completion. Each applicant shall file with the Board, upon forms supplied by the Board, a verified statement signed under penalty of law by their approved supervisor(s) attesting to the applicant's satisfactory completion of the required post-degree work experience and supervision hours towards licensure as defined in Rule 17(c)(4) under supervision and attesting to the applicant's having met the generally accepted standards of practice during the supervised practice.

Rule 17(c)(3)(B)

(B) The approved supervisor shall keep records that will enable her/him toeffectively train, evaluate, and credit the applicant for licensure with the exact number of hours of acceptable post-degree practice of social work and the exact number of hours of supervision completed in compliance with this Rule. The approved supervisor shall keep and make available the records for 5 years from the date of supervision.

Rule 17 (c)(4)(C)(1)

(C) The post degree hours required under 17(c)(4)(B) above must meet the following requirements;

(1) Clinical social work practice for LCSW licensure (as noted in 12-43-409):

a) At minimum, half of the work experience hours (1,680) must include a professional relationship that involves treatment, diagnosis, testing, assessment, or counseling. One or more may occur during any of the following activities:

  • Assisting individuals or groups to alleviate mental disorders;
  • understanding unconscious or conscious motivation;
  • resolving emotional, relationship, or attitudinal conflicts; or
  • modifying behaviors that interfere with effective emotional, biopsychosocial or intellectual functioning.

Rule 17 (c)(4)(C)(2)

(2) The required post-degree work experience and supervision hours noted in 17(c)(4)(C)(1) will only count towards licensure if the applicant is licensed, registered or certified in another profession that is authorized to practice those activities stated in C.R.S. 12-43-201(9) or listed in the State Grievance Board Database of Unlicensed Psychotherapists as required in C.R.S. 12 -43-702.5. This requirement must be met prior to accumulating post-degree work experience and supervision hours.

Rule 17(c)(4)(D)

(D) Teaching hours are not acceptable for those hours accumulated underRule 17(c)(4)(C)(1).

Rule 17(c)(5)(c)

(C) With respect to supervision of the teaching of the practice of social work (see Rules 17(c)(4)(D), the supervision hours must be reasonably distributed over the teaching experience in a manner consistent with an accrual of the hours of teaching experience.

Section 5. Effective Date

This permanent rule shall become effective on December 1, 2009.