New applicant instructions - Association of Social Work Boards

Eligibility and documentation

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

LICSW applicants must hold an MSW, DSW, or PhD in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program. An official transcript for the highest qualifying degree must be sent electronically directly from the school to mass.sw.app@aswb.org.
Applicants must be currently licensed in Massachusetts at the LCSW level (or equivalent in another jurisdiction). Applicants must provide the correct license information.
Passing of the Clinical exam
Applicants must submit a total of three references. References may include professional references, supervisory references, or a combination of both. All references must be able to evaluate the applicant’s social work experience.
- Professional references must be provided by licensed professionals qualified to evaluate the applicant’s clinical social work practice. Qualified professional references include:
  - LICSW (or equivalent clinical social work license in another jurisdiction)
  - Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
  - Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
  - Psychiatrist
  - Psychologist
  - Psychiatric nurse with a specialty in clinical mental health
- Applicants must also have qualifying supervision documented by a clinical supervisor licensed at the LICSW level (or equivalent in another jurisdiction)
  - Applicants must complete no less than two years (104 weeks) and 3,500 hours of qualifying clinical social work experience after issuance of the LCSW (or equivalent license), including a minimum of 100 hours of individual face-to-face clinical supervision documented by a clinical supervisor licensed at the LICSW level (or equivalent in another jurisdiction)
  - Documented supervision must be a minimum of 100 hours of individual face-to-face clinical supervision, at a rate of 1 hour for every 35 hours worked (with a maximum of 1 hour per week). If the experience is earned at a rate less than 35 hours per week, the experience and supervision hours must be computed on a pro-rata basis. Clinical duties must meet the scope of practice provision 1 or 2.
  - Supervisors must be licensed in the jurisdiction where the supervision takes place; out of state supervisors may not supervise work experience taking place in MA. All work experience must be complete as of the application date.
A criminal history acknowledgment form must be notarized, signed with corresponding dates, and uploaded to your licensure application in the online application portal.
A 2” x 2” clear, color photo must be uploaded via the online application.
Applicants will be notified via email when the application has been approved or needs further attention.
If approved, applicants will receive information regarding registering for the ASWB examination.
Applicants may not register for the examination until the application has been approved.
LICSW applicants must review the MassHealth enrollment requirement.

Licensed Certified Social Worker

Licensed Social Worker

An official, certified transcript is required for the highest relevant degree. The transcript must be sent electronically directly from the school to mass.sw.app@aswb.org.
Passing of the Bachelors exam
Applicants must submit at least three total references. References may include professional references, supervisory references, or a combination of both. All references must be qualified to evaluate the applicant’s social work experience. At least one reference must be completed by an individual licensed at the LICSW or LCSW level (or equivalent social work license in another jurisdiction).
- Applicants who hold a BSW must submit
  - Two professional references
  - One field placement supervisory reference to document the placement supervision that was completed as part of the CSWE accredited BSW program curriculum
- Applicants with non-social work bachelor degrees must submit
  - Two professional references
  - One supervisory reference to document a minimum of 3,500 social work experience hours and 100 individual face-to-face supervision hours at a rate of one hour per 35 hours worked. Hours must be documented over a period of not less than two years post degree.
    - Qualified supervisory references include:
      - Social worker who holds a MSW or BSW from a CSWE accredited school
      - LICSW (or equivalent clinical social work license in another jurisdiction)
      - LCSW (or equivalent masters social work license in another jurisdiction)
A criminal history acknowledgment form must be notarized, signed with corresponding dates, and uploaded to your licensure application in the online application portal.
A 2” x 2” clear, color photo must be uploaded via the online application.
Applicants will be notified via email when the application has been approved or needs further attention.
If approved, applicants will receive information regarding registering for the ASWB examination.
Applicants may not register for the examination until the application has been approved.

Licensed Social Work Associate

Begin your application

All fees are nonrefundable

Fees

Application fee (all licenses): US$173

Exam registration fees

Bachelors or Masters: US$230
Clinical or Advanced Generalist: US$260

Licensure fees
(due after exam and licensing requirements have been met)

LICSW: US$82
LCSW: US$68
LSW: US$54
LSWA: US$42

Massachusetts MassHealth enrollment requirement

Section 6401 of the Affordable Care Act requires that, for MassHealth services that must be ordered, referred or prescribed, the provider who ordered, referred or prescribed the service must be enrolled with MassHealth for the claim for the service to be payable.

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