(a) No person shall practice clinical social work unless such person has obtained a license pursuant to this section.

(b) An applicant for licensure as a master social worker shall: (1) Hold a master's degree from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or, if educated outside the United States or its territories, have completed an educational program deemed equivalent by the council; and (2) pass the masters level examination of the Association of Social Work Boards or any other examination prescribed by the commissioner.

(c) An applicant for licensure as a clinical social worker shall: (1) Hold a doctorate or master's degree from a social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or, if educated outside the United States or its territories, have completed an educational program deemed equivalent by the council; (2) have three thousand hours post-master's social work experience which shall include not less than one hundred hours of work under professional supervision by a licensed clinical or certified independent social worker, provided on and after October 1, 2011, such hours completed in this state shall be as a licensed master social worker; and (3) pass the clinical level examination of the Association of Social Work Boards or any other examination prescribed by the commissioner. On and after October 1, 1995, any person certified as an independent social worker prior to October 1, 1995, shall be deemed licensed as a clinical social worker pursuant to this section, except a person certified as an independent social worker on and after October 1, 1990, shall not be deemed licensed as a clinical social worker pursuant to this chapter unless such person has satisfied the requirements of subdivision (3) of this subsection.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, the commissioner may grant a license by endorsement to an applicant who presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the applicant (1) is licensed or certified as a master social worker or clinical social worker in good standing in another state or jurisdiction whose requirements for practicing in such capacity are substantially similar to or higher than those of this state, and (2) has successfully completed the master level examination of the Association of Social Work Boards, or its successor organization, or any other examination prescribed by the commissioner. No license shall be issued under this subsection to any applicant against whom professional disciplinary action is pending or who is the subject of an unresolved complaint.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c) of this section, the commissioner may grant a license by endorsement to an applicant who presents evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the applicant (1) is licensed or certified as a clinical social worker in good standing in another state or jurisdiction whose requirements for practicing in such capacity are substantially similar to or greater than those of this state, and (2) has successfully completed the clinical level examination of the Association of Social Work Boards, or its successor organization, or any other examination prescribed by the commissioner. No license shall be issued under this subsection to any applicant against whom professional disciplinary action is pending or who is the subject of an unresolved complaint.

(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, an applicant who is licensed or certified as a clinical social worker or its equivalent in another state, territory or commonwealth of the United States may substitute three years of licensed or certified work experience in the practice of clinical social work in lieu of the requirements of subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of this section, provided the commissioner finds that such experience is equal to or greater than the requirements of this state.

(P.A. 85-531, S. 2; P.A. 89-115, S. 1, 7; P.A. 94-91, S. 1; P.A. 95-116, S. 2; P.A. 04-221, S. 19; P.A. 10-38, S. 3; P.A. 14-231, S. 36.)

History: P.A. 89-115 required that applicants educated outside the United States or its territories have completed equivalent educational programs; P.A. 94-91 amended Subdiv. (3) to remove requirement regarding certification by the association; P.A. 95-116 changed certification to licensure, required a license to practice, required professional supervision to be by a licensed clinical or certified independent social worker, changed the required examination from advanced level to clinical level and deemed as licensed those certified before October 1, 1990, and those certified after that date if the Subdiv. (3) requirements are met; P.A. 04-221 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), added Subsec. (b) re licensure by endorsement, and made technical changes in Subsec. (a); P.A. 10-38 redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as Subsecs. (a) and (c), added new Subsec. (b) re qualifications for licensure as master social worker, amended redesignated Subsec. (c) to add “provided on and after October 1, 2011, such hours completed in this state shall be as a licensed master social worker” in Subdiv. (2) and make technical changes, redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (d) and amended same to authorize commissioner to grant a license as master social worker by endorsement to applicant licensed or certified as master or clinical social worker who otherwise satisfies specified requirements and added Subsec. (e) re commissioner's authority to grant a license as clinical social worker to applicant licensed or certified as clinical social worker who otherwise satisfies specified requirements; P.A. 14-231 amended Subsec. (e) by making a technical change and added Subsec. (f) re applicant licensed or certified in another state, territory or commonwealth may substitute work experience.