§30-30-5 License classification; qualification. - West Virginia Statutes

§30-30-5. License classification; qualification.

The board shall issue a license as an independent clinical social worker, certified social worker, graduate social worker or social worker.

(a) The board shall issue a license as an independent clinical social worker to an applicant who:

(1) Has a doctorate or master's degree from a school of social work accredited by the council on social work education that included a concentration of clinically oriented course work as defined by the board; and

(2) Has completed a supervised clinical field placement at the graduate level, or post-master's clinical training that is found by the board to be equivalent;

(3) Has practiced clinical social work for at least two years in full-time employment, or three thousand hours under the supervision of an independent clinical social worker, or clinical supervision that is found by the board to be equivalent; and

(4) Has passed an examination approved by the board for certification purposes; or

(5) Has received certification as a "diplomat in clinical social work" by the national association of social workers, or as a "board certified diplomat in clinical social work" by the American board of examiners in clinical social work; and

(6) Has satisfied the board that he or she merits the public trust by providing the board with three letters of recommendation from persons not related to the applicant and a sworn statement from the applicant indicating he or she has never been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude.

(b) The board shall issue a license as a certified social worker to an applicant who:

(1) Has a doctorate or master's degree from a school of social work accredited by the council on social work education;

(2) Has completed a minimum of two years experience in the practice of social work after having received a master's degree in social work;

(3) Has received certification by the academy of certified social workers or has passed an examination approved by the board for certification purposes;

(4) Has satisfied the board that he or she merits the public trust by providing the board with three letters of recommendation from persons not related to the applicant and a sworn statement from the applicant indicating he or she has never been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude; and

(5) In lieu of the foregoing requirements, any person who has been continuously employed for seven years as a social worker under the supervision of any certified social worker; has satisfactorily completed fifty-six hours of graduate social work study as accredited by the council on social work education; has passed an examination approved by the board for certification purposes; and has satisfied the board that he or she merits the public trust by providing the board with three letters of recommendation from persons not related to the applicant and a sworn statement from the applicant indicating that he or she has never been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude, may be licensed by the board as a certified social worker: Provided, That the board may exempt any applicant for licensing from specific hours of social work curriculum where the applicant has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board a proficient knowledge of the subject matter contained in the particular course of social work curriculum to be exempted.

(c) The board shall issue a license as a graduate social worker to an applicant who:

(1) Has a master's degree in social work from a school of social work accredited by the council on social work education;

(2) Has passed an examination approved by the board;

(3) Has satisfied the board that he or she merits the public trust by providing the board with three letters of recommendation from persons not related to the applicant and a sworn statement from the applicant indicating he or she has never been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude; and

(4) In lieu of the foregoing requirements, any person who has been continuously employed for five years as an apprentice social worker under the supervision of any certified social worker; has satisfactorily completed forty-five graduate hours of social work study as accredited by the council on social work education; has passed an examination approved by the board; and has satisfied the board that he or she merits the public trust by providing the board with three letters of recommendation from persons not related to the applicant and a sworn statement from the applicant indicating he or she has never been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude, may be licensed by the board as a graduate social worker: Provided, That the board may exempt any applicant for licensing from specific hours of social work curriculum where the applicant has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board a proficient knowledge of the subject matter contained in the particular course of social work curriculum to be exempted.

(d) The board shall issue a license as a social worker to an applicant who:

(1) Has a baccalaureate degree in social work from a program accredited by the council on social work education;

(2) Has passed an examination approved by the board;

(3) Has satisfied the board that he or she merits the public trust by providing the board with three letters of recommendation by persons not related to the applicant and a sworn statement from the applicant indicating he or she has never been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude; and

(4) In lieu of the foregoing requirements, any person who has been continuously employed for four years as a social worker under the supervision of any certified social worker; has satisfactorily completed thirty-six hours of social work study as accredited by the council on social work education; has passed an examination approved by the board; and has satisfied the board that he or she merits the public trust by providing the board with three letters of recommendation from persons not related to the applicant and a sworn statement from the applicant indicating he or she has never been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude, may be licensed by the board as a social worker: Provided, That the board may exempt any applicant for licensing from specific hours of social work curriculum where the applicant has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board a proficient knowledge of the subject matter contained in the particular course of social work curriculum to be exempted.