Mental Health Professions Board

Mental Health Professions Licensing Board

Effective Date: 12/17/2021 to Current

Rule Type: Current Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 078.0001.6.12172021

Certified Social Worker

Section 1. The Practice of a Certified Social Worker.

(a) A Certified Social Worker may perform the duties listed in Wyoming Statute § 33-38-102(a)(xi) under the clinical supervision of a DQCS licensed in the state of Wyoming and the administrative supervision of a supervisor.

(b) As used in Wyoming Statute § 33-38-102(a)(xi), 'social work treatment' means the application of social work theory, knowledge, methods, ethics, and the professional use of self to restore or enhance social, psychosocial, or biopsychosocial functioning of individuals, couples, families, groups, organizations, and communities, but does not include psychotherapy or diagnosis.

(c) Certified social workers may not serve as DQCS.

(d) The practice of a certified social worker may be either:

(i) face-to-face, involving the synchronous interaction between an individual or groups of individuals using what is seen and heard in person to communicate, or

(ii) via methods of electronic delivery that involves the use of electronic or other means (e.g. telephone, computers, etc.) to provide the service.

(A) When delivering services electronically, the certified social worker must comply with all professional ethical standards and all other requirements in these rules;

(B) The certified social worker must take special care to ensure the confidentiality and security of the provision of services; and

(C) The certified social worker shall provide only those services that are legal within the state in which the person receiving the services lives.

Section 2. General Requirements for Certification.

Applicants shall have six (6) months from the date of employment to complete all of the requirements for certification. If the applicant fails to complete the requirements in that six (6) month time frame, the applicant shall immediately stop working as a Certified Social Worker. Providing the services regulated by this Act prior to submitting an application to the Board may result in the denial of the application. The Board may, for good cause shown, grant an extension of this grace period. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the Board receives all documentation necessary to prove to the Board's satisfaction that the applicant meets all the requirements for certification herein. The applicant shall provide satisfactory evidence to the Board that they:

(a) are of majority age;

(b) have no felony convictions, and no misdemeanor convictions that relate adversely to the practice of social work or to the ability to practice clinical social work, although exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Board if consistent with the public interest;

(c) are legal inhabitants of the United States; and

(d) satisfy the requirements established in these rules.

Section 3. Education Requirement for Certification. All educational requirements for certification shall be met through the completion of a Council on Social Work Education accredited baccalaureate degree program in social work.

Section 4. Examination Requirement for Certification.

(a) The Board shall accept a passing score as established by the examination provider on one of the following examinations:

(i) The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination at the Bachelor’s Level; or

(ii) Other examination as may be approved by the Board.

(b) Applicants are allowed only three (3) attempts to pass the exam requirement. The Board may allow an applicant to make one (1) more attempt to pass the exam requirement upon approval of a remediation plan submitted by the applicant.

(c) The examination shall have been passed within the immediate five (5) years prior to submission of the application or after receiving board approval to sit for the examination. This requirement does not apply to those applying under Section 5 of this chapter.

Section 5. Certification by Reciprocity.

(a) An individual who holds a baccalaureate degree in social work, has passed the examination as required in Section 4 of this Chapter and holds a certification that is free from discipline and in good standing to engage in the practice of social work under the laws of another state may, upon approval of the Board, be issued a certification as a Social Worker in this state. If the individual has held a certification to practice social work in more than one state, the individual shall be required to provide verification that all certifications held within the last five (5) years have not had any discipline against the certification.

(b) Certification by reciprocity does not permit a certified social worker to practice without both clinical supervision of a DQCS and administrative supervision.

Section 6. Standards of Conduct.

(a) The terms “Certified Social Worker” or “Social Worker” shall 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 Certified Social Worker 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 DQCS.

(c) The supervisory relationship shall be indicated, and the DQCS’s name, address and telephone number shall appear on all documents relating to advertisement by the Certified Social Worker.

(d) The Certified Social Worker shall comply with the National Association of Social Workers “Code of Ethics” incorporated into these rules in Chapter 15.