Current through Register 1518, March 29, 2024
(1)
General
Requirement. Beginning with the licensure period commencing
October 1, 2004, every social worker, as a condition for renewal of his or her
license, shall complete the minimum number of continuing education hours
specified below for his or her licensure level during each licensure period,
unless he or she is exempt from such requirements pursuant to 258 CMR 31.03(2),
or is entitled to pro-rate such requirements pursuant to 258 CMR 31.03(3):
(a) Licensed Independent Clinical Social
Workers (LICSWs) - 30 continuing education hours;
(b) Licensed Certified Social Workers (LCSWs)
- 20 continuing education hours;
(c) Licensed Social Workers (LSWs) - 15
continuing education hours; and
(d)
Licensed Social Work Associates (LSWAs) - ten continuing education hours.
All such continuing education hours shall be completed in
continuing education programs which meet the requirements of
258 CMR
31.04.
(2)
Exemption for Licensed State,
County or Municipal Social Workers.
(a) A social worker who holds a license to
practice social work issued by the Board, but who provides social work services
exclusively in his or her capacity as an employee of a unit of state, county or
municipal government located within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, shall be
exempt from the continuing education requirement established by 258 CMR
31.03(1). A social worker shall not be eligible for this exemption if he or she
provides social work services or engages in the practice of social work as an
independent practitioner or as an employee of a private agency, health care
facility or other entity at any time during the licensure period for which
exemption is sought.
(b) A social
worker seeking exemption from the continuing education requirement of 258 CMR
31.03(1) pursuant to 258 CMR 31.03(2)(b) shall file, as part of his or her
license renewal application, a sworn affidavit, on forms furnished by the Board
for this purpose, attesting to the fact that he or she has not provided social
work services or engaged in the practice of social work as an independent
practitioner or as an employee of any private agency, health care facility or
other private entity at any time during the licensure period, and is therefore
eligible for exemption under the provisions of 258 CMR 31.03(2)(b).
(3)
Proration of
Continuing Education Requirements. The number of continuing
education hours required for license renewal shall be pro-rated for the
licensure period in which a social worker first obtains his or her license from
the Board, as follows:
(a) A social worker who
first receives his or her license during the first quarter of the licensure
period shall complete 75% of the continuing education hours normally required
for his or her level of licensure;
(b) A social worker who first receives his or
her license during the second quarter of the licensure period shall complete
50% of the continuing education hours normally required for his or her level of
licensure;
(c) A social worker who
first receives his or her license during the third quarter of the licensure
period shall complete 25% of the continuing education hours normally required
for his or her level of licensure; and
(d) A social worker who first receives his or
her license during the last quarter of the licensure period shall not be
required to complete any continuing education hours for that licensure
period.
(4) Pursuant to
M.G.L. c. 112, § 264, applicants and licensees shall participate in at
least one domestic violence and sexual violence training as a condition for
licensure, renewal, revival or reinstatement of licensure.
(a) The Board, in consultation with the
Department of Public Health, will identify programs or courses of study that
meet the standards required by 258 CMR 31.03(4) and provide its licensees with
a list of such programs or courses.
(b) An applicant for renewal, revival or
reinstatement of licensure, who has previously completed a program or course
approved by the Board shall not be required to participate in a subsequent
program or course of domestic violence and sexual violence training except
where the Board, in its discretion, requires completion of such a program or
course as a condition of renewal, revival, or reinstatement of
licensure.
(5)
Extension of Time for Completion. The Board may extend
the deadline for completion of the continuing education required by 258 CMR
31.03(1) upon a showing by the social worker that completion of such continuing
education by the original deadline imposes an undue hardship due to unforeseen
circumstances.
