Current through September 24, 2024
A. Philosophy
Continuing education means instruction and learning which
fosters the enhancement of general or specialized social work practice, values,
knowledge, and skills.
B.
Definitions
1. Continuing Education: The
continuing education offerings for each discipline (social workers and marriage
and family therapists) are approved independently. Licensees should NOT assume
that an approved offering for one discipline is also approved for the other
discipline. The Board website maintains separate lists of approved continuing
education offerings for social workers and marriage and family therapists. The
Board shall credit continuing education for social workers as follows. Parts of
programs which meet the criteria set forth in these rules and regulations
(relating to Types of Continuing Education and Criteria for Approval of
Continuing Education Activities) shall be credited on a one-for-one basis with
one clock-hour credit for each one clock-hour spent in the continuing education
activity, unless otherwise designated by the Board or the Board's designee.
Time devoted to registration, organizational business, breakfasts, luncheons,
dinners, or other refreshments shall not be counted as instructional or
continuing education credit time. When there is a luncheon speaker, only the
time of the speaker's presentation may be calculated for continuing education
credit. Forty (40) clock hours are required each renewal period.
2. DESIGNATED PROVIDERS (DPs): are
organizations or institutions determined by the MS Board of Examiners SW
Continuing Education Committee (SWCEC) to meet the standards for continuing
education
. These organizations hold standing by application,
review and approval for a two (2) year period of time, during which they must
consistently comply with all requirements. Complaints and random audits by
Board members or their designees may result in removal from the status at any
time and may prohibit renewal. Organizations who are approved for this status
shall have their DP number and dates of approval on all documentation, and will
be listed with this information for public review and continuing education
resources on the Board website (
www.swmft.ms.gov) and any publications therein.
Only those organizations that have previously held three
successful programs approved for social worker continuing education by the
Board, SWCEC, or its designee may apply for DP status. Applications for DP
status may be obtained from the Board's office or through the Board's website
at www.swmft.ms.gov.
The following organizations are automatically approved for
social worker continuing education and do not need to complete DP application
process for program approval:
a. Any
program approved by the national NASW office, or any NASW Chapter;
b. American Association for Marriage &
Family Therapy or any of its state chapters;
c. Any state chapter of Council on Social
Work Education approved schools of social work (In order for continuing
education offerings to be approved by this type of designated provider, the
school of social work must be actively engaged in the planning and presentation
of the offering);
d. Association of
Social Work Boards or any state licensing board affiliated with;
e. International Association of Social
Workers or any program approved by member countries; or
f. International Federation of Schools of
Social Work and member schools.
SWCEC reserves the right to void approval of a specific
program that has been previously granted approval by any of the above listed
organizations or the current DP listing, should content and speaker be
determined upon review to contain content that is not post-baccalaureate level
or is in serious conflict with social work values and education.
Organizations that are approved for Designated Provider
status must be actively engaged in the planning, development and presentation
of the continuing education programs they provide. Co-Sponsorship will not be
accepted.
C. Continuing Education Requirements for
Renewal
Forty (40) hours of approved continuing education is required
for each renewal period. The applicant will submit a listing of that period's
earned hours with an attestation statement that the list is true and correct.
(See Part 1902, Chapter 4, Rule
4.2, B)
1. LSWs will not submit continuing education
at the first renewal.
2. LMSWs
holding no previous license will not submit at the first renewal. LMSWs
upgrading from LSW will submit at the first renewal period.
3. LCSWs will submit at first renewal as they
are upgrading from LMSW status.
4.
Unused hours: Continuing Education (CE) hours that were completed within the 3
years prior to the current expiration date of a license that have not been
submitted for previous license renewal may be carried over from one renewal to
the next. Provided however, ethics and cultural diversity hours may not be
carried over. All unused CE hours must be maintained by the licensee and not by
the Board.
5. Four (4) hours of
approved professional ethics are required for each licensee for each renewal
period.
6. Two (2) hours of
cultural diversity/multicultural issues/cultural competency awareness are
required.
