Wyo. Code R. 078-0001-5
Effective Date: 02/23/2000 to 09/29/2010
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 078.0001.5.02232000
Section 1. General Requirements. Unless extended, qualified persons shall have six (6) months from the date of employment to become certified. The Board may, for good cause shown, grant an extension of this grace period.
(a) Certification shall not be issued until the applicant has provided satisfactory evidence to the Board that they;
(i) are of majority age; and
(ii) have no felony convictions, and no misdemeanor convictions involving moral turpitude, although exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Board if consistent with the public interest; and
(iii) meet the educational, professional and examination requirements established in these rules; and
(A) documents completion of these requirements within one (1) year of the date the application was received by the Board, otherwise the application will be denied and the file will be closed.
(B) The Board may reconsider a closed application by written request of the applicant based upon a showing of good cause.
(a) Certified Social Worker. The educational requirement for certification as a social worker must be met through the completion of a baccalaureate degree program in social work from an accredited program and institution of higher education.
(b) Certified Addictions Practitioner. The educational requirement for certification as an addictions practitioner may be met by the completion of a baccalaureate degree program in a mental health discipline with concentration in addictionology, chemical dependency, or substance abuse from an accredited program and institution of higher education. Applicants shall generally be accepted with the listed twenty one (21) semester hours of course work (either graduate or undergraduate) including:
(i) Counseling Theories-3 Cr. Theories and principles of counseling and psychotherapy.
(ii) Counseling Skills-3 Cr. Methods and techniques of individual and group counseling.
(iii) Practicum in Addictions/Chemical Dependency Counseling-3 Cr.
(iv) Counseling Ethics-2 Cr.
(v) Alcoholism: To include biochemical, socio-cultural, and psychological factors.
(vi) Drugs and Behavior: A survey of drugs with abuse potential in addition to alcohol that affect behavior including psychopharmacological information.
(vii) Addictions and Special Populations: (i.e., adolescents, women, ethnic groups, elderly, adult children of alcoholics, the impaired family, impaired professional, athletes, criminals, etc.).
(viii) Addictive Behaviors: Gambling, eating disorders, sexual addictions, cults, compulsive behaviors of non-ingestive nature, etc.
(ix) Addictions Assessment: Appraisal, assessment, testing, diagnosis/dual diagnosis.
(c) Four (4) quarter credits equals three (3) semester credits.
(d) Official college transcripts and course descriptions will be necessary to validate credit. Credit for training may be awarded for training certified by NAADAC, NBCC, AAMFT, CAMFTE or CSWE or their state affiliates.
Section 3. Supervision. Certification shall not be issued, nor practice permitted, until the applicant provides documentation of an appropriate designated clinical supervisor.
(a) Certificates may only provide services under the ongoing, direct administrative supervision by their employer.
(b) Individual face-to-face clinical supervision by a designated clinical supervisor must be provided monthly at a ratio of at least one (1) hour for every 20 hours of direct clinical provision of services defined in this act. Group supervision is acceptable for additional hours of clinical supervision.
(c) In the event of a change of the designated clinical supervisor, the Certificate must notify the Board in writing. The Certificate may not provide services until documentation of an appropriate designated clinical supervisor has been provided to the Board.
Section 4. Designated Clinical Supervisor. The designated clinical supervisor assumes ethical responsibility and may be sanctioned by the Board for all acts and omissions of the Certificate within the scope of the supervision.
(a) In the event of employment termination of the Certificate, the designated clinical supervisor must notify the Board in writing. The Certificate may not provide services until they have secured employment and provided documentation of an appropriate designated clinical supervisor to the Board.
(b) The Board may require an evaluation of the qualifications and roles of any designated clinical supervisor and may approve or disapprove supervision at its discretion.
(c) The designated clinical supervisor shall allow the Certificate to perform independently only those functions for which the Certificate has training and experience.
(d) The designated clinical supervisor shall co-sign all reports and correspondence of a professional nature, excluding disciplinary correspondence with the Board.
Section 5. Professional Recommendations. Applicants should demonstrate their integrity, professionalism and character in the profession in which certification is sought through professional recommendations which attest to the applicants' abilities and professional performance.
Section 6. Examination. General examination requirements as established in Chapter 3, Section 5(a) apply herein.
(a) For certification as a social worker, the Board will accept a passing score on the American Association of State Social Work Boards (AASSWB) basic or intermediate level examination, or other examinations as may be approved by the Board.
(b) For certification as an addictions practitioner, the Board will accept a passing score on the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), NCAC Level II exam, or other examinations as may be approved by the Board.
Section 7. Persons Certified in Other Jurisdictions. Persons holding a current certification in good standing as a social worker or addictions practitioner issued by another jurisdiction may be issued a certification by the Board provided the applicant presents proof satisfactory to the Board that, at the time of application for Wyoming certification the applicant possesses credentials and qualifications equal to those required by the Act and these rules. Those credentials and qualifications which shall be considered are those as set forth in Chapter 5.
Section 8. Re-certification. A Certificate who has allowed their certification to lapse may apply for re-certification within five (5) years of the certification expiration date without being required to take the examination; however, applicants will be required to meet all other current certification standards in place at the time of application and provide verification of forty-five (45) hours of continuing education activities completed for each two (2) year period, or portion thereof, that the certification was lapsed. Certified Mental Health Workers are not eligible for re-certification.
(a) The terms 'Certified Social Worker', 'Social Worker', 'Certified Addictions Practitioner', or 'Certified Mental Health Worker' may be used only after the applicant is granted certification by the Board, and only in conjunction with activities and services that are part of the supervised employment.
(b) In the required professional disclosure statement, the Certificate shall also provide full disclosure to every client, of the supervised nature of their work, which shall include the name, address and telephone number of their designated clinical supervisor.
(c) The supervisory relationship must be indicated, and the designated clinical supervisor's name, address and telephone number must appear on all documents relating to advertisement by the Certificate.
(d) The Certificate shall adhere to the applicable code of ethics and standards of practice for their discipline.