Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024
(1)
Program Content
Requirements. A continuing education course or program, or an
individual continuing education activity, may be approved, and may be used to
satisfy the continuing education requirements set forth in
258 CMR
31.03(1), only if that
course, program or activity covers:
(a)
Theories and concepts of human behavior in the social environment;
(b) Social work practice, knowledge and
skills;
(c) Social work research,
program evaluation, or practice evaluation;
(d) Social work agency management or
administration;
(e) Development,
evaluation and/or implementation of social policy;
(f) Social work ethics and standards of
professional practice; or
(g)
Current issues in clinical or non-clinical social work practice
(
e.g., diversity, aging, multi-culturalism, new approaches to
diagnosis and treatment of mental or emotional disorders,
etc.)
Continuing education credit will not be given for programs that
do not apply directly to and "contribute to the growth of professional
competence in social work practice". Programs focused on marketing skills,
management or other business skills, or computer proficiency skills will not be
considered acceptable, as those types of courses are intended to enhance
business skills, and not social work skills.
(2)
Approval by Recognized
Entity. A continuing education course or program, other than an
individual continuing education activity approved for credit pursuant to 258
CMR 31.04(4), may be used to satisfy the continuing education requirements set
forth in
258 CMR
31.03(1) only if it has
been reviewed and approved by a recognized entity, as defined in
258 CMR 31.02. A
continuing education course or program shall be deemed to have been approved by
a recognized entity if:
(a) The course or
program is presented or conducted by a graduate or undergraduate social work
school, program or department accredited by the Council on Social Work
Education;
(b) The course or
program has been reviewed and approved by ASWB as an Approved Continuing
Education (ACE) program;
(c) The
course or program has been approved for continuing education credit by a
governmental agency in any other state, province, territory or political
subdivision of the United States or Canada which is responsible for the
licensure, certification or registration of social workers;
(d) The course or program has been reviewed
and approved by the National Association of Social Workers or a chapter of the
National Association of Social Workers;
(e) The course or program has been reviewed
and approved for continuing education credit by the National Association of
Black Social Workers or by a state chapter of the National Association of Black
Social Workers; or
(f) The course
or program has been reviewed and approved by any other organization which has
been authorized by the Board to review and approve such courses or
programs.
(3)
Administrative Requirements for Continuing Education Courses and
Programs. A continuing education course or program, other than an
individual continuing education activity approved for credit pursuant to 258
CMR 31.04(4), may be used to satisfy the continuing education requirements set
forth in
258 CMR
31.03(1) only if the entity
which provides or sponsors that course or program also meets the following
requirements:
(a) An outline of the course or
program is prepared and distributed to all attendees. Said outline shall state
the number of continuing education contact hours provided;
(b) The course or program shall be at least
50 consecutive minutes in length;
(c) The provider or sponsor of the course or
program ensures that the course or program is presented by individuals who are
properly qualified and competent to do so by virtue of appropriate academic
training, professional licensure or certification, and/or appropriate
professional experience;
(d) The
provider or sponsor of the course or program maintains written documentation of
the qualifications of the person or persons who presented the course or
program;
(e) A person who is duly
licensed as a social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health
counselor, marriage and family therapist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, or
other licensed mental health professional, by a government agency in any other
state, province, territory or political subdivision of the United States or
Canada, which is responsible for the licensure, certification or registration
of the above referenced licensed mental health professionals, is directly
involved in the planning development and review of that course or
program;
(f) The provider or
sponsor of the course or program establishes and maintains an accurate written
record of course attendance showing the date of the program or course, the
location at which the program or course was given, the name of each person who
attended, and the license number of each person who attended;
(g) The licensed social worker receives a
certificate or other written evidence of his or her completion of that course
or program only if he or she demonstrates satisfactory comprehension or
understanding of the content of that course or program to the provider or
sponsor of that course or program;
(h) The provider or sponsor of the course or
program does not issue certificates or other written evidence of completion of
the course or program until the course or program is completed;
(i) The provider or sponsor of the course or
program provides all attendees with an opportunity to evaluate that course or
program, on a written form provided for that purpose, and retains all completed
written evaluation forms for a period of five years after the date on which the
course or program was presented;
(j) The provider or sponsor of the course or
program complies with all other applicable state and federal laws including,
but not limited to, the Americans with Disabilities Act and any other state or
federal laws relating to accessibility of such courses or programs to persons
with disabilities or special needs; and
(k) The provider or sponsor of the course or
program has received an authorization number from a recognized entity which has
reviewed the course or program and determined that the course or program meets
all applicable requirements of 258 CMR 31.04.
(4)
Special Approval of
Individual Continuing Education Activities. A licensed social
worker may obtain credit toward completion of the continuing education required
by
258 CMR
31.03(1) for an individual
continuing education activity, as defined in
258 CMR 31.02, as
long as:
(a) The individual continuing
education activity in question meets the program content requirements of 258
CMR 31.04(1);
(b) The individual
continuing education activity in question consists of a lecture, an oral
presentation at a course or conference, publication of a book, publication of
an article in a recognized professional journal, completion of research for
such a presentation or publication, or a substantially equivalent activity as
determined by the Board;
(c) The
licensed social worker seeking credit for the individual continuing education
activity in question submits to the Board a written request for continuing
education credit for that activity, accompanied by satisfactory written proof
of his or her completion of that activity, at least 60 days prior to the end of
the licensure period for which continuing education credit is being
sought;
(d) The Board determines
that the individual continuing education activity in question meets all other
applicable requirements of 258 CMR 31.04; and
(e) The number of continuing education hours
awarded to that licensed social worker for the individual continuing education
activity in question does not exceed 50% of the total number of continuing
education hours required for renewal of that social worker's license.
(5)
Other Credits and
Organizations. A licensee may receive up to 25% of continuing
education credit in courses that have been approved by the following
organizations AND contribute to the professional competence of the licensee. In
order to be accepted for continuing education credit, the program must
contribute to the growth of professional competence in social work practice.
See258 CMR 31.04(1). All licensees must receive a minimum of
75% of their continuing education credit in courses approved by a recognized
entity set forth in 258 CMR 31.04(2).
The Board may grant continuing education credits for
educational programs sponsored by the following organizations in addition to
those designated in 258 CMR 31.04(2). The Board has approved the following
organizations:
(a) American
Psychological Association (APA);
(b) National Board for Certified Counselors
(NBCC);
(c) Board of Nursing Home
Administrator's (NHA);
(d) American
Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC);
(e) Accreditation Council for Continuing
Medical Education (ACCME).