7. Beginning 7/1/2020,
one (1) hour of training in Mandated Reporting for all client populations will
be required each renewal period.
8.
Probationary Status: Part 1902, Chapter 2, Rule
2.6, B.
7. A minimum of twenty (20) approved CE hours
each renewal period must be in-person learning. Approved CE offerings that are
live and transmitted over the internet using interactive audiovisual platforms
(example - Zoom, WebEx, etc.), are accepted as "in person" CE hours.
8. No more than twenty (20) approved CE hours
each renewal period may be remote learning including self-directed learning,
distance learning, or online courses. CE approved online courses that are
prerecorded webinars, workshops, or conferences of live offerings that are CE
approved but no longer interactive will be accepted as remote online
courses.
D. Acceptable
Formats for Continuing Education Continuing education offerings must consist of
subjects relevant to social work practice and not related to the specific
administrative procedures of any single agency or organization.
All offerings, except those from designated providers, must
be preapproved PRIOR to the offering. For information about pre-approval, see
Part 1902, Chapter 4.
Acceptable ways of acquiring continuing education credits
include the following:
1. Academic
courses taken from a regionally accredited college or university or a school in
candidacy for CSWE status, related to the licensee's social work practice, may
be submitted for review and consideration for approval to the SWCEC. These
course materials must be submitted prior to taking the course or immediately
after enrollment. If approved, documentation of successful completion of the
course must be submitted for final approval. One graduate academic semester
hour successfully completed (a grade of "B" or better) shall be equivalent to
five (5) continuing education hours.
2. Social Work academic courses taken from a
CSWE accredited school of social work at a level beyond the licensee's current
academic status are acceptable for continuing education. These courses do not
need to be submitted to the SWCEC for prior approval. One graduate academic
semester hour successfully completed (a grade of "B" or better) shall be
equivalent to five (5) continuing education hours.
3. Instructors teaching a class at a CSWE
accredited school of social work may submit documentation to be calculated at
ten (10) hours per hour of class credit. This approval will only be honored for
classes taught the first time.
4.
Continuing Education programs provided by organizations listed in Part 1902,
Chapter 4, Rule 4.1, B (2) shall be considered an acceptable mode of acquiring
continuing education hours.
5.
Approved workshops, institutes, conferences, or other continuing education
programs sponsored by official national, regional, state social work or social
welfare related organizations shall be considered an acceptable mode of
acquiring continuing education hours. Note: Provider organizations are
responsible for obtaining approval for credit PRIOR TO conducting the activity.
(See Part 1902, Chapter 4, Rule 4.1, F)
6. Staff Development: Approved public or
private agency staff development programs that contribute to the enhancement of
social work practice, skills, or knowledge and are not primarily procedural or
administrative, shall be considered an acceptable format for acquiring
continuing education credits. (See information about prior approval, Part 1902,
Chapter 4, Rule 4.1, F)
7.
Individual Activities: Activities, including workshops and presentations,
planned by an individual must be approved by SWCEC in advance. No more than
twenty (20) approved continuing education hours of this type will be accepted
in a given licensure renewal period.
a.
Publication of a Professional Social Work Paper: The initial publication shall
be acceptable for twenty (20) continuing education hours. Presentation of a
professional social work paper for the first time at an approved professional
conference shall be acceptable for five (5) continuing education hours or twice
the approved continuing education hours for the session, provided the written
paper is submitted with the request. The published paper must be submitted to
the SWCEC within six (6) months of publication accompanied by copy of the
publication medium (journal, book, professional magazine) and a completed CE
application form.
b. Presenter:
Participation as the sole presenter, leader, or teacher of an approved workshop
or conference shall be acceptable for three times the approved continuing
education hours for the session.
c.
Panelist: Participation as a panel member for an approved workshop or
conference shall be acceptable for two times the approved continuing education
hours for the session.
d.
