NASW-FL - Supporting Professional Social Work

Licensure

In the State of Florida, there is currently one form of licensure for social workers. This is called the LCSW, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker. The requirements include a Master's degree in social work with specified coursework, two years of supervision after graduation, an 8-hour Florida Laws and Rules course, and successful completion of the Clinical national exam from the Association of Social Work Boards. Recent graduates of social work programs who plan to pursue licensure in Florida should become Registered Interns with the State of Florida while obtaining supervision. Florida does not offer reciprocity for those licensed in other states. However, social workers interested in obtaining Florida licensure may apply for Licensure by Endorsement or Examination. These applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if the requirements for Florida license have been met. A social worker in the state temporarily or in the process of obtaining Licensure by Endorsement may practice in the state of Florida by applying for a provisional license. Applications for Registered Interns, Licensure by Endorsement, and Provisional Licensure may be obtained by contacting the Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling by calling (850) 245-4474 or visiting their website, listed below.

If you are interested in information regarding intial licensure, please visit the following links:

If you are currently licensed, use these links for additional information on continuing education requirements and upcoming events:

This is an eight hour skill-building training workshop designed to assist you in preparing for the exam required for Florida Licensure. Identifies content areas likely to be covered on the exam, informs you regarding the structure, scope, and characteristics of the exam, and increases self-confidence. Practice tests will be administered to prepare you for the exam.

Presenters: Ann Sheila Cook, ACSW, LCSW and Brenda H. Schimmel, ACSW, LCSW, BCD have been teaching the Licensure Prep Course for the last eight years for NASW-FL.

This eight-hour course is required by the State of Florida for all psychotherapists licensed by the Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Mental Health Counseling. This workshop will explore the Florida Statutes pertaining to the licensure, practice, and specific issues of psychotherapy.

Q: How many continuing education credits must I receive?
A: The Florida Licensure Board requires 30 hours of continuing education credits for each biennial renewal. 6 hours of this may be administrative hours.

Q: What are the required courses I must take for the current renewal period?
A: The required courses for the biennium ending March 31, 2011 are 3 hours of Ethics and Boundary Issues, 2 hours of Prevention of Medical Errors, and 2 hours of Domestic Violence (see note below regarding Domestic Violence requirement for THIS biennium).

**As of July 1, 2006, you are not required to obtain one hour of domestic violence for CE renewal. Instead, you will be required to complete two hours of domestic violence every third biennium. Chapter 491 licensees will not be required to have the two hours of domestic violence until the biennium ending March 31, 2011. The course must be taken during that biennium, meaning that it must be taken between the dates of April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2011.

Q: Can I take all of my continuing education credits in one year or do they have to be split evenly throughout the renewal period?
A: There are no requirements regarding the timing of your credits, as long as they are within the renewal period. If you prefer, you can receive all of your continuing education credits at one event (such as the NASW-FL conference!).

Q: Can continuing education credits transfer from one renewal period to the next?
A: No. Credits can only be counted for the period in which they are taken. Watch your license renewal date closely to determine when the next period will begin.

Q: What is the limit on the amount of courses that can be taken through homestudy and/or online courses?
A: There is no restriction. You may take all 30 hours through homestudy or online courses if you prefer. However, be sure that each of your courses is approved for Florida licensure.

Q: How can I tell if a course qualifies for my license?
A: If a continuing education provider is approved through the Florida licensure board, they are required to include their provider number in any advertisements or course brochures. It should look like BAP-###, Exp. 03/11.

Q: What about courses that are out of state?
A: Certain providers, such as NASW, are recognized by the Florida licensure board as continuing education providers in all states. These include most of the large mental health associations. These courses are still be acceptable under online tracking, but you will need to enter the course information yourself. Go to www.CEBroker.com to create an account and enter your own credit for out of state approved providers ONLY. Be sure to keep track of all workshop descriptions, learning objectives, presenter bios, and completion certificates to help in getting this course approved. This also applies to homestudy and online courses from out of state providers.

Q: Am I exempt from obtaining continuing education hours for my first renewal?
A: Yes. You are exempt from continuing education requirements from the time of initial licensure to the end of the current biennium of your license. You will begin accruing your continuing education hours after the first expiration date of your license.

Q: Do copies of my continuing education certificates need to be sent to the Board office?
A: No, certificates are for your records and would only be used to help settle any disputes with the Board. However, applicants for licensure taking the Laws and Rules course must submit the original certificate to the Board. Also, licensees wishing to become Qualified Supervisors must submit the original certificate of the 16-hour Clinical Supervision training.

Q: How does the Board receive proof of continuing education?
A: Every continuing education provider submits the name and license number of every workshop participant to the online tracking system, CE Broker. Every licensee will be required to have completed all 30 hours, including all required courses, or their licenses will be ineligible for renewal.

Q: How do I monitor if my credits are entered correctly into CE Broker?
A: You will be able to access your records online. Currently, this is through a free subscription through CE Broker. Go to their website at www.cebroker.com for information on setting up an account. Additionally, records for any courses that are taken through NASW-FL will be available in full from NASW-FL.

Q: What providers are nationally approved for CE Credit under 491?
A: Under 64B4 - 6.002, the 491 rules permit the following 16 national organizations and associations to be approved continuing education providers for all 491 licensees. These groups are:

1. National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC)
2. American Association of Sex Educators Counselors and Therapists (AASECT)
3. American Association of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH)
4. National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
5. American Psychological Association (APA)
6. Clinical Social Work Federation (CSWF)
7. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
8. American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP)
9. American Psychiatric Association
10. International Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Counselors (IAMFC)
11. American Association of State Counseling Boards (AASCB)
12. American Counseling Association (ACA)
13. American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA)
14. American Society of Clinical Social Work
15. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and
16. Association of Marital and Family Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB)

NASW-FL now offers online courses through a partnership with the Distance Learning Center. Also included are the required courses to become a Certified Addiction Professional. NASW members may take advantage of a 5% discount off normal course fees by entering 'NASWFL' in the Promotional Code section of the order form. Follow the link below to view the online course offerings.