LCSWs
Please note that if you hold an LCSW license, you cannot provide clinical social work services (i.e., counseling, or psychotherapy for individuals, families or groups) as a private practitioner, under that license. You may provide such services only as an employee of an agency, facility, institution or some other unrelated individual. -If you hold an additional license that permits the independent practice of clinical services (e.g. LMHC), your LCSW should not be held out in connection with such practice. -Board policy limits LCSW's from providing clinical supervision to any mental health practitioner. Please visit the Board's website for more detailed information on the regulations and policies that set standards of all social work practice in the Commonwealth.
Criminal history check
The Board is certified by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services to access data about convictions and pending criminal cases. Those and other Federal and professional records may be checked as part of your licensing renewal. No records are automatic disqualifiers as you will be given an opportunity to discuss any issues with the Board. If you do not have a criminal record, please answer the criminal history questions in the affirmative. A negative answer to any of the attestation questions will result in a hold on your renewal. If you do have a criminal record, you must email swboard@mass.gov immediately. In your email, please provide a detailed description of the offense(s) that occurred, along with the jurisdiction(s) of the violation(s).
Continuing education
In order to renew your social work license, you must ensure that you have completed the correct amount of continuing education units, through appropriately approved programs or courses. LICSWs must complete 30 CEUs, LCSWs 20, LSWs 15 and LSWAs 10.
Recognized entities
Licensees may complete up to 25% of their total CEU requirement through programs approved by the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), the Board of Nursing home Administrators (NHA), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Programs and courses taken under this provision must contribute to the growth of professional competence in social work practice, and you may be asked, if audited, to document this. The remaining 75% of the continuing education requirement must be gained through programs and courses approved by a recognized entity as set forth in 258 CMR 31.04(2). There is no limit to the amount of continuing education a licensee may obtain through programs or courses approved by said recognized entities.
Unless you are exempt from continuing education requirements because you are employed exclusively as a Massachusetts state, county or municipal employee, please be sure that you have completed the required number of hours of continuing education before you complete and return this license renewal application. When you sign this application, you are certifying, under the penalties of perjury, that you have taken the continuing education hours required. If you electronically sign and submit this renewal application without having done so, you may be subject disciplinary action for misrepresenting facts on your application. The Board conducts an audit of a randomly-selected sample of licensees to ensure that these requirements are met. Please be aware that you may be audited for up to two years following renewal and it is advised that continuing education documentation be maintained for four years. If you have any questions about these requirements or how to meet them, please contact the Board office. If you cannot attest to this requirement, your license will not be renewed until you can demonstrate compliance.
If you are exempt from the CE requirement, you state that ‘yes’, you have met the continuing education requirements for renewal.
A board-approved training in domestic and sexual violence:
To renew your license, you must complete a Board-approved training in domestic and sexual violence. If you cannot attest that you have completed the training, your license will not be renewed, even if you complete and submit the renewal. A list of approved trainings, including a free online training, is available here. You only need to complete an approved training once and not again before each renewal. You will receive credit for 2 CEs for the licensing cycle in which you take the training.
Anti-racism and anti-discrimination continuing education:
Licensees must complete the following CE each licensing cycle:
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two (2) CE hours in anti-racism with a focus on oppression, and
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one (1) CE hour in anti-discrimination, addressing oppression because of ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and/or mental or physical ability.
These CEs do not increase the total number of CEs required by the Board each licensing cycle and should be included within that number. All other provisions of 258 CMR 31.00, et. seq. remain in effect, including the exemption for certain state, county, or municipal social workers at 258 CMR 31.03(2), the proration of CEs at 258 CMR 31.03(3), and the criteria for approval of CE programs at 258 CMR 31.04.
Pursuant to 258 CMR 31.05(1), each licensed social worker “shall maintain a written record of all continuing education courses or programs and/or approved individual continuing education activities they have completed for a period of not less than two consecutive licensure periods, inclusive of the licensure period during which the course, program or activity was completed.” It is the responsibility of licensees to ensure that this written record includes two (2) CE hours in anti-racism and one (1) CE hour in anti-discrimination meeting the criteria above.
The Board will not pre-approve specific courses as meeting the requirements of this policy, and each social worker is responsible for determining whether a course is acceptable under this policy and 258 CMR 31.04. A social worker should be prepared to demonstrate how the courses taken fulfill the anti-racism and anti-discrimination CE requirements if audited. Individual education activities under 258 CMR 31.04(4) may qualify, but the Board only will determine whether an individual education activity is acceptable CE and not whether it satisfies this policy.
All licensees who renew their licenses on or after September 28, 2023 are subject to this policy, meaning that, beginning on September 28, 2023, all licensees who renew their licenses must have completed the anti-racism and anti-discrimination CEs described above.
If you cannot attest that you have completed the Continuing Education requirements, including the required Domestic and Sexual Violence Training, your license will not be renewed until you can demonstrate compliance. Your renewal application will be place on-hold. To remove the hold, please email swboard@mass.gov to attest under the pains and penalties of perjury of your compliance.
Payment terms
Payment is required at the time of submission of your on-line renewal. We accept MasterCard, Visa and Discover as well as on-line check payments via electronic funds transfer (ACH/ EFT). Please note that a convenience fee is charged by the e-payment vendor for all payments.
Renewal fees are non-refundable.
Late Fee: If your completed renewal application and payment are not received by your renewal date, your license will expire. You must cease practice and you will be required to pay the $57 late fee in order to renew.
Name and/or address changes
You may make mailing address changes as part of your online renewal. Be advised that the mailing address on record with the Board is a PUBLIC RECORD, freely available to anyone who calls the Board. If you are using your home address, you may wish to change this to an office address or PO BOX. To prevent the delay of your license renewal, name changes must be made after you renew your license
Regulations
All social work regulations can be found on it's website. All licensees are responsible for adhering to the standards established in these regulations. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action.
VALOR Act
Active duty military please see VALOR Act or call (800) 414–0168 for VALOR Act provisions.
MassHealth
To renew, all LICSWs must apply to be a fully participating or a non-billing provider for MassHealth, regardless of whether you have an active practice or where your practice is located. If you cannot attest that you have applied, your license will not be renewed, even if you complete and submit the renewal.
For information on how to apply, contact the MassHealth Customer Service Center for Providers:
Main: (800) 841-2900
TTY: (800) 497-4648