Mental Health Professions Board

Mental Health Professions Licensing Board

Effective Date: 09/29/2010 to 06/03/2015

Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 078.0001.6.09292010

CHAPTER 6

CERTIFIED SOCIAL WORKER

Section 1. The Practice of a Certified Social Worker. The practice of a Certified Social Worker is the application of social work theory and methods to the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of psychosocial dysfunction, disability or impairment, including emotional and mental disorders, under the supervision of a designated qualified clinical supervisor licensed in the state of Wyoming.

Section 2. General Requirements for Certification. Applicants shall have six (6) months from the date of employment to become certified. This grace period applies only to individuals who have submitted an application to the Board. 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:

1. (a) are of majority age; and
2. (b) 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
3. (c) are legal inhabitants of the United States, and
4. (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 CSWE accredited baccalaureate degree program in social work.

Section 4. Supervision Requirement for Certification. Clinical practice shall not be permitted, until documentation of a designated qualified clinical supervisor has been provided to, and approved by, the Board and only under the clinical supervision of an approved designated qualified clinical supervisor.

1. (a) Certified Social Workers may only provide services under the administrative supervision by their employer.
2. (b) Individual and/or triadic face-to-face clinical supervision by a designated qualified clinical supervisor shall be provided monthly at a ratio of at least one (1) hour for every twenty (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 qualified clinical supervisor, the Certified Social Worker shall notify the Board within ten (10) days in writing. The Certified Social Worker shall not provide services until documentation of a designated qualified clinical supervisor has been provided to, and approved by, the Board. A revised disclosure statement shall accompany any change in supervision.

Section 5. Designated Qualified Clinical Supervisor. The designated qualified clinical supervisor assumes professional and ethical responsibility and may be sanctioned by the Board for all acts and omissions of the Certified Social Worker within the scope of the supervision.

(a) The designated qualified clinical supervisor shall allow the Certified Social Worker to perform independently only those functions for which the Certified Social Worker has training and experience.

(b) The designated qualified clinical supervisor shall be identified on all reports and correspondence of a professional nature, excluding disciplinary correspondence with the Board.

Section 6. Professional Recommendation Requirement for Certification. Applicants shall demonstrate their integrity, professionalism and character in social work through three (3) professional recommendations which attest to the applicants' abilities and professional performance.

Section 7. Examination Requirement for Certification.

(a) Examinations shall be scheduled by the examination provider.

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

(c) The Board shall accept the passing score as established by the examination provider approved by the Board.

(d) The Board shall accept a passing score on the following examinations:

(i) The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) examination at the Bachelor's or Master's Level.

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

Section 8. Certification by Reciprocity. An individual holding a certification in good standing to engage in the practice of social work under the laws of another state having certification requirements substantially similar to those required by the Act and these rules may,

upon approval of the board, be issued a certification as an Social Worker in this state.

Section 9. 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 designated qualified clinical supervisor.

(c) The supervisory relationship shall be indicated, and the designated qualified clinical supervisor’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 adhere to the National Association of Social Workers, “Code of Ethics” incorporated as Appendix B.