Section 19-302 - Qualifications of applicants. - Maryland Statutes

§ 19-302. Qualifications of applicants.
 

(a)  In general.- To obtain a license, an applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board that the applicant: 

(1) Has submitted a complete written application in the form prescribed by the Board; 

(2) Is at least 18 years old; 

(3) Is of good moral character; 

(4) Except as otherwise provided in this title, has successfully passed an examination or examinations prescribed by the Board pertinent to the license sought; and 

(5) Has paid all applicable fees specified by the Board relative to the licensure process. 

(b)  Social work associate license.- To obtain a social work associate license, an applicant shall: 

(1) Meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this section; and 

(2) Have received a baccalaureate degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or an equivalent organization approved by the Council on Social Work Education. 

(c)  Graduate social worker license.-  

(1) To obtain a graduate social worker license, an applicant shall: 

(i) Meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this section; and 

(ii) Have received a master's degree from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or an equivalent organization approved by the Council on Social Work Education. 

(2) (i) To obtain a provisional graduate social worker license, an applicant shall: 

1. Meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this section; and 

2. Have received a master's degree from a program which had received formal candidacy status from the Council on Social Work Education or an equivalent organization approved by the Council on Social Work Education at the time the degree was awarded. 

(ii) A provisional graduate social work license shall be issued for the lesser of a period: 

1. Not to exceed 3 years; or 

2. Until the program has attained accredited status from the Council on Social Work Education or an equivalent organization approved by the Council on Social Work Education. 

(iii) Provisional licensees whose degree programs become accredited during the license period shall be permitted to apply for a license as a graduate social worker upon accreditation being granted to the program. 

(d)  Certified social worker license.- Except as provided in § 19-302.1 of this subtitle, to obtain a certified social worker license, an applicant shall: 

(1) Meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this section; 

(2) Have received a master's degree from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or an equivalent organization approved by the Council on Social Work Education; and 

(3) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this section, provide in a form prescribed by the Board, documentation of having completed 2 years as a licensee with supervised experience of at least 3,000 hours after receiving the master's degree with a minimum of 144 hours of periodic face-to-face supervision in the practice of social work under the terms and conditions that the Board determines by regulation. 

(e)  Certified social worker-clinical license.- Except as provided in § 19-302.1 of this subtitle, to obtain a certified social worker-clinical license, an applicant shall: 

(1) Meet the requirements of subsection (a) of this section; 

(2) Have received a master's degree in social work and documentation of clinical course work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or an equivalent organization approved by the Council on Social Work Education; and 

(3) Provide in a form prescribed by the Board, documentation of having completed 2 years as a licensee with supervised experience of at least 3,000 hours after receiving the master's degree with a minimum of 144 hours of periodic face-to-face supervision in the assessment, formulation of a diagnostic impression, and treatment of mental disorders and other conditions and the provision of psychotherapy under the terms and conditions that the Board determines by regulation. 

(f)  Waiver of supervision requirements - Unavailability.- If the supervision required for a certified social worker license under subsection (d)(3) of this section was not available to the applicant while the applicant was obtaining the required 2 years of experience, the Board may waive the supervision requirement on the request of the applicant. 

(g)  Waiver of supervision requirements - Licensed in another state.- If an applicant who is licensed or registered to practice social work in another state has obtained 2 years of supervised experience under circumstances that are otherwise equivalent to those required under subsection (d) of this section, the Board may waive the supervision requirement. 
 

[An. Code 1957, art. 43, § 864; 1981, ch. 8, § 2; ch. 391; 1983, ch. 189; 1990, ch. 6, § 11; 1992, ch. 388; 1994, ch. 611; 1997, ch. 545; 1998, ch. 21, § 1; 2000, ch. 554; 2002, ch. 327; 2006, ch. 539; 2010, ch. 715.]