Facilitator: Facilitating, moderating, or presiding over an approved workshop
or conference shall be acceptable for the approved continuing education hours
for the session.
e. Self-Directed
Learning Projects and/or Distance Learning/Internet (Online) Learning Courses:
Continuing education hours for distance learning/internet learning courses will
only be granted for courses offered by Designated Providers, Board-exempt
providers or by prior approval by the SWCEC on a per case basis. The SWCEC will
grant continuing education hours only after completion of the course and proof
of successful completion of post-test, course examination, and/or evaluation
from the online course provider.
Self-directed learning projects are projects intended to
increase knowledge and shall be documented by means of a paper, annotated
bibliography, etc. Projects intended to increase skill development shall be
documented by means of audio or audiovisual tapes. Self-directed learning
projects may be granted provided the project is completed and approved PRIOR TO
the current license expiration date. Projects not completed and approved by the
license expiration date can be considered for the licensee's next renewal
period. Self-directed learning project proposals should be submitted nine (9)
months prior to the expiration date of licensure to allow sufficient time for
review, project completion and approval. Reading a book, preparing a paper in a
graduate course, case, or consultation shall not meet the requirements for this
activity. No more than twenty (20) continuing education hours may be accrued
per renewal period as a result of self-directed learning projects.
8. Instructors of Field
Education who have student interns may receivefive (5) hours of Continuing
Education per student with a maximum of four students per renewal period for
field instructors (maximum of twenty (20) CE hours per renewal period). Field
instructors must receive CE verification certificates from CSWE School of
Social Work, whether inside or outside the State of Mississippi.
Board Approved LCSW Supervisors may receive up to five (5)
hours of Continuing Education for twelve (12) months of supervision per
supervisee per renewal period for serving in that capacity (maximum of twenty
(20) CE hours per renewal period). The SWDSC will send this verification to the
supervisor upon request using the BALCSWS CE Form.
LMSWs in supervision for LCSW status may receive up to five
(5) hours of continuing education for twelve (12) months of supervision each
renewal period for participation in the supervision process. The SWDSC will
send this verification to the supervisee upon request using the BALCSWS CE
Form.
E. Approval
Procedures for Continuing Education
Application for prior approval of workshops, staff
development, individual activity, self-directed learning projects, or other
categories requiring prior approval must be made, in writing, to the Board. The
SWCEC must review all continuing education activities for approval, except for
those of the designated providers, or those approved or sponsored as indicated
in section B above.) All applications for review should be received by the
Board Office sixty (60) calendar days prior to the date the event will be
held.
Mississippi BOE for Social Workers & Marriage and
Family Therapists Social Work Discipline Specific Committee
(SWDSC)
Continuing Education Sub-Committee
P.O. Box 4508
Jackson, MS 39296-4508
601-987-6806
www.swmft.ms.gov
Licensees should contact SWCEC for specifics about
applications submitted for approval.
Note: Retroactive Approvals will not be considered by SWCEC
after any provider offering.
F. Reporting Procedures for Continuing
Education
Provider Responsibility: It is the
responsibility of each provider of continuing education to:
1) verify attendance of attendees at all
conference sessions when credit is being requested,
2) provide the Board or the Board's designee
with a verified list of participants, and
3) provide the attendee with a written
statement, verification, or certificate of attendance at the conclusion of an
offering.
The attendee's verification must include the following
information:
a. Name of
attendee
b. Name of
offering
c. Date of
offering
d. Provider's
name
e. Location of
offering
f. Signature of
organizer/sponsor or designee
g.
Amount of approved continuing education hours awarded
Licensee Responsibility: It is the
sole responsibility of the licensee to:
1) obtain verification of attendance
documenting continuing education offerings;
2) provide proof of participation in approved
continuing education offerings to the Board;
3) provide attestation of having completed
continuing education; and
4)
maintain for four (4) years their own records and official verification of the
continuing education files for the licensees. Failure to substantiate the
number of approved credits submitted or to submit documentation for a
sufficient number of approved continuing education credits will result in a
license not being renewed.
