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
initial licensure, please visit the following links:
If you are currently licensed, use these links
for additional information on continuing education requirements
and upcoming events:
Related Florida Licensure
Courses
Clinical Social Work Licensure Exam
Review "Prep" Course
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.
To view upcoming dates, please
view our Events calendar.
Clinical Exam Review
Course
This training is designed to
help attendees understand the structure, scope, and characteristics
of the clinical exam, identify and explore the critical content
areas that commonly appear on the clinical exam, focus on the
core social work practice principles that will illuminate correct
choices, examine your personal learning style and develop a strategy
for successful exam preparation, and review techniques and tips
that insure peak performance during the actual testing experience.
Presenter: Susan Mankita, LCSW
To view upcoming dates, please
view our Events calendar.
Retake LCSW Preparatory
Course
This one-day workshop is specifically
designed for those who have previously taken the licensure exam
and experienced difficulty obtaining a passing score. Participants
will be given test-taking tips and strategies for alleviating
testing anxiety through the use of statewide statistics on the
pass/fail rate for the ASWB Clinical Exam, discussion of test
experiences, discussion of reason/obstacles for not obtaining
a passing score, testing strategies, and sample exam questions.
Presenters: Florence Bayot,
LCSW & Gilbert Acevedo, LCSW
To view upcoming dates, please
view our Events calendar.
Florida Laws and Rules
Course
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.
Presenters: Karen Keroack, LCSW
and Chris Houston, LCSW, CAP
To view upcoming dates, please
view our Events calendar.
FAQs
- Continuing Education Requirements
Current Biennium Ends 3/31/13
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, 2013
are 3 hours of Ethics and Boundary Issues, 2 hours of Prevention
of Medical Errors. Additional, licensees are required to take
Domestic Violence every 6 years, or 3rd biennium.
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. 03/13.
Q: What about courses
that are out of state?
A: Certain providers, such as NASW (National), 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 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)
Online Courses
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.

Page last updated on
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
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