Why become a licensed social worker?

• Obtaining licensure as a social worker is not only about the status of holding a license to practice. It is a business move. In order to practice and bill people for services, a social worker must be licensed in the state which he works. A lack of licensure legally prevents an individual from seeing clients under the guise of providing counseling as well as billing for those services, either as private pay or through an insurer.
  
  

Basic requirements

• In the United States, all candidates for licensure must have their master's of social work (MSW) degree. Social workers must also have extensive work experience following graduation. Some states, like Massachusetts, require a number of hours. New York state requires 3 years of supervised experience for its LCSW (licensed clinical social worker) designation. Candidates must also pass a licensing exam administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) and, in many states, pay a licensing fee.
  
  

How to keep a license

• Once the license is obtained, social workers must participate in continuing education programs to remain in good standing. The ASWB credentials social work programs, which offer continuing education units (CEUs). CEUs are awarded by colleges at qualifying seminars or courses. Evidence of the CEUs are submitted to the state with the license renewal.