§ 47.12c. Licensed clinical social worker.
(a) Conditions for licensure. To be issued a license to hold oneself out as a licensed clinical social worker, an applicant shall provide proof satisfactory to the Board, that the applicant has met the following conditions:
(1) Satisfied the general requirements for licensure of § 47.12 (relating to qualifications for licensure).
(2) Holds a master’s degree in social work or social welfare or a doctoral degree in social work from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. An applicant who is a graduate of a foreign school shall submit to the Board an evaluation of foreign credentials performed by the Council on Social Work Education, which assesses the foreign credentials to be the equivalent of the curriculum policy of an accredited graduate school during the same time period, to be considered as meeting the requirements of having earned a master’s degree in social work or social welfare from an accredited school.
(3) Is licensed under the act as a social worker.
(4) Passed the examination required under § 47.11 (relating to licensure examination).
(5) Has completed at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience meeting the criteria in subsection (b) after completion of the master’s degree in social work or holds an Academy of Certified Social Workers Certificate issued by the National Association of Social Workers prior to January 1, 2001. Supervision for the clinical experience shall be provided by a supervisor as defined in § § 47.1 and 47.1a (relating to definitions; and qualifications for supervisors).
(b) Supervised clinical experience. Experience acceptable to the Board means experience as a supervisee in a setting that is organized to prepare the applicant for the practice of clinical social work consistent with the applicant’s education and training, and conforms to the following:
(1) At least 1/2 of the experience shall consist of providing services in one or more of the following areas:
(i) Assessment.
(ii) Psychotherapy.
(iii) Other psychosocial-therapeutic interventions.
(iv) Consultation.
(v) Family therapy.
(vi) Group therapy.
(2) Supervision for the clinical experience shall be provided by a supervisor as defined in § § 47.1 and 47.1a. However, at least 1/2 of the required hours shall be supervised by a supervisor meeting the qualifications in § 47.1a(1) and (3).
(3) A supervisee shall disclose his status as a supervisee to each patient and obtain written permission to discuss the patient’s case with the supervisor.
(4) The supervisor shall oversee, direct, recommend and instruct the clinical social work activities of the supervisee.
(i) A supervisor who is temporarily unable to provide supervision shall designate another supervisor as a substitute.
(ii) Although the supervisor shall continue to bear the ultimate responsibility for supervision, those to whom supervisory responsibilities are delegated shall be individually responsible for activities of the supervisee performed under their supervision.
(5) The supervisor, or one to whom supervisory responsibilities have been delegated, shall meet with the supervisee for a minimum of 2 hours for every 40 hours of supervised clinical experience. At least 1 of the 2 hours shall be with the supervisee individually and in person, and 1 of the 2 hours may be with the supervisee in a group setting and in person.
(6) A supervisor shall supervise no more than 6 supervisees at the same time. If this provision creates an undue hardship on a supervisee, the supervisor and supervisee may request an exception to this provision. The request shall state, in writing, the reasons why this provision creates a hardship on the supervisee and why the supervisee is not able to obtain a supervisor who meets the requirements of this provision. Before making a determination, the Board may require a personal appearance by the supervisee and supervisor.
(7) A supervisor who wishes to terminate supervision during the training period shall give the supervisee 2 weeks written notice to enable the supervisee to obtain another qualified supervisor. A supervisor may not terminate supervision when termination would result in abandonment of the supervisee’s client/patient.
(8) Supervised work activity will be counted toward satisfying the experience requirement only if it takes place in a single setting for either, first, at least 30 hours per week but no more than 50 hours per week during at least a 3 month period or, second, at least 15 hours per week for a period of at least 6 months.
(9) The supervised clinical experience shall be completed in no less than 2 years and no more than 6 years, except that at least 500 hours and no more than 1,800 hours may be credited in any 12-month period.
Authority The provisions of this § 47.12c issued and amended under section 6(2) of the Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act (63 P. S. § 1906(2)).
Source The provisions of this § 47.12c adopted March 1, 2002, effective March 2, 2002, 32 Pa.B. 1197; amended August 26, 2011, effective August 27, 2011, 41 Pa.B. 4627; amended October 10, 2014, effective October 11, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 6557. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (358294) to (358296).
Cross References This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 47.12d (relating to standards for supervisors).
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