Sec. 20-195n. Licensure requirements. License by endorsement.
Sec. 20-195o. Application for and renewal of license. Fees. Licensure without examination.
Sec. 20-195n. Licensure requirements. License by endorsement. (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.
(g) The commissioner shall notify each applicant who is approved to take an examination required under subsection (b), (c), (d) or (e) of this section that such applicant may be eligible for testing accommodations pursuant to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 USC 12101 et seq., as amended from time to time, or other accommodations, as determined by the Association of Social Work Boards, or its successor organization, which may include the use of a dictionary while taking such examination and additional time within which to take such examination.
(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; P.A. 22-47, S. 3; P.A. 23-195, S. 4.)
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; P.A. 22-47 added Subsec. (g) re notification of each application re possible eligibility for testing accommodations, effective July 1, 2022; P.A. 23-195 amended Subsec. (g) by making a technical change.
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Sec. 20-195o. Application for and renewal of license. Fees. Licensure without examination. (a) Application for licensure shall be on forms prescribed and furnished by the commissioner. Each applicant shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that he or she has met the requirements of section 20-195n. The application fee for a clinical social worker license shall be two hundred dollars. The application fee for a master social worker license shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars.
(b) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 20-195n concerning examinations, on or before October 1, 2015, the commissioner may issue a license without examination, to any master social worker applicant who demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commissioner that, on or before October 1, 2013, he or she held 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, completed an educational program deemed equivalent by the council.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 20-195n concerning examinations, the commissioner shall waive the requirement to pass the masters level examination of the Association of Social Work Boards or any other examination prescribed by the commissioner, as described in subsection (b) of section 20-195n until January 1, 2026, at which time such requirement shall be reinstituted. Not later than July 1, 2025, the commissioner shall notify institutions of higher education offering social work programs about the reinstitution of the examination for all persons graduating after January 1, 2026.
(c) Each person licensed pursuant to this chapter may apply for renewal of such licensure in accordance with the provisions of subsection (e) of section 19a-88. A fee of two hundred dollars shall accompany each renewal application for a licensed clinical social worker and a fee of one hundred twenty-five dollars shall accompany each renewal application for a licensed master social worker. Each such applicant shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the commissioner of having satisfied the continuing education requirements prescribed in section 20-195u.
(d) (1) An individual who has been convicted of any criminal offense may request, in writing, at any time, that the commissioner determine whether such individual's criminal conviction disqualifies the individual from obtaining a license issued or conferred by the commissioner pursuant to this chapter based on (A) the nature of the conviction and its relationship to the individual's ability to safely or competently perform the duties or responsibilities associated with such license, (B) information pertaining to the degree of rehabilitation of the individual, and (C) the time elapsed since the conviction or release of the individual.
(2) An individual making such request shall include (A) details of the individual's criminal conviction, and (B) any payment required by the commissioner. The commissioner may charge a fee of not more than fifteen dollars for each request made under this subsection. The commissioner may waive such fee.
(3) Not later than thirty days after receiving a request under this subsection, the commissioner shall inform the individual making such request whether, based on the criminal record information provided, such individual is disqualified from receiving or holding a license issued or conferred pursuant to this chapter.
(4) The commissioner is not bound by a determination made under this subsection, if, upon further investigation, the commissioner determines that an individual's criminal conviction differs from the information presented in the determination request.
(P.A. 85-531, S. 3; P.A. 87-212, S. 3, 4; P.A. 89-251, S. 105, 203; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 26, 117; P.A. 94-91, S. 2; P.A. 95-116, S. 3; P.A. 97-213, S. 10, 13; P.A. 98-247, S. 14; P.A. 03-252, S. 21; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 213; June 19 Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-1, S. 18; P.A. 10-38, S. 4; P.A. 13-208, S. 10; P.A. 15-244, S. 123; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 474; P.A. 22-88, S. 3; P.A. 23-31, S. 3; 23-101, S. 12.)
History: P.A. 87-212 deleted reference to the period of time during which the commissioner could issue a certificate without examination and added provision re satisfying requirements prior to October 1, 1986; P.A. 89-251 increased the application fee from $75 to $94; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6 raised application fee to $195; P.A. 94-91 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the fee to $250, amended Subsec. (b) to prohibit issuance of certificate without examination after February 1, 1995, and added Subsec. (c) to provide for annual renewal and fee; P.A. 95-116 changed certification to licensure, extended from February 1, 1995, to January 1, 1996, the time to apply for a license without examination and from 1986 to 1993 the deadline for having met the requirements for such application and increased the renewal fee from $25 to $150; P.A. 97-213 extended the grandfather deadline from 1996 to 1998 and added federal employment prior to 1986 as satisfactory condition for licensure without examination, effective June 26, 1997; P.A. 98-247 amended Subsec. (c) to require continuing education and adoption of regulations; P.A. 03-252 amended Subsec. (c) by designating existing provisions as new Subdiv. (1), making technical changes therein, and adding new Subdiv. (2) re professional development activities as substitute for continuing education requirements; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 amended Subsec. (a) to increase fee from $250 to $315 and amended Subsec. (c)(1) to increase fee from $150 to $190; June 19 Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-1 made a technical change in Subsec. (c)(2), effective July 1, 2009; P.A. 10-38 amended Subsec. (a) by prescribing $220 application fee for master social worker license and by making conforming and technical changes, amended Subsec. (b) by replacing former requirements re licensure without examination with requirements applicable to master social worker applicants who, on or before October 1, 2012, seek licensure without examination, and amended Subsec. (c) by specifying that $190 license renewal fee applies to both licensed master social workers and licensed clinical social workers, by deleting provision re adoption of regulations pertaining to continuing education requirements, by deleting former Subdiv. (2) re continuing education requirements and by making technical changes; P.A. 13-208 amended Subsec. (b) by substituting October 1, 2015, for October 1, 2012, and substituting October 1, 2013, for October 1, 2010; P.A. 15-244 amended Subsec. (c) to increase renewal fee from $190 to $195, effective July 1, 2015; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 changed effective date of P.A. 15-244, S. 123, from July 1, 2015, to October 1, 2015, and applicable to the renewal of a license or certificate that expires on or after that date, effective June 30, 2015; P.A. 22-88 added Subsec. (d) re provisions for individuals convicted of a criminal offense to request commissioner determination whether such conviction disqualifies them from receiving a license; P.A. 23-31 amended Subsec. (b) by designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdiv. (2) re waiver of examination requirement until January 1, 2026, effective June 7, 2023; P.A. 23-101 amended Subsec. (a) by changing application fee for clinical social worker from $315 to $200 and for master social worker from $220 to $125 and amended Subsec. (c) by changing renewal application fee for clinical social worker from $195 to $200 and for master social worker from $195 to $125, effective July 1, 2023.
