Utah Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing

Do I need to take the ASWB (Clinical, Masters, Intermediate, Advanced, Bachelor) exam before I apply for license?

Yes. You must complete all licensure requirements before you submit your application.

Must I apply for a license and be pre-approved by DOPL to take an ASWB examination before registering for the ASWB exam?

No, at least not yet. If taking the ASWB exam before July 1, 2010, registering and taking the exam does not require that your first apply for a state license and you do not need pre-approval by DOPL; however, you must have been formally awarded a degree before you take the examination.
If taking the ASWB exam on or after July 1, 2010, you must submit an application for state licensure before you register for the exam. Beginning July 2010, you will be able to register and take the exam during your final semester of school. You can do this if you or your school submits a letter from the director of your program that verifies that you are on track to graduate at the end of the semester.

How do I register for the ASWB Exam?

Call (888) 579-3926 or online at www.aswb.org. You can obtain a study guide by calling (800) 225-6880.

How long is a passing score on any of the ASWB exams good for?

A passing score on the ASWB clinical exam never expires. For purposes of licensing, a passing score earned several years ago is equivalent to a recent passing score.

Questions from applications for the Social Service Worker (SSW) license

Who can verify completion of the 2,000 hours of supervised social work activity and where must the experience be completed?

Utah law requires that the 2,000 hours of supervised social work activity be verified by a licensed Certified Social Worker (CSW) or a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). The experience must be completed while an individual is employed by an agency providing social work services and activities. See Utah Admin. Code R156-60a-302b. Beginning May 11, 2010, any mental health therapist will be able to verify completion of the supervised experience needed to obtain the SSW license.

What college education must an individual have in order to satisfy the SSW education requirement?

Under Utah Code 58-60-205 (4), acceptable degrees fall into three categories of education that meet the education requirement. Here is a list of the three categories along with the requirements associated with each category:

a bachelors degree in a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education;
a masters degree in social work, psychology, marriage and family therapy, or professional counseling;
a bachelors degree in any field if the applicant has completed three semester credit hours of coursework in each of the following areas:

social welfare policy;
human growth and development; and
social work practice methods.

What has the Division and Board accepted in the past as coursework that meets the social work practice methods requirement?

To satisfy the approved social work practice methods course requirement, a course must be taken at an accredited college or university. The course content should include the following: (1) introduction of students to knowledge, values and skills for generalist social work practice; (2) emphasis on social work in the micro, mezzo, and macro levels; focus on the planned change process and social work roles at various levels; and (3) emphasis on social work values, ethics, resolution of ethics dilemmas, and program evaluation. Internal agency or continuing education courses do not satisfy this requirement. Several applicants have met the requirement by completing "SW 578: Social Work Practice Methods Course" at the University of Utah.

Questions from applications for the Certified Social Worker Intern (CSWI) license

What is the difference between the CSWI and CSW licenses?

Individuals with a MSW degree from a CSWE accredited program who have not passed the ASWB masters or clinical exam may qualify for a CSWI license. The scopes of practice for a CSWI and a CSW are the same.

For how long can a CSWI hold a CSWI license?

A CSWI license can be held for a maximum of 6 months and the license cannot be extended.

Questions from MSW students and applicants for the Certified Social Worker (CSW) license

Must I apply for a CSW license immediately after I graduate in order for my degree to satisfy the education requirement?

No. You may choose to postpone submitting an application for as long as you want, as long as do not practice mental health therapy during that period. If you graduated with a MSW from a CSWE accredited program, your degree will always meet the education requirement.

A CSW must complete a total of 4,000 hours of supervised clinical social work training, 1,000 hours of which must supervised training in mental health therapy. What is the difference between the 1,000 hours of supervised training in mental health therapy and the other 3,000 hours of clinical social work training?

The 1,000 hours of supervised training in mental health therapy only includes time spent in clinical sessions with individuals, couples, or groups doing actual mental health therapy as defined in Utah Code 58-60-102 (7). Activities outside of actual client sessions all fall under the remaining 3,000 hours of clinical social work training. These include activities such as discussing clients or therapy-related issues with the LCSW supervisor or agency staff, researching treatment strategies for clients, reviewing case notes, preparing for sessions, writing up case notes after sessions, miscellaneous case management, attending conferences or training as an employee, staff and/or team meetings, and researching issues or assisting a supervisor in completing tasks related to the practice of social work.

Who can supervise a CSW during the 4,000 hours of supervised training needed to obtain the LCSW license?

Utah law requires that a CSW work under the supervision of a LCSW who has been licensed for at least two years as a LCSW (See R156-60a-302e). A CSW cannot perform mental health therapy if completing clinical training under the supervision of a psychologist, professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, physician, or anyone other than a qualified LCSW.

