1. |
What are the distinctions between the LMSW license and the LCSW license?
Requirements for Licensure in New York State:
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
- Education: A Master’s of Social Work degree from a state-approved social work
education program (or a program determined by the New York State Dept. of Education to be the “substantial equivalent”).
- All applicants must complete a state-approved two-hour course on child abuse and neglect. This is
provided to all second-year MSW students at NYU.
- Experience: there
is no post-degree work experience requirement, beyond passing the
examination and paying the appropriate licensing fees, to obtain the
LMSW license.
- Examination: the
MSW graduate is expected to pass the state-administered licensing
examination.
- Age: must be at
last 21 years of age, and of “good moral character,” as determined by
the Dept. of Education.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Education: A Master’s of Social Work degree from a state-approved social work
education program (or a program determined by the New York State Dept.
of Education to be the “substantial equivalent.”), that includes a core
curriculum with a minimum of 12 hours of clinical content, which NYU
provides.
- All applicants must complete a state-approved two-hour course on child abuse and
neglect. This is provided to all second-year MSW students at NYU.
- Experience: must provide evidence of three years of supervised post-MSW “clinical social
work experience in diagnosis, psychotherapy and assessment-based
treatment plans, or its part-time equivalent, obtained over a
continuous period not to exceed six years.”
- Examination: a) the MSW graduate is expected to pass the state-administered licensing
examination to obtain the LMSW; and b) after acquiring the requisite
experience listed above (“Experience”), the LCSW applicant must pass
the national Clinical Examination given by the Association of Social
Work Boards (ASWB).
Note: there are no continuing education requirements in order to
maintain an LMSW or LCSW license. All newly graduated
MSWs in New York State begin their careers as LMSWs after the meet the
requirements for licensure; you cannot become an LCSW without being licensed as
an LMSW.
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2. |
What are the differences between LMSWs and LCSWs in the scope of practice?
The scope of
practice
holds sharp distinctions in some areas, while there is an overlap in
others.
Licensed Master Social
Worker (LMSW)
- The professional
application of social work theory, principles and methods to prevent,
assess, evaluate, formulate and implement a plan of action based on
client needs and strengths; and intervene to address mental, social,
emotional, behavioral, developmental, and addictive disorders,
conditions and disabilities, and of the psychosocial aspects of illness
and injury experienced by individuals, couples, families, groups,
communities, organizations, and society.
- Administration of
tests and measures of psychosocial functioning.
- Social work
advocacy.
- Case management.
- Counseling.
- Consultation.
- Research.
- Administration and
management.
- Teaching.
- Private practice,
if practicing within the scope of practice as defined above.
Licensed Clinical Social
Worker (LCSW)
LCSWs can
perform all of the functions of an LMSW, in addition to the following:
- Diagnosis
of mental, emotional behavioral, addictive and developmental disorders
and disabilities.
- Development and
implementation of appropriate assessment-based treatment plans.
- The provision of
crisis-oriented psychotherapy.
- The provision of
brief, short-term, and long-term psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic
treatment to individuals, couples, families and groups, habilitation,
psychoanalysis and behavior therapy.
Note:
At the Silver School of Social Work, all students are educated about social
work practice under the applicable laws, and receive preparation for their
licensing exam.
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4. |
What does NY State recognize as a qualified setting for obtaining the experience for a
LCSW license? What criteria must be met?
- A LMSW’s
supervised clinical experience must be acquired in a setting that is
either licensed by New York State (NYS) to provide mental health
services or in another setting legally approved to offer mental health
services.
- If the LMSW is employed by a licensed mental health professional (NYS LCSW, NYS
licensed clinical psychologist, NYS licensed psychiatrist) in solo
practice, supervised clinical experience may count towards the LCSW licensure.
Qualifying Criteria:
- The qualifying candidate must be employed by the
facility in which clinical social work is provided.
- The facility must be authorized to provide clinical
social work as defined within the scope of practice.
Update: The State Department of Education (SED) is considering legislation that would
exempt public and non-profit human service providers from needing to obtain certificates of operation that specifically reflect clinical practice
in the future. If the legislation is passed, it would clear up existing ambiguities in terms of hospital social work
departments and private agencies that may not have a certificate of operation
authorizing clinical social work practice. State lawmakers are also
being asked to allow LMSWs who were previously rejected for the LCSW due to their setting
being disqualified will be able to be reconsidered. The legislature is scheduled to meet again in January 2009.
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5. |
Are There Tasks within an MSW’s Scope of Practice That Do Not Require Licensure?
- Serve as community organizer, planner, or administrator for social service programs in any
setting.
- Provide supervision and/or consultation to individuals, groups, institutions
and agencies other than supervision of the practice of social work or
clinical social work such as administrative supervision.
- Serve as a faculty member of instructor in an educational setting.
- Plan and/or conduct research projects and program evaluation studies.
- Maintain familiarity with both professional and self-help systems in the
community in order to assist the client in those services when necessary.
- Consult with other agencies on problems and cases served in common and coordinating
services among agencies or providing case management. Assist individuals or groups with difficult day to day
problems such as finding employment, locating sources of assistance,
organizing community groups to work on a specific problem.
- Conduct
data-gathering on social problems.
- Serve as an advocate for those clients or groups of clients whose needs are not
being met by available programs or by a specific agency.
- Assess, evaluate, and formulate a plan of action based on client need.
- Provide training to community groups, agencies, and other professions.
- Provide administrative supervision.
- Case management.
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