G. Random Audit of Continuing Education
Documents
1. The Board may annually audit or
cause to be audited a minimum of ten percent (10%) of the continuing education
reports accompanying the renewal applications. Licensees whose reports are
audited will be required to provide a copy of the official documentation of
their continuing education activities. If a licensee fails to provide the Board
in a timely manner (not to exceed thirty (30) calendar days from the date of
the notice informing the licensee) with official documentation of the total
hours listed on their renewal application, the license will be subject to
suspension following written notification from the Board and will remain
suspended pending further Board action.
2. If, during the audit, the Board finds
unacceptable any of the documented continuing education hours and the licensee
does not have sufficient acceptable hours remaining for that renewal period,
the Board, at its discretion, may renew the license under the conditions that
the continuing education hours will be obtained within six (6) months of the
notice of deficiency. Continuing education hours acquired to meet the
deficiency may not be applied to any other renewal period. If the licensee does
not rectify the deficiency within that six (6) month period, the licensee will
be subject to disciplinary action.
H. Re-evaluation of Continuing Education
A licensee, who feels that evidence of continuing education
was appraised incorrectly by the Board, may make a written request for
re-evaluation to the Board within thirty (30) calendar days of the Board's
finding. Verbal requests will not be honored.
I. Waiver of Continuing Education
Requirements and Request for Extension of Time to Complete Continuing Education
Requirements
1. The Board may waive continuing
education requirements to a licensee who was not engaged in the practice of
social work during a given continuing education renewal period on an individual
basis for reasons of hardship, such as severe illness, disability, military
service or other good cause. Any waiver will be granted solely in the
discretion of the Board.
2. The
Board may extend the time within which to fulfill continuing education
requirements to a licensee during a given continuing education renewal period
on an individual basis for reasons of hardship, such as severe illness,
disability, military service or other good cause. Any waiver or extension of
time will be granted solely in the discretion of the Board.
3. A licensee must submit a written request
for a waiver of, or extension of time within which to fulfill, continuing
education requirements. The request must be made in writing, under penalty of
perjury, and must set forth with specificity the reasons for requesting the
waiver or extension and, in the case of the waiver request, the portion of the
renewal period during which the licensee was not engaged in the practice of
social work. The licensee shall submit to the Board all documentation in
support of the request for waiver or extension and such additional information
or documentation as the Board may request in support of the waiver or
extension.
4. Waivers of the
minimum continuing education requirements may be granted for up to one-half of
the forty (40) hours of continuing education required for any two (2) year
(biennial) renewal period. Extensions of time may be granted by the Board for a
period not to exceed one (1) calendar year. The grant of an extension by the
Board will result in the renewal of a license based on the condition that the
licensee completes the continuing education requirement by the deadline
established by the Board.
5. A
waiver of continuing education requirements granted pursuant to this section
shall be effective only for the biennial period in which such waiver is
granted. If the condition(s) which necessitated the waiver continues into the
next biennial period, a licensee who seeks another waiver must apply to the
Board for a renewal of such waiver for the new biennial period.
6. If an extension of time is granted, the
license will be placed on active status but the license shall be automatically
changed to inactive status at the end of the extension period unless the
licensee satisfies the continuing education requirement prior to that time.
When the license is placed on inactive status, the licensee shall cease all
activity requiring a license.
7. A
licensee shall apply for a waiver or extension of continuing education
requirements no later than thirty (30) calendar days prior to the end of the
biennial licensing period for which the waiver or extension is requested. All
requests shall be sent to the office of the Board, by certified mail, return
receipt requested.
8. An extension
of time shall not be granted to any licensee who obtained an extension in the
immediately preceding renewal or reporting period in which the licensee held an
active license, except in the case of a licensee who is unable to complete the
requirements due to military service commitment pursuant to a combat or
national emergency assignment.
9.
The Board may, as a condition of any extension or waiver granted, require the
licensee to make up a portion of the continuing education requirement in the
manner determined by the Board.
Miss. Code
Ann. §
73-53-11(1)(c), (k), (m),
(n).