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Sec. 20-195u. Continuing education requirements: Record-keeping; exemptions; waivers; reinstatement of void licenses. (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, each clinical social worker, licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and each master social worker licensed pursuant to this chapter shall complete a minimum of fifteen hours of continuing education during each registration period in the following manner: (1) Not less than five hours shall be earned through in-person or synchronous online education with opportunities for live interaction; and (2) not more than ten hours shall be earned through asynchronous online education, distance learning or home study. For purposes of this section, “synchronous online education” means live online classes that are conducted in real time, “asynchronous online education” means a program where the instructor, learner and other participants are not engaged in the learning process at the same time, there is no real-time interaction between participants and instructors and the educational content is created and made available for later consumption, and “registration period” means the twelve-month period for which a license has been renewed in accordance with section 19a-88 and is current and valid.
(b) Continuing education required pursuant to this section shall be related to the practice of social work and shall include not less than one contact hour of training or education each registration period on the topic of cultural competency and, on and after January 1, 2016, not less than two contact hours of training or education during the first renewal period in which continuing education is required and not less than once every six years thereafter on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (1) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (2) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (3) suicide prevention training. Such continuing education shall consist of courses, workshops and conferences offered or approved by the Association of Social Work Boards, the National Association of Social Workers or a school or department of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
(c) Each licensee shall obtain a certificate of completion from a provider of the continuing education for all continuing education hours that are successfully completed and shall retain such certificate for a minimum of three years following the license renewal date for which the activity satisfies the continuing education requirement. Upon request by the department, the licensee shall submit such certificate to the department. A licensee who fails to comply with the continuing education requirements prescribed in this section may be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to section 20-195p.
(d) A person licensed pursuant to this chapter who holds a professional educator certificate that is endorsed for school social work and issued by the State Board of Education pursuant to sections 10-144o to 10-149, inclusive, may satisfy the continuing education requirements contained in this section by successfully completing professional development activities pursuant to section 10-148a, provided the number of continuing education hours completed by such person is equal to the number of hours per registration period required by this section.
(e) A licensee applying for the first time for license renewal pursuant to section 20-195o shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements of this section. The department may, for a licensee who has a medical disability or illness, grant a waiver of the continuing education requirements or may grant such licensee an extension of time in which to fulfill the requirements, provided the licensee submits to the department an application for waiver or extension of time on a form prescribed by the department along with any documentation required by the department. The department may grant a waiver or extension not to exceed one registration period, except that the department may grant additional waivers or extensions if the initial reason for the waiver or extension continues beyond the period of the waiver or extension. A waiver of the continuing education requirement may be granted by the department to a licensee who is not engaged in social work during a given continuing education registration period, provided the licensee submits a waiver request prior to the expiration of the continuing education period, on a form prescribed by the department.
(f) Any licensee granted a waiver of the continuing education requirements pursuant to the provisions of subsection (e) of this section shall be required to complete seven hours of continuing education not later than six months from the date on which such licensee returned to active practice. In addition, such licensee shall comply with the certificate of completion requirements prescribed in subsection (c) of this section.
(g) Any licensee whose license has become void pursuant to the provisions of subsection (f) of section 19a-88, who applies to the department for reinstatement of such license, shall submit with such application evidence documenting that such applicant has successfully completed seven hours of continuing education within the one-year period immediately preceding the date of application for reinstatement.
(P.A. 10-38, S. 7; P.A. 12-116, S. 49; P.A. 13-76, S. 1; P.A. 15-242, S. 65; P.A. 21-121, S. 41; P.A. 23-31, S. 4.)
History: P.A. 12-116 amended Subsec. (d) by replacing reference to Sec. 10-145b(l)(1) with reference to Sec. 10-148a, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 13-76 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re continuing education to include training or education in cultural competency, effective October 1, 2013, and applicable to registration periods beginning on and after October 1, 2014; P.A. 15-242 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions re training or education on topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans; P.A. 21-121 amended Subsec. (b) by increasing limit on on-line and home study continuing education from not more than 6 hours to not more than 10 hours per registration period, effective July 6, 2021; P.A. 23-31 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdivs. (1) and (2) re limitations on in-person or synchronous online education and asynchronous online education, distance learning or home study, defining “synchronous online education” and “asynchronous online education” and making a technical change, and amended Subsec. (b) by deleting provisions re limitations on online and home study continuing education and initial presentation by licensee of an original paper, essay or formal lecture in social work.
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