Where can a CSW work while gathering the 4,000 hours of experience needed to obtain the LCSW license?

Utah law requires that a CSW be employed by a public or private mental health agency engaged in the practice of mental health therapy as defined in Utah Code 58-60-102 (7). A CSW cannot gather any of the 4,000 hours of training as an employee of a facility that does not provide mental health therapy as a service to actual patients. Furthermore, a CSW cannot engage in their own private practice even if they hire their own supervisor.

How long does a CSW have to complete the 4,000 hours of supervised training needed to obtain the LCSW license?

A CSW cannot complete the 4,000 hours of training in less than 2 years, but a CSW can take as long as needed to complete the training. A CSW can maintain their CSW license indefinitely without seeking a LCSW license as long as they renew their license; however, a CSW must always remain supervised by a LCSW

Can a CSW practice mental health therapy when hired by a facility as a 1099 contract employee?

No. The Mental Health Professional Practice Act Rule, R156-60-102 (3) defines employee as "an individual who is working or providing services for compensation paid in the form of wages or salary from which there is withheld or should be withheld income taxes or social security taxes under applicable law; or who meets any other definition of an employee established by the Labor Commission of the State of Utah or the Internal Revenue Service of the United States Government." Because taxes are not withheld from salaries earned by a1099 employee, a 1099 employee would not meet the definition of "employee" under the Mental Health Professional Practice Act Rule.

Under the Mental Health Professional Practice Act, how do the scopes of practice of a CSW and an LCSW differ?

Utah Code Annotated 58-60-202 provides that a CSW must be supervised in their practice of mental health therapy. Under the Mental Health Professional Practice Act, the requirement to be supervised is the only difference in the scopes of practice of the CSW and LCSW license.

Are CSWs required complete continuing education?

No. Utah law requires that LCSWs complete continuing education, but CSWs are not required to continuing education.

How often must a CSW renew their license?

CSWs, LCSWs, and SSWs are all required to renew their licenses every two years. The renewal period begins on October 1 of every even numbered year and ends on September 31 of every even numbered year.

What are the duties and responsibilities of a LCSW when supervising a CSW?

Utah Admin. Code R156-60a outlines the duties and responsibilities of a LCSW when supervising a CSW.

Questions from applicants for the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license

I am currently licensed as a Certified Social Worker (CSW) in Utah. Am I required to submit my transcripts when I apply for my Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license?

No. We received a CSW's school transcripts when they applied for a CSW license. School transcripts do not need to be submitted a second time.

Questions from LCSWs

How many hours of continuing education (CE) must a LCSW complete in order to qualify for renewal of their license?

LCSWs must complete at least 40 hours of continuing education during every two year license renewal period.

How do I know if a particular continuing education course meets the requirements for LCSW continuing education in Utah?

Utah Admin. Code R156-60a-304 outlines the standards for acceptable LCSW CE courses. The standards include the following: a course must be relevant to the LCSW professional practice, be prepared and taught by qualified individuals, and have a method of verifying attendance. A course must also be approved or under the sponsorship of one of the following:

the National Association of Social Workers;

a community health agency providing mental health services under the auspices of the State of Utah

a recognized university or college,

a professional association, society, or organization representing a licensed a profession whose program objectives relate to the practice of social work; or

the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing.

How many hours of CE can be completed in internet or home study courses?

Pursuant to Utah Admin. Code R156-60a-304 (4)(c), a maximum of 15 hours of the total number of 40 CE hours required per two year period can be completed in internet or home study courses.

How many hours of CE can be completed for teaching CE course relevant to the practice of social work?

Pursuant to Utah Admin. Code R156-60a-304 (4)(b), a maximum of 10 hours of the total number of 40 CE hours required per two year period can be completed in teaching continuing education.

How long must a LCSW maintain records verifying completion of continuing education?

Utah Admin. Code R156-60a-304 (5) requires that a LCSW maintain the records verifying completion of continuing education for at least four years after the close of two year license renewal period to which the records pertain.

What circumstances justify the waiving of a LCSW's requirement to complete continuing education?

Under Utah Admin. Code R156-60a-304 (6), it is possible for a LCSW to request that the continuing education requirement be waived if they are engaged in full-time activities that prevent them from meeting the requirement; however, the requirement cannot be waived for a period of more than three years. A LCSW's request to be excused from the requirement must be submitted in writing to the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing prior to the license renewal deadline

If a LCSW completes over the required 40 hours of CE during a particular two year license renewal period, how many of those hours can be carried over to the next renewal period?

Up to 10 hours of CE can be carried over from one two year license renewal cycle to the next one; however, no CE completed prior to a license being granted may be carried forward to apply towards the CE requirement after the license is